Are all car and Thunderbird clutch forks the same? Is the angle from the pivot to the throw out bearing and the pivot to the clutch linkage adjustment ball a different angle? In my 1955 Thunderbird the adjustment end seems to be farther forward with the car fork I am trying to install with a clutch which is not a stock one but one more for street and drag racing. The pressure plate is 1/2 inch taller then the Centerforce one I am replacing which moves the adjustment end farther forward. 

  Vic Correnti

I believe all Y-Block passenger car clutch forks are the same.   I could be wrong. Here is a photo of the clutch fork in my 1955 TBird.  You can see the angle of the fork as it comes out of the bell housing.  My car has it's original linkage and a stock clutch.

Phil thanks for the reply and picture. Mine looks pitched more forward by the looks of it. It seems to operate ok just looks quite different then it did. How do you post a picture I forgot how to and it must be a secret on this site because it sure as heck is not obvious?

  Vic Correnti

The photo needs to be somewhere on the device you are using to access this forum.  I email my phone photos to my home PC.  Hover over the + Inset Button below the edit box.  Click Insert Image, then Browse to the photo.  Open the image and upload it to the Forum.   Most Forums require loading the image to an outside location.  This one's easy.

If your clutch disk or pressure plate are thicker than stock, your clutch fork angle will be more toward the front.  This shouldn't be an issue unless it messes with the clutch linkage geometry.  If they are, you may have to make some modifications.

To ad Photo click "Insert" at the bottom. This opens several symbols. Click the "mountain with Sun"  symbol. Choose your Picture from your Picture file and click on to hilite.. Click open. Picture will download to your Topic.

  

  Vic Correnti

Looks like my text got lost from the picture. In the picture the fork is pitched forward some more then the previous one do to the 1/2" taller pressure plate and that is why I was wondering if there was a different part number car clutch forks that might have a different angle.

  Vic Correnti

Can you make the pivot on the bellhousing shorter?


Lawrenceville, GA

I'm not sure that will help, I'll try to explain. This clutch is a long style and also as the rpm increases the weight at the end of the forks applies more pressure which in turn pushes the fingers and throwout bearing back towards the transmission, like a 1/4", so it needs more pedal free play. That free play is putting the fork closer to the pressure plate. I had to cut .100 off the throw out bearing collar to get the room for that 1/4" movement. I have the option to remove .020 of shim where the pressure plate is mounted to the flywheel and I believe that will move the 3 forks in .100 which will help. That will require me to get help to remove everything, transmission, scatter shield, bellhousing etc to get to the shim for the fourth time and I am getting real tired of all this!

  Vic Correnti

Is there a stop under the dash that can be repositioned or modified to get the free play on that end?  The pedal will be higher but it might not be too annoying.


Lawrenceville, GA