Hey, does anyone out there know what clutch forks will work with a 4 speed conversion? I've got one out of an early Mustang and I think that it is slightly longer than what I think I need. This results in my z-bar shifting back and forth right and left when the pedal is depressed. Any suggestions? Or is the problem the way the z-bar is mounted to the block? It seems like it has a lot of play in that direction, but I'm using a standard small block pivot on that end. Is there something that I'm missing here? Thanks!
Yes, it's the Maverick z-bar and I believe that the pivot on the block is from a Mustang. I did have to turn a new nylon ball for it to fit the z-bar. Thing is that it seems to have a lot of travel towards and away from the block. Almost an inch. On other cars that I've worked on, the travel side to side was always less than 1/4". Am I missing a part? I've tried to find a schematic of the clutch linkage, but I haven't found a thing.
The cross tube on the V8 z-bar is a much larger diameter than the Mustang z-bar so you will have a lot of slop on both the Frame side and Engine side if you use Mustang mounts. You have several options ... Get Maverick V8 z-bar mounts .... they are right next to the needles and hensteeth in the hay stack ... Modify a Mustang z-bar and use Mustang Mounts ... messy but aparantly many have done it ... A third option came to me in a vision and I believe it is the best way to go ... FInd out the inside diameter of a Mustang z-bar and then insert a metal sleeve into the Maverick z-bar thick enough that it will now match the inside diameter of the Mustang z-bar. Now you can use Mustang mounts on both sides. I have not done this but it sounds good in theory ... As a matter of fact it sounds so Good in theory that I think the company that is repopping the Maverick V8 z-bars should consider boring them out to use Mustang z-bar mounts ...
I'm not making sense I think. I made a larger than stock ball for the pivot on the motor side. There isn't any slop forward and back (towards the radiator and towards the firewall) the problem comes in from side to side. It's like the fork doesn't line up straight with the z-bar and the slop between the motor and the frame is where my problem shows up. Dang, if only I could draw a picture. Anyhow, it's moving side to side because of the angle it lines up with the fork. Or maybe I'm missing a piece that would keep it from sliding end to end.
Again ... I think it is a symptom of the Mustang Mount ... there should be no slop in any direction ... I am using Maverick mounts in my car ... I cannot slide the mount left and right ... well maybe a 1/8 of an inch at most .. Can you slide the z-bar over far enought that it will touch the block?
The Maverick block trunion sticks out further than the mustang. You'll have to figure a way to space it out?. The mustang big block trunions are large like the Maverick.
Doesn't the big block engine side mounts use a bracket on the bellhousing and don't actually mount to block?
I thought that they all mounted to the block. Yes it does slide almost to where it would hit the block. I think that I'm going to try putting a large (about the size of a marble) ball bearing between the trunion inside the z-bar. This should tighten up the slop temporarilly. I just want to get to the Car Craft summer nationals next weekend with it, then I will worry about a permanent fix later. Does anyone know where I can get one of the original block pivots?
They are not reproduced for the Maverick so I would check out a mustang supply house to see if you could use something there.
All of the parts I used were from a 66 Mustang, I had to do some modifications to the lower z-bar arm to clear headers, Lakewood bell, etc. I often thought the 70 Mustang z-bar would be a better fit after I saw one. Looked like everything would line right up.
