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First post here! I'm in the process of rebuilding a '55 dodge C3 B8, trying to keep her mostly original. I swapped in an original era VT334 241cid V8 and 3 spd column shift. So, I bought motor and trans/clutch last fall, and the motor ran but clutch was froze up. Recently I was able to free the clutch plate from the fly wheel, cleaned up surfaces on plate and pressure plate, reinstalled it. I just adjusted the clutch linkage via the turn buckle, pedal goes all the way to the floor but feels very "light", like hardly any sort of resistance, and does not want to shift into gear. I could see the throwout bearing engage the pressure plate springs when installing, the springs (four of them) moved in freely w/pedal depressed.
How heavy (or light) is this Dodge era clutch supposed to be? I have a feeling the clutch pressure plate might be shot, but I cant find anyone who stocks them, can only get this one rebuilt with 6 weeks turnaround. If it's shot, it would be par for the course - I've replaced, rewired or rebuilt just about everything on this truck so far!
Any help or insight is appreciated! Some pics from the ongoing process are attached, enjoy!
Havs Mocking up the bed 10/31/2020 Engine swap time gas tank welded, painted and resealed carb rebuild Dragging her home in 2019. Ugly! but solid. pulled the 318 poly
They are pretty stout. I used to slip them into neutral at a light and then depress the clutch, slide into 2nd, then first to go. Otherwise, my leg would start to shake holding that pedal down. (Second then first stops the gears and your first gear isn't synchronized so you don't get the grinding)
You should feel resistance with the pedal about an inch or so down. Dd you scuff the flywheel after you cleaned it? How about pressure plate?
Yep, I scuffed and cleaned up surfaces with sand paper, wiped off w/carb cleaner. There is no resistance like what you describe, way too light, I can push it easily by hand. I'd bet the pressure plate springs might be shot. Great...another rebuild and some more $$$...thanks for the help!
If anyone has a 11" 10 spline clutch plate pressure plate clutch levers
clutch for a '54-'56 that works, let me know!
Springs don't generally go bad.... Valve springs, which those look a lot like... last essentially forever, if they aren't abused. (and then, usually other things fail....) Is the P-plate just binding on something??
From underside it looks like the clutch plate is seated against the flywheel. Cant see much more than that. The only other thing I might try is to lengthen out that linkage on the clutch. It feels like the bearing isn't engaging with the pressure plate enough. Right now, the pedal goes full to the floor. But there are threads on the turnbuckle where you adjust the clutch linkage (full mechanical, and this is the only point of adjustment in the clutch, see pic, thats all I got to work with!
).
I'll give that a try tomorrow and see if the extra travel maybe engages it.
An over center spring will take a lot of the pedal effort off your leg as designed. I have a 2800# B&B 11" clutch and it's not stiff at all.
You might want to check the plate (as installed) finger height at the very least to make sure they are all the same.
For newer stuff, Mopar Performance recommends a plate finger height of 1.700" using a 0,310" standard as the disc. I just use s round 0.310" disc in between the FW and PP (bolted down) and measure down to the disc from the fingers with a depth mic.
There are 11", 10 spline discs available out there. There are different major diameters on the input shaft spline so you need to know what you have. A 10.95" or a 10.5" may even be last resorts.
10-31-2020 | 06:40 PM
'55 Dodge truck clutch-how heavy?
