help out a newbie! Bent clutch fork?

[Joey7508]

I am a new member and in bad need of some advice! I have a 87 with a 302 and tremec 3550. It has a ford cable, steeda quad. and fire wall adjuster. Yesterday (all day) I installed a ford racing clutch.10 1/2 HD. Nothing real special. But now no matter how I adjust the cable the clutch will not completely disengage. It will go in gear with some effort. Reverse just grinds.
I am out of adjustment. The fork is hitting on the bell housing. And still it is not completely disengaged. Is the frok bent? Do the tremecs use any thing different than the T-5 that would do this? Help out the new guy please!?

 

[2000xp8]

If the fork is bent, i think you can get a stronger longer version, which gets you more leverage and easier clutch feel.

If you used the ford motorsport clutch, and not the King Cobra, i hope your leg is in shape, because if it's not, it will be soon.

 

[Joey7508]

Do you recommend one clutch fork over another? I see replacements, but most are stock type. My leg is already in shape. I bought this car about a month ago. The guy I had bought it from had just put a stock (luk) clutch
Something was wrong though. The clutch was hard to push! Very hard. I checked the routing of the clutch cable and all that good stuff. I didn't find anything out of place. That is why I put a new clutch in it in the first place. Just to tkae a good look inside. It all looked good.it was a good excuse to put the ford racing clutch in anyway. The clutch that was in it still looked band new. Barley broke in. Any ideas about what would make a pedal feel like you have to stand on it? I tried the clutch cable on both locations of my steeda quaderant. Even though the instructions say to use the hook closest to the firewall. I had more room for adjustment on the furthest one.

Also I tried to get a King Cobra from a number of different places. Summit,Jegs, etc... and they all told me the same thing. That Ford was no longer selling them the kingcobra any more? I don't know why nor did they but they all said the same thing? Maybe who ever is manufacturing them for ford quit?

 

[2000xp8]

If you disconnect the cable can you use like a tire iron or something to move the fork?

I really hate the motorsport clutch, last time i tried it, i tossed it after 2 weeks. For a mild street car nothing beats a centerforce.

To me sounds like you have a cable issue, what happens when you take the cable off the ford, does it move freely?

Not sure who makes the longer fork, i'll check tommorrow.

 

[Joey7508]

Well amigos....I am screwed. Kinda. I got a new fork, and I put one washer behind the pivot to make up for some wear. Put the trans back in for the second time. Adjusted the cable out all proper like, and..... it worked the clutch now works great. However, and this is the bad part. After I got the clutch to disengage all the way I noticed that my belt would squeek when I pushed on the clutch pedal. Then I relized oh $#it! My thrust bearing on the crank is wore out. So the crank moves back and forth. 3/16 of an inch to be exact.Andthat was the why the clutch would not completly disengage. Luckly I caught it before it lunched ad killed my motor. See the short block is a realy cheap rebuild. But my heads and valve train are good. I have twisted wegde TF heads, Trick Flow street intake, goldcrane roller rockers, trickflow push rods, and a ford f cam. So i Know I can put a crank kit in the block I have or possiably even just new bearings, but I would like to get a whole new short block or build my own. So I am going to start a new threadand see what every one recommends for a short block that will work well with trick flow heads. Any suggestions?????