MTFCA Forum

Does anyone have the dimensions of the high speed/clutch adjusting bolt? Should the end that hits the “ramp” be hardened, or do you use a hardened bolt?
Thanks,
Rob

Rob ; I do it this way .

That is what I have found best, to turn the bolt over from the Ford way. Puts a nicer wide bolt surface for better leverage, and add some grease for a smooth gliding contact. Put nut on top to lock the position of the bolt.

A Grade 5 bolt is just fine, hex head 3/8" x 24tpi, 1 15/16" length, hex nut for locking.

What the Ford way looks like over time, mashed threaded end of bolt on left. New bolt in center with rounded hex. Just grind what shape you wish, the globe end in the old time sketch seems excessive to me, and make future adjustment tough to put a wrench on the round end, but would give a ball bearing slide

Anthonie,
Thank you. Do you recall the size of the bolt? I like the shape you ground it to. We’re thinking of a roller, and I need the dimensions for a friend to see if there is room. We need to strengthen or shim the spring and put in new discs. I’m also looking for Turbo 400 blue gen 2 discs. For some reason we can’t seem to hold high speed in the racer........

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2rfeoi0iaju2w ... r.MOV?dl=0

Thank you Dan.

Rob ; I use the same bolt as Dan , with full tread .

Succes Toon

I don't think there would be enough room for a roller without rework. The spacing between the cam and lever is not that great when the parking brake lever is pulled back. The only time this part come into play is when the lever is pulled back to put in neutral or set parking brake. Even if you added a roller it still would have to be up and down adjustable. If you are worried about wear, push the low pedal down and squeeze the grip before pulling the handle back.

Every bolt I've ever seen is beat to he!!

And since you are in neutral with the foot pedal when you pull the parking lever back, wear on the bolt should be negligible if everything is adjusted correctly. This tells me that most owners in the day didn't care that their cars were worn out...just that it started at least one more time...

I appreciate the work folks have done with custom bolts, and am a little amused by the roller idea, but frankly think it's a big ado about nothing. If the clevis is the correct length and neutral is set properly, the bolt will be high enough during engagement to barely rub the cam.

I run an "upside-down" bolt and have very little wear on it's head after many many thousands of miles on my driver

FWIW

Some accessory overhead valve heads use an oiled felt pad that lays inside the valve cover and on top of the rocker arms and supplies a slight but constant bit of lubrication to upper parts of overhead valve train. The felt pad is periodically soaked with oil to perpetuate this constant bit of lubrication.

I'm thinking that perhaps a very small oil soaked felt pad might be somehow strategically placed & somehow secured so as to be in constant contact with the surface of the cam so as to hopefully reduce the rate of wear at this adjustment bolt/cam contact point. Regular oiling of the pad could then be part of the regular lubrication servicing of the car. Does this make any sense? Anyone,.....???

We're going to use the 10% stronger spring from Lang's with 1/4 in spacer to add more pressure on the high speed clutches, hopefully to stop slippage. This motor has a lot of torque, and with 3:1 gears the clutch slips too easily and is almost out of adjustment already.

This will probably translate into a harder pull on the hand lever and faster wear on the adjusting bolt. I agree if I foot clutch first it won't matter. I often transport and park in high, and then still pull the brake lever to put the car in neutral and on brake before starting.

Thanks for the ideas and information.

There was an "old-timey" master machinist in the Tacoma M.T.C . that made a run of these for his "buddies" - they work just fine !

Steve

he did indeed do very nice work, even for such an esoteric part!

Now Rob has a very nice baseline to shoot for. Good of you to post.

Very nice looking roller setup.

My friend Bruce just put this together and sent a pic. He said it takes about an inch:

That's really cool. I would like to have one if it is possible.

Here we go again, changing things! First of all, that controller shaft cam is harder than hell! Next, Ford didn't use any grade five bolts either. I've done my cars the way Ford did, and never had an issue. I do however grease the top side of the cam.

Larry,
Problem is, I have a 300 cubic inch special Ford built racing engine, probably putting out over 70 hp, tandemed with a standard Ford transmission. I don't know what Ford and Frank Kulick did, but I suspect they had more than a stock T spring/clutch and control set up. Ford was the 5th winningest manufacturer in sanctioned events in 1911, so whatever they did with their two speed, it worked. I'm trying to recreate their success with their second largest Ford Soecial motor.