65 clutch/linkage problem

[yahoo willy]

Hello to all midyear mechanical types. I recently suffered a broken cross shaft (weld broke on lever that attaches to clutch rod). We recently completed a 250 mile mountain trip so the timing was perfect as it happened in the driveway the day after we got home. Though the clutch pedal has never been light, we noticed no slipage in the 2 years that we have owned it and this episode started with a clunk and the pedal going to the floor.

We ordered up a new cross shaft with all assorted seals, springs, locks, clips etc. After installing the new cross shaft (only one way it will fit), it was very difficult to reconnect the lever end at the clutch pedal rod end. It was necessary to pull the lever down under pressure to attach it to the pivot on the clutch pedal rod. The pivot is already at the top of the threads on the rod so there is no adjustment left. Must have been under pressure all this time.

After reassembly, we started the car and pressed in the clutch. It shifts great, but when the clutch is released in gear it does not engage (or disengage) the flywheel. After turning off the engine, I disconnected the clutch rod, shifted into gear and bumped the starter and of course the car jumps.

The clutch fork appears to be attached OK(it will slide in and out a little) when not loaded under pressure. So I am stumped. Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[JohnZ]

The BB and SB clutch cross-shafts are different (levers are welded to the shaft at different angles); have you compared the old cross shaft to the new one to make sure they're the same configuration and have the same angle between the levers?

The only things that would cause the upper lever swivel to be so far rearward (at the rear end of the threads on the pedal rod) would be either a wrong angle between the two levers on the shaft, or the clutch fork has slipped out of its normal detent with the end of the pivot ball, which would push the end of the clutch fork forward (and pushing the upper lever on the cross shaft rearward).

 

[66427-450]

Clutch X-shafts:

This always confused me? The 66 327 and 67 327/427 used one shaft; the 65 66 BB used another; the 63-65 SB used yet another shaft?

Based on 67 usage, it sounds like either shaft will work for either? (BB or SB) BUT maybe in 67 they just split the difference, and designed one shaft for all that was a compromise? (in lever angle)….but then why, in 66, was it just used for the 327 and not also the 427 (like they did in 67)?

 

[JohnZ]

Parts book shows the following usage:

63-66 All 327 - 3832857
65-66 396, 427 - 3872962
67-74 All - 3888279

Dunno what the detail differences are for - they all used the same clutch fork and throwout bearing.

 

[magicv8]

It has to do with the depth that the bore on the engine end of the cross shaft has. You have to bore deeper to get the nylon bushings farther into the tube - so that they will interchange.

 

[redvetracr]

Yahoo,
There is also a different fork "push rod" 65-66 sb takes a longer rod about 10.5" and most everything else takes the shorter 8.5' rod. I`m going with JohnZ on this one, you have a later model Z-bar. ...redvetracr