1966 Clutch adjustment and rear diff carrier bolt questions:

[74bigblock]

Hey all... I'm doing some work on my buddies '66 vert 327/350 and wanted to check out a couple things:

1) Where should we set the adjustment nuts on the adjusting rod?

2) There are 2 washers on the linkage connections. How should these be spaced (one on the inside, one on the out; or both on the outside etc..)?

3) How in the world do you get the rear differential carrier bolts out? (they are blocked by the body!!!) - for this we have heard to use a pry bar to push down the rear end a little. We are wondering if there is a less risky way to do this.

Thanks in advance for any ideas!

 

[JohnZ]

1. Loosen the nuts so you can push the top lever on the Z-bar forward until you feel it bottom out against the throwout bearing; then run the rear nut forward until you have a 3/8" gap between the front of the nut and the rear of the swivel, and tighten the front nut. This should give you about 1" to 1-1/2" free play at the pedal between its full-up position (against the rubber bumper) and the point where you feel resistance from contact with the throwout bearing when you press the pedal down. The important part is the pedal free play - work with the adjustment nuts to get the correct free play (so you don't fry the throwout bearing due to no free play).

2. The only "washers" in the clutch linkage are at the pedal pushrod connection to the pin on the pedal; one is very thick (3/16"), and acts as a spacer between the pushrod and the pedal. The other is an ordinary flat washer, and goes outboard of the pushrod before you install the pretzel clip; this was used on 67's and isn't used on 65's - don't know about 66's.

3. The diff carrier bolts aren't accessible with the body on the frame; you have to drop the crossmember the diff is attached to and remove the assembly. Remove the bolt at each end, in the center of the bushings, and use a BIG prybar between each end of the crossmember and the bottom of the frame side rail to pop the bushings loose from the "hats" on the frame. Works better if you pull the bolts and replace them with longer ones that will "catch" the crossmember and diff when the bushings pop loose - that assembly is HEAVY.

 

[74bigblock]

Thanks John,

The washers we see are between the linkage brackets and the shifter pins (1 standard washer and 1 lock washer for each mounting point on the linkage) on the trans. They appear to space the linkage out from the trans. Not sure if that sheds more light or not.

 

[JohnZ]

Sorry, thought you were referring to washers in the clutch linkage, not the shift linkage.

At the front trans lever (3-4), the pin on the swivel goes through the lever (toward the trans), and gets a washer and the pretzel clip. At the rear lever (1-2), the rod has a forked clevis on it, and uses a clevis pin that goes through the clevis and the lever and uses a cotter pin on the inboard side. The reverse lever in the tailhousing uses the same arrangement as the front (3-4) lever. At the shifter end, all three rods just get pretzel clips with no washers, and all three rod ends point toward the transmission.

The shift levers on the side cover go directly on the studs, and are attached with a flat washer, lock washer, and nut, all outboard of the lever; no washers between the lever and the stud.

 

[IH2LOSE]

1. Loosen the nuts so you can push the top lever on the Z-bar forward until you feel it bottom out against the throwout bearing; then run the rear nut forward until you have a 3/8" gap between the front of the nut and the rear of the swivel, and tighten the front nut. This should give you about 1" to 1-1/2" free play at the pedal between its full-up position (against the rubber bumper) and the point where you feel resistance from contact with the throwout bearing when you press the pedal down. The important part is the pedal free play - work with the adjustment nuts to get the correct free play (so you don't fry the throwout bearing due to no free play).

All you C2 guys this is one to print out for future adjustments

 

[67HEAVEN]

All you C2 guys this is one to print out for future adjustments

I already did, yesterday.

 

[74bigblock]

JohnZ you are da man!


Bob... 67Heaven fantastic! I have been watching your progress on your website for some time now. Thanks for sharing the transfomation with everyone and Congrats! Please give her a whollup for me from one big block owner to another!

Dave