MTFCA Forum

Finishing up a tranny and came across two different bolts to hold the top plate (with the clutch fingers, above the clutch push ring) to the brake drum. I just assumed the longer hex head ones were right, but came across a labeled plastic bag (yes, my handwriting!)...with these slotted bolts with safety wiring holes.....
Will either work? Should the heads be below the brake drum edge instead of above it? Is this an improved car thing? The last picture is just an example of what the hex heads would look like safety wired....I was practicing....

Yes either work, I think the screw driver ones are early 26, well that is what I have found on our Canadian T's. The bolt ones are a lot easier to wire.

Thanks! I guess us Americans just didn’t recognize the slotted ones!

The longer hex head bolts were standard with the improved transmission for 2627 due to the wider brake drum. All of them should be the same length not to cause any imbalance in the rotation

So are the short slotted ones standard before 26? It does look like they would be a bear to safety wire depending on where the holes ended up...but then again, not sitting up proud of the drum might be a plus if a band gave out or slipped over?

No, those are for an early wide brake drum but will also fit the later drum but as stated above, the bolts are better.

Ford jumped the gun with that 1926 engine and started installing the new engine in all vehicles about July 1, 1925, making the official 1926 start date August 1, 1925.

I recently opened up a July 20, 1925 original engine and found all the 1926 changes had been made, including those screw head bolts in the transmission back plate, the two transmission cover ears, the single valve cover, and the coil box on the engine.

Actually the engine was advertised as a 1926, as the owner though it was a 1926. He did not check the serial number book.