[Fitch]

The clutch fork on my 66 3 speed has a hole worn in the cup that the release rod rides in and Im afraid it will wear all the way through before too long. Can the fork be replaced without removing the transmission ? If not, I think I'll just weld the backside of the cup where the hole has worn.

 

[Fitch]

Anyone know?

 

[1ofAMillion+]

Im thinking it would come out OK but never go back in. The TO bearing clips to the fork on mine.
Saying if you remove the linkage and get it off of the fulcrum and anti-rattle spring and monkey with it enough to pull it out the TO bearing would turn on the shaft and you'd never get it back together right. Thats the way I see it happening anyway.

Maybe weld, even if it was just JB weld, a concave slug inside the cup:shrug:

 

[awhtx]

I believe the release arm is hardened and welding on it will remove the hardening. Replacing it without removing the transmission can be done but getting the 2 clips on the back of the TOB hooked onto the arm can be frustrating to say the least.
Perhaps you could find a release arm with a good cup and cut it out. Then place it inside the existing cup.

 

[Fitch]

Thanks guys! I think I will weld it up and hope it last until my next clutch replacement.

 

[oldpaint]

Is the amount of money you will save worth the effort of doing it again if it doesn't work?

 

[IndyFive-O]

Is the amount of money you will save worth the effort of doing it again if it doesn't work?

It's not about the money I don't think. The whole trans has to come out to replace that $30 part, I think welding it and buying time until the clutch needs replaced is good option. Worst case you pull the trans anyway and replace it if the weld doesn't work out.

 

[Westmus]

Is the amount of money you will save worth the effort of doing it again if it doesn't work?

Welding done right are strong and usually harder than the sheet metal thats being welded. Repro parts are not necessarily as good a quallity as the orignal Ford Parts, just because they are new and shiny. The asian factorys likes to use softer steel to sheet metal parts because it makes the tools used for manufacturing last longer, or they can be done with less powerful machines. They have less focus on the durability of the parts, than they have on manufacturing the parts as cheap as absolutly possible. Ford also wanted cheap parts, but they also got all the problems it the parts they used didn't last or worked correctly.

 

[Fitch]

It's not about the money I don't think. The whole trans has to come out to replace that $30 part, I think welding it and buying time until the clutch needs replaced is good option. Worst case you pull the trans anyway and replace it if the weld doesn't work out.

Exactly! Like you said, worst case, I pull the trans to replace the clutch anyway. I dont know the history of this clutch, how old it is, how hard it was used. For all I know, its at the end of its life anyway although, it works fine now with the exception of a slight shutter on take-off.

 

[jfstang]

I'd either weld it up until it's clutch time and then find a good used or NOS one. Alternatively, maybe you could weld/JBWeld something like a 4 speed shifter trunnion or something similar, which will accept the release rod and then adjust accordingly?