The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Clutch Adjustment Tips

I have the read the manual about the clutch adjustment. i.e. loosen nut A, turn nut B until 3/4 to 1" free pedal travel...

To get the free pedal travel correct, you push the pedal with your thumb. The problem is that the return spring is stiff enough that I can't really feel how much free pedal travel there is. Maybe those more with experience adjusting these things can feel the difference. I tried adjustment by trial and error. Adjusting it the wrong way (away from the hook end) created horrible slippage. Adjusting it toward the hook end fixed that. Still, I'm not sure that I have it set correctly.

So, I'm looking for tips or tricks to confirm that the clutch is adjusted properly. TIA.

There should be a big difference between the free play & pushing in the clutch. You probable don't have any free play yet & are pushing against the pressure plate springs. Back the adjustment up some more till you can tell the difference. The exact amount of freeplay is not important. It is just necessary to have some so the TO brg. is not riding the clutch all the time. It will ruin the TO brg. & can damage the thrust brg. on the crank shaft.

Yes, that fixed it. Thank you. I had to move the front nut forward about 3/8" which seems like a lot. Now on to the next issue...

Having the same problem. I’m adjusting in a way that the pedal is moving in and out more and more but it still leans agains the TO bearing when the pedal just rests. I’m spinning the forward most but towards the front (hook end) and same with the back but (tightening).

Take the lower sheet metal cover off the bell housing and look up at the throwout bearing while someone else manipulates the clutch pedal. It should be very obvious when the TO bearing pulls away from the clutch fingers. A badly worn clutch disc will require a lot of adjustment before that happens as the clutch fingers will move a long way toward the transmission as the disc wears.
Jerry

That cover is off already and I noticed that no matter which way I adjusted, the fork still rides on the TO bearing. What I did notice is that the adjustment I made gave the clutch pedal more in and out freeplay but without holding the pedal back, it stays down. Thanks for the help.

Is there a return spring on the pedal linkage? There should be a spring about 3/4" in diameter and several inches long that pulls the outer end of the throwout arm toward the front of the truck. There's sometimes a small bracket with a hole in it under one of the oil pan bolts that the spring hooks onto.
Jerry

That looks like the issue. No return spring. Thanks for the help. I’ll hsve to check and make sure that bracket is intact

If the bracket is missing, find anywhere convenient to anchor the spring. I've even seen them attached to an exhaust pipe stud with a second nut on it to form a makeshift groove for the spring to hook into. Universal clutch/brake pedal return springs are usually available at professional-level parts stores like NAPA, once you get past the young computer jockey who has to have a make, model, year, VIN number and paint color code before he says "we don't stock that part!"
Jerry

Haha thankfully I have a good NAPA here. Thanks for the help Jerry.

Last week, there was a question about the clutch spring. The diagram posted shows the spring...

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...utch-return-spring-help.html#Post1309908