My '54 likes to make a grinding noise when shifting gears. It doesn't happen all the time, though. For example I sometimes get a grinding noise when I shift into first from neutral when stopped at a stop sign. Perhaps this is operator error and I'm not pushing the clutch in all the way--but it nevertheless got me thinking about the clutch system.
So I'm looking at my service manual, and the section titled "Adjustment -- Free Pedal Travel" talks about adjusting the clutch pedal so you get 3/4" to 1" of "free pedal travel". What exactly does "free pedal travel" mean? When I push the clutch pedal down with my fingers, it feels pretty solid right away. But from a resting position I can pull the pedal towards the seat about 3/4". So am I ok or do I need to make an adjustment? My truck is missing the felt floor seals, so I'm also wondering if that would mess up my measurement.
The way I figure it, as the clutch disk continues to wear down, the clutch pedal (in its resting position) will be pushed out closer to the bench seat. This means I should be fine as long as there is some free play in the pedal, even if that free play is pulling the pedal towards the bench instead of pushing it towards the floor.
Thanks in advance for your input.
