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Old 05-15-2020, 06:44 AM
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DanEC DanEC is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Little Rock area, AR
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA Street Roadster #782 with 459 cu in FE KC engine, toploader, 3.31
Posts: 4,519
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Default Question on clutch free play

For those with ERA supplied hydraulic clutch components (3/4" master and hydraulic slave cylinder) and a single disc clutch - about how far off the floor is your clutch beginning to engage and about how much free play do you have at the top of the pedal before you feel good resistance from the pressure plate?

I switched to a 7/8" master early in my build as it seemed I could barely get full disengagement with the 3/4" After a few miles it seemed the fuzzies wore off the disc and engagement was over a shorter travel, but the 7/8" master is notably heavier on pedal effort. I thought I might try the 3/4" again.

So, I finally got around to switching back to the 3/4 master this week but after extensive bleeding and adjustment my clutch is still disengaging maybe about an inch off the floor and I probably have about 1" or so of free play before pressure at the top. It works but I would like to have a bit more distance off the floor for good disengagement in case I get a little sloppy on foot action when shifting. It's difficult to judge free play at top of pedal with a hydraulic system and I don't like the ideal of the TO bearing having any contact with the clutch fingers.

I adjusted the link between the clutch pedal and the master to where it has a slight preload on the master cylinder so there's no slop in the pedal at all. I've clocked the arm on the clutch shaft so that it starts slightly forward, goes over center and then back to maximize it's stroke on the master cylinder. I'm getting a full 1" stroke on the slave cylinder and I'm running a QuickTime bell housing and Ford fork. I do have a return spring between the fork and master to try to keep the TO bearing free when the clutch is engaged but it's not much stronger than the spring inside the slave cylinder.

Could be my McLeod Street Pro clutch but in the vintage Corvette world they have a reputation of being pretty short throw which is necessary as old Corvettes have limited clutch pedal travel while the ERA is fairly long travel.

Thinking of taking a bit more free play out of the top at the clutch fork/slave and calling it good and hoping I adapt. Just curious as to what type of clutch action others are experiencing with a single disc set up?

Thanks - Dan
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Last edited by DanEC; 05-15-2020 at 06:47 AM..
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