Drilling my Zbar??

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Daves69 said:
I have never had a diaphragm cover, but I am having a hard time understanding how the available travel is not releasing the disc based on the relaxed position picture provided.
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Is it possible your input shaft is seized in the pilot bushing or bearing? Your clutch cover damaged?
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It definitely slides when clutch pedal is pressed, just not a lot. I don't think anything is damaged yet as all is brand new.
 
Kendog 170 said:
Quoted: (A-Body, all you need to do is cut and extend the arm at the rear of the pedal (the arm connected to the torque-shaft connecting arm). If you increase the pin-to-pin length to six inches,) 5 1/4 is stock. Measure yours and see what you have. Anyone know the length on the Brewers ?
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Mine is 5.25" but having the pedal 'welded in' by previous owner (smh), I have decided to mock up a 6" with some flat stock steel I have and secure it to that existing arm. At least then I won't butcher anything and can see how much improvement it will be.
 
If I had to guess; the simplest answer is that the pedal is not parking up high enough. My clutch-pedal parks, I just measured 1-3/8 higher than the brake and right at 6inches from the floor. This allows more than enough pedal-travel for my Center-Force, far more.
 
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AJ/FormS said:
If I had to guess; the simplest answer is that the pedal is not parking up high enough. My clutch-pedal parks, I just measured 1-3/8 higher than the brake and right at 6inches from the floor. This allows more than enough pedal-travel for my Center-Force, far more.
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5.25" from floor ...pretty even with brake..
 
Shmaako said:
5.25" from floor ...pretty even with brake..
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and there you have it.
Disconnect the downrod and see if the pedal pops up to the top. If it doesn't, you'll have to get under there and take a look why. It looks like someone shortened your downrod to pull the pedal down level with the brake. As to the why of that, IDK.
I've run several different clutched A-bodys, on an off, since 1970 and I have never seen same-height pedals. Two of those A's were on their first clutchs even.

the swivel I'm talking about sits in the cup on the outboard end of the TO fork, and the adjusting link passes thru it. In post #20 it appears as item AG412
 
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So, got everything all aligned properly and definitely have better throw, however, I only have .026 " between pressure plate and clutch as opposed to the .080 " that I need...
 
Shmaako said:
So, got everything all aligned properly and definitely have better throw, however, I only have .026 " between pressure plate and clutch as opposed to the .080 " that I need...
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My guess is that your problem is in the bellhousing. The clutch fork should angle towards the front of the car when it contacts the pressure plate fingers. If it does not the fork goes over center and wants to pop off of the throw out bearing clips. The reason for this anomaly is that the new aftermarket clutches do not have the finger height set correctly. In a GM application you can adjust the dth of the clutch fork pivot. Because the world is dominated by GM cars nobody ever thinks to check anything on a Mopar application. I have had to correct this a few times, most recently on my 68 GTS.

I`ll bet you need to make a spacer for the clutch fork pivot and or a longer pivot to correct this.

Get a pic of that clutch fork angle please. Do you know what disc and pressure plate is in it?

If you cant fab something up surely we can get one of us with a mill to hook you up. I made my clutch fork pivot out of 2" x 3/16" thick angle iron.
 
Jeremiah said:
My guess is that your problem is in the bellhousing. The clutch fork should angle towards the front of the car when it contacts the pressure plate fingers. If it does not the fork goes over center and wants to pop off of the throw out bearing clips. The reason for this anomaly is that the new aftermarket clutches do not have the finger height set correctly. In a GM application you can adjust the dth of the clutch fork pivot. Because the world is dominated by GM cars nobody ever thinks to check anything on a Mopar application. I have had to correct this a few times, most recently on my 68 GTS.

I`ll bet you need to make a spacer for the clutch fork pivot and or a longer pivot to correct this.

Get a pic of that clutch fork angle please. Do you know what disc and pressure plate is in it?

If you cant fab something up surely we can get one of us with a mill to hook you up. I made my clutch fork pivot out of 2" x 3/16" thick angle iron.
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two pics..one engaged and one disengaged
 
Also for the z bar (technically it's a torque shaft) you can slot the holes on the bellhousing bracket to help correct the angle. That bracket does not look like the factory or reproduction units that I have and use FYI. Looks home made to me so it is also suspect.

On the pedal to shaft rod the bb and sb are the same length. They repro the smaller one but the 7/16" 340/383 versions can be hard to come by. If it doesn't deflect, run it. Be aware that the rod is case hardened so if you try to bend it you will soon find youself eith two halves. Dont ask me how I know that.

To take the clutch pedal assembly out you must removed the steering column and it will come right out.
 
Maybe it's the picture, but is that fork bent?
They are almost straight. Getting your z-bar parallel can involve loosening the motor mounts and lifting the engine or lowering, depending on which way it needs to go.
Why couldn't the broken bolt be drilled out?
 
CRUZE 418 said:
Maybe it's the picture, but is that fork bent?
They are almost straight. Getting your z-bar parallel can involve loosening the motor mounts and lifting the engine or lowering, depending on which way it needs to go.
Why couldn't the broken bolt be drilled out?
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Not sure if the fork is bent...I'm not sure if they're a littl curve in them from new or not.
My Z bar is fairly straight now. The one bolt holds it pretty securely. It was not a problem of the bolt breaking off in the hole but rather the bell housing ear with the hole in it snapped and there is no more complete hole to screw the bolt into.
 
Bell should still be able to repair. The fork looks suspicious.
 
Re: broken bolt boss

If you tack the bolt in for the hole can you still install the bracket with one bolt. You need to have two bolts or you might break the other hole open. If the bell ever comes out of the car build it up with epoxy (jb weld, etc) and drill/tap it. The other option would be attempting to drill the holes deeper and tap about 9/16" or a thread more deep (IIRC the bolts are 9/16")
 
My opinion, we have not seen the bell, but I believe that a machinist could machine the area and make a part to fit and then be welded in. They make specialty welding rod for cast iron. Or fill the area with that specialty rod and remachine the area and drill and tap a new hole. Pretty sure this can be done.
I would not go further with the way it is. I also would want to have eyes on another car like yours that is orginal, to see what else may be incorrect.
 
Yeah, that will probably work, but it is cobbled. It's like knocking down a row of dominoes. Everything that is incorrect a little bit, at the other end turns into a lot. Not saying it can not work, but you have to start somewhere.
 
CRUZE 418 said:
My opinion, we have not seen the bell, but I believe that a machinist could machine the area and make a part to fit and then be welded in. They make specialty welding rod for cast iron. Or fill the area with that specialty rod and remachine the area and drill and tap a new hole. Pretty sure this can be done.
I would not go further with the way it is. I also would want to have eyes on another car like yours that is orginal, to see what else may be incorrect.
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What about another BH ?
[FOR SALE] - 68-69 A833 Bellhousing
 
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So I took a lot of the sloppiness out of my clutch by installing some bushings and grinding off the flanges from the z bar and drilling holes for codder pins instead. Made a big difference! Clutch works now. Did not get my .080" between the clutch and pressure plate but she works now!
 
Yet another Update:
The bushings helped to take care of some slop in the linkage but still was not getting a proper disengaging of the clutch.

Removed my drivers side rubber motor mount and replaced with a solid mount and this has completely solved any issues I was having.
Previously the clutch was actually moving the motor when pressed!

Just in case someone out there is experiencing any of the same issues and frustrations lol...
 
I had a problem with my clutch release being too low for my liking. The problem I found with lower the attachment point for the rod off the pedal was the rod would come in contact with the firewall since it is now at a different angle. Instead, I moved the hole for the rod that goes to the fork. This worked much better. I've always hated the sloppy factory clutch linkage, so I made new rods with heim joints. This modification made an amazing difference. It's almost like I have a hydraulic clutch now.
clutch linkage 2.jpg
 
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