The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Clutch head screws

I was removing the transmission floor cover and had some trouble with the clutch screws. The driver set I have has sizes 3/16 and 1/4, but one is too big and the other too small. I got the 3/16 to work, but I feel that if the screws had been really tight I could have easily stripped them. Once I got them out I tried cleaning them (thinking that maybe they were just full of paint and stuff so the 1/4 would not drop in), but that did not help. My question is am I doing something wrong? Or is there a 7/32 size out there somewhere?
I could grind the 1/4 inch down a little bit if necessary.
Thank you,

Lee.

Lee,
My two cents worth: the new clutch head drivers are a hair off the original size, maybe just mass produced?. I did shave a hair off two of my ( socket set) drivers to make a tight fit.
I also bought a NAPA set (screwdriver style) they seem to fit better than the socket set.
Todd

Would a piece of emery cloth tighten the grip enough?

Lee,
I don't think there is 7/32 size in clutch head, at least I have not seen a fastener that size on my trucks. My drivers are from NAPA, somewhat pricey, but fit very well the fasteners on all my Chevys.
Kent

Here is what sizes I have in my collection. 5/16. 1/4, 3/16, 5/32, 1/8, 3/32.

Thanks for all the replies, sounds like my best bet would be to go to NAPA and find a good set. In the meantime I’ll grind a little bit off the other set to make them fit.

Lee.

I have a set of clutch head bits, but have also ended up using a regular flat screwdriver to remove some clutch head bolts when the bits didn't have a snug fit and was worried about rounding them out.

I tried to save as many of the clutch head screws I found on my 50

Don’t think I ran into the oddball size

I bought a set of cheap clutch head drivers from a chain store and they didn't fit Chevy screws. So I got the set from Classic Parts and they worked perfectly.

I am in Dallas for work (enjoying all the closed restaurants!) and won’t be home for a couple of weeks. I’ll try grinding down the 1/4 inch and see how that works. Maybe I can find an open NAPA store around here and buy a set. It would be nice to have a set that will fit in my magnetic screwdriver; my current set only works with a 3/8 ratchet.

Thanks again,
Lee

Possum and Todd are correct, I have my fathers clutch heads (about 60 years old), and a set I purchased for my mechanic. The new ones seem a wee bit loose (Amazon). NAPA would be more than likely the best choice. Basically I believe all who responded are right. So why did I send this out. I have four generations of tool's maybe I should share with my Stovebolters.

Is there a "show us your old tools" Thread?

Definitely would be a good thing to post in the Tool Chest forum. Old tools are cool.

I'd like to see pictures of homemade tools used on these trucks. I have a few.

I went to like 6 different places looking for a set of drivers, no one even knew what they were untill I went to this place that reminded me of an old parts house. lots of paper parts catalogs, they not only knew what I wanted they had a set, some well come loose with out rounding out but most I break loose with vise grips and replace with new hardware