Something wrong with my clutch pedal.

Yeah as a few of you might know, I just installed a new clutch kit in my 82 F-150. Last night I finished putting everything back together. I put it in reverse, started to let out on the clutch, and bam it goes to the floor and the truck dies. It's not a hydraulic clutch by the way. I tried adjusting it out for more play in the pedal but if it goes any farther the adjustment just falls apart. As it is now, there is way too much play in it and the it doesn't even start to catch until the pedal is almost on the floor. I'm thinking it may be a problem with the clutch fork but I'm not completely sure. What do you guys think might be the problem?

Sounds like the fork isnt seated on the pivot correctly, or the throw out bearing isnt installed onto the fork correctly, and one side, or both jumped off on you. If you have a helper, get them to mash the clutch while you look at the linkage, you should be able to tell whats going on. That is assuming none of the linkage is broken or bent and that was part of your clutch problem before. You may be able to pull the boot back to see in there , but there aint much room.

I'm thinking the throw out bearing may have jumped off the fork. It happend the first time I put it in because I didn't do it right, and my dad had to drop the transimission again to fix it. What do you mean it isn't seated on the pivot correctly?

Theres a pivot ball that the fork rest on just about in the center of it, and the fork is held againts it with a little spring clip thats attached to the fork, if i remember correctly for that year model. Sometimes that little clip breaks, or gets sprung, letting the fork drop out of place. Heres a suggestion if you have to pull it back out. Get some all thread rod, and make some dowel pins to use as a guide when you stab the trans back on. 7 or 8 inches i think, screw them into the bellhousing in the top or bottom holes. This will let you guide the trans gently through the throw out so it doesnt knock everything out of place. You can also use a spring or just tie the fork back to the frame to keep the throw out tight against the pressure plate, this helps keep things in place too. You should have room for the dowel pins if you have the crossmember out and the motor hanging down.

Sorry, I'm not a very mechanical person. My dad has been helping me with all of this and we're both stumped as to my we keep having the same problem. The only thing he came up with was maybe it is caused by a broken engine mount. The one on the driver's side look a lot lower and tilted to one side. Could that cause problems with the clutch?
And thanks for the suggestion, I'll give that a try sometime tommorrow it's too dark now.

Yes, a broken motor mount could cause problems, especially if its on the same side as the clutch linkage. If the motors dropped down alot, it will throw all of the linkage out of alignment, and can actually cause the fork to jump off the pivot ball, because its pushing it at an angle instead of straight. Thats one reason i suggested having someone mash the pedal while you look to see whats happening. Another thing i ran accross years ago and have seen a few times since. Check the clutch bellcrank assembly(the tube that goes between the frame and the bellhousing with the two arms on it, one points up and the clutch pedal linkage hooks to it, the other goes down and the linkage that goes to the throwout fork hooks to it). Where the arms are welded to the tube sometimes cracks and flexes when you mash the pedal. Doesnt happen often, just something to look for while youre under there.

EDIT: I put my first clutch in when i was about your age, i was around 14, and had the same problems, so i have that T-Shirt. LOL No need to apologize, we all had to learn.

Yes, a broken motor mount could cause problems, especially if its on the same side as the clutch linkage. If the motors dropped down alot, it will throw all of the linkage out of alignment, and can actually cause the fork to jump off the pivot ball, because its pushing it at an angle instead of straight. Thats one reason i suggested having someone mash the pedal while you look to see whats happening. Another thing i ran accross years ago and have seen a few times since. Check the clutch bellcrank assembly(the tube that goes between the frame and the bellhousing with the two arms on it, one points up and the clutch pedal linkage hooks to it, the other goes down and the linkage that goes to the throwout fork hooks to it). Where the arms are welded to the tube sometimes cracks and flexes when you mash the pedal. Doesnt happen often, just something to look for while youre under there.

EDIT: I put my first clutch in when i was about your age, i was around 14, and had the same problems, so i have that T-Shirt. LOL No need to apologize, we all had to learn.

That's most likely my problem then. It is on the same side as all the clutch parts so I'm guessing the fork is being pushed sideways. Thank you very, very much for your help. Hopefully I can get this damn thing up and running soon so I won't have to drive my mom's minivan anymore haha.

Somehow my dad rigged it up so that it works now, but I have a bigger problem.


My damn driveshaft fell out. That's right, fell the **** out.

I had the u-bolts in and tight and everything, but when I was driving it today it started to vibrate horribly. I suspected that the driveshaft might have been a little off center so I headed home to fix it. On the way there, the vibration got so bad I could barely keep my hands on the wheel. I made it home and then it popped right out and started scraping the ground.
I had to lock it in 4 wheel drive just to make it into the damn garage.

If it's not one thing it's another :banghead:.


So now I have to buy a new universal joint, and possibly a new rear driveshaft.

If it werent for bad luck............well, look on the bright side big john. At least it didnt come off 20 miles from home, in the middle of the interstate, and go thru somebodys windshield. One of the caps probably wasnt seated down in the yoke all the way. Glad yall got it working, and you dont have to borrow mama`s car much longer.LOL happy holidays.........

On the driveshaft it sounds like you may have not got the little needle bearings back in place correctly. They fall out very easy if you don't put some grease in the cups. Also on the clutch it looks to me as if it was the clutch fork out of alignment (clip and ball).

Good luck

Yeah I was pretty lucky that I made it all the way home before it came apart.
I went into town this morning and bought a new universal joint.
It's amazing what kind of morons work at auto parts stores now haha.
I ran out of time today so I couldn't put it in, but I will most likely get it done either some time tonight or tommorrow morning.
I just have to get the U joint into the driveshaft, and the shaft into the truck.

If you haven't seen my other thread, I'm supposed to be trading this truck to a buddy of mine if all goes as planned. He has a 1992 Ranger, 2wd, extended cab, v6.

Well I got everything istalled correctly. Runs great now. I should be selling it soon, I'll update this thread if I do.