Loose clutch fork brace in the bell housing; problem?

[Alvin in AZ]

-Robroy

Yeah those are grade 8 (as long as you don't get stainless steel ;).
I can get those at the hardware store around here.

But there is also "nut and bolt" suppliers, or were, forners are moving in from
Kalifonia and other places like New Yawk and trying to ruin the mining industry.
If they don't like mining, why didn't they just stay where they were with all the
cement curbs and star erasing street lights? :/

Phoenix = LA East

damforners :/

Alvin in AZ

[robroy]

The job is now complete, I think! Thanks for the great advice. I went with the allen head, countersunk bolts combined with grade eight centerlock locknuts and Nord-Locks:











I think this will work! Thanks again for the advice.

By the way, I noticed that NPD has the original clutch bracket and rivet kit in their catalog. But by the time I noticed that I'd already invested in the special hardware to put it together like this.

-Robroy

[Alvin in AZ]

Great job and cool pictures! :D
Do you have a dial indicator with a magnetic base by any chance? :)
I'd be cool to check the bell housing's alignment before you put it all together.

Alvin in AZ

[robroy]

Hey Alvin! Thanks for the complement on the job and photos!

I don't have any tool like you've described. When you mention checking alignment, do you mean the alignment of the bell to the engine? On that topic, I've already sanded down the paint to an extremely smooth finish, so I think I'm OK. It's so smooth that it almost looks like bare silver metal. No bumps, ridges, or built up areas that can be felt with my fingers.

Or did you have something else in mind?

Thanks again Alvin!
-Robroy

[Alvin in AZ]

The bell housing is so pretty and all it'd be a shame to put it
together and it be crooked. :)

The center of the hole at the rear of the bell housing needs
to be centered with the pilot bearing hole in the crank.

I've read where Ford was pretty dangged sloppy about that
and figure that's why my pickup's never had a good clutch
right from the first day I drove it off the lot for a test drive.
I was young and dumb what did I know? :/

A dial indicator with a magnetic base isn't expensive but you
might be able to borrow one? They mostly just sit around
doing nothing like micrometers, you know what I mean,
Verne? ;)

You stick it to the flywheel and let the feeler follow the bell
housing. The very first thing mentioned in the "General
Clutch Service" section of the Shop Manual 16-01-1 goes
into this. I mistakingly figured it didn't apply to me because
mine was set up at the facory and wasn't swapped out parts
etc. Oops! :/

I half-assed fixed my centering problem with a 6303 ball
bearing instead of the oil-lite bronze bearing. FT's used
those. :) (some? most?)

What got me to thinking about it was your one locating pin
sticking out of the bell housing. I'm guessing the other one
is still in the engine?

The way I was told to fix mine was to remove the pins, bolt
the bell housing down nice and tight and centered as I can
get it and drill the centering pin holes out to the next larger
pin size. They have off set pins for this job too, the problem
is so common I've seen 'em for sale all over the place. :/

Is it ok for me to like my pickup but not be in "love" with
the Ford Motor Company?

Alvin in AZ '75 F150 360FE T18 special ordered late Nov '74

[robroy]

Alvin, thank you for your words of wisdom about the alignment procedure! I am looking at that stuff in the shop manual now and will pick up a gauge for this today.

Lucky for me you spoke up about this. It doesn't look terribly hard to test the alignment in this way and it would probably be disgustingly hard once the engine and transmission are installed!

Thanks again.
Robroy