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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: 6cyl57 on 2014-04-06 07:48

Title: broke my 57. clutch
Post by: 6cyl57 on 2014-04-06 07:48
Many of you know, I put the miles on mine. I was 20 miles out
Of town and the pedal decides to stay on the floor.
I was able to drive it home.... Fun fun. Any way this has a 4spd from
A 64 mustang. Need to order parts,is the spline on the disc same as
A 57 3spd ?  Thanks, Jim.
Title: Re: broke my 57. clutch
Post by: JimNolan on 2014-04-06 08:39
Jim, hold on a minute. You're clutch pedal staying on the floor has nothing to do with the transmission or clutch disc. From experience with a 57 I can tell you that what you described could be with just the clutch adjustment. Before I figured out that the original clutch pedal spring (under the dash) made it almost impossible to adjust the clutch so what you describe won't happen. This spring was designed to aid in pushing the clutch in, not returning the pedal. Get rid of the damn spring and adjust the clutch again.
My diaphragm pressure plate was actually being overridden by that big spring. Jim
Title: Re: broke my 57. clutch
Post by: rmk57 on 2014-04-06 10:03
Maybe the adjustment rod broke or fell out. Don't know if 57's have that style of adjustment but the same thing happen on my old Boss 302.
Title: Re: broke my 57. clutch
Post by: 6cyl57 on 2014-04-06 11:43
The Rod did not brake. Everything is still in place. I can pull the pedal
Up, and it stays. It was working great then something let go. I took inspection
Cover off. It is 3 finger type. Push pedal down and bearing moves. But the
Fingers are already in and don't move. But the car moves like pedal is up.
Have to start it in gear.
What ever keeps fingers against throw out, seems broken.
Title: Re: broke my 57. clutch
Post by: JPotter57 on 2014-04-06 12:44
Yep, pressure plate is done, probably springs, doubt the levers are hurt.  To answer your question, no splines aren't the same.  The 57 3 speed trans has a smaller input shaft and lower spline count.  If you are using 10-10.5 clutch, get a disk for 60's Mustang with small block.  I used a 67 F100 11 inch clutch in mine, fit inside the stock Y block bellhousing.  The flywheels for 10 and 11 inch clutchs are the same just drilled differently for the different bolt patterns.  In retrospect, I should have probably used a diaphragm clutch instead of the Long style, just higher pedal effort.  Shouldn't ever slip though, lol.
Title: Re: broke my 57. clutch
Post by: 57AGIN on 2014-04-06 15:34
6cyl57:

I don't know if this will help or if is in any way related, but when I took my 57 to the drags in 2004 I had just got it back on the road after it's first restoration and my clutch pedal went all the way to the floor following my shift from low to second.  When we got the car back to the pits, we discovered that the clutch actuation rod (from the Z-bar to the pressure plate fork) had punctured the pressure plate fork taking all the adjustment out of the clutch.  Our ultimate fix was to weld a grade 8 hex nut to the end of the clutch actuating rod.  This fix is still working 10 years later.

Bob
57 AGIN
Title: Re: broke my 57. clutch
Post by: rmk57 on 2014-04-06 18:57
Another thing it could be and I've had happen is the fork itself could be bent. Had that happen on my old Boss 429.

Straightened it out and welded a couple strengthening rods along side and it's been fine ever since.
Title: Re: broke my 57. clutch
Post by: 6cyl57 on 2014-04-13 19:24
Thanks for all the help guys. It turned out to be the Z  bar . It was the frame side
Of bar. The weld at the curved flat stock to the tube was  tearing away. I need to
Get another half of the split bushing for z bar pivot.
Title: Re: broke my 57. clutch
Post by: hiball3985 on 2014-04-13 19:37
Glad you found the problem and that is quite common, I've seen many tear at that area. It's common with early Mustangs too I always added a gusset to mine.
Title: Re: broke my 57. clutch
Post by: geraldchainsaw on 2014-04-14 08:09
like Jim says,   and from pass experience back in 1959,   the link arm tore from the shaft,  and what i did was bend it back into place,  make some support on the sides, weld together,  end of problem,  had to add my 2 cents,   jerry