Soft Lock Air Gap Peoblem???

[Notch1320]

I have a brand new .330 disc soft lock in my 88 mustang stocker, and I can't get enough air gap.

No matter what I do, I only get about .035. I have an adj. cable, pedal stop, firewall adjuster, and have played with the pivot fork, and the McLeod adjustable throw out bearing spacers.

I have had the assembly in and out of the car at least 50 times trying different adjustments with the same .035 gap. Any suggestions?

McLeod Tech told me the only thing it could be is that I had the disc in backwards, but I just tore it back apart to verify it, and the clutch hub is towards the trans. This is my first solid hub disc... there is only a slight difference in either side of the disc. Any ideas here?

[JHeath]

Was the pressure plate set up for a .280 thick disc? If so, you will need to put .050 of shims between the flywheel and pressure plate.

[Rory McNeil]

I have Soft Loks in both my Ford drag cars, and both units were shipped with .280" thick discs, as were any replacement discs.Did you buy the clutch as a complete assembly? You may have been shipped the wrong disc. Also, I assume that you are using McLeods necked down clutch fork and an adjustable ball pivot, correct? Even though the 5.0 Mustang uses a fairly deep bellhousing, the packaging is very tight, due to the fork running to the passenger side pivot ball, plus the Soft Loks "Long" style pressure plate is considerably taller than the stock diagphram clutch. On my Mustang it was a juggling act to get the adjustable pivot in far enough without hitting the pressure plate. I am also using the "special" wide face throw out bearing. One other thing to watch when you get this all sorted out, is that when the disc gets thinner from wear, you may find that the fork will bottom out against the scattershields window, which will cause the clutch to slip, regardless of how much pressure you give it. I have had this happen with both the Lakewood as well as my curent McLeod scattershield.

[Notch1320]

The clutch was brand new from McLeod and the flywheel was also through them. It is a 11" clutch assembly. The disc is a .330

I am running a Doug Nash 5 speed, and am using a Lakewood 15201 bellhousing. The trans input shaft is shorter that what most SBF guys are running, and this requires the use of the 15201 vs. the more commonly used 15202 bellhousing. I have fought, and solved all the clearance issues associated with the fork geometry as far as clearancing to avoid the fork contacting the trans, pressure plate, and bellhousing window during clutch actuation. I am also forced to space my starter out the thickness of 5 ARP washers in order for it to engage properly. I haven't had any isues with the starter at all running these washers to space the starter forward the required amount.

I honestly think that I am to the point of buying a new bellhousing (15202) and installing a longer input shaft in the trans. This combination has been a disaster trying to figure out.

[Earle Holt]

First of all Shawn, I feel your pain. The process of getting these things right can really make you question your sanity.

I've used the same bellhousing through all of my different transmissions...toploader, Jerico and now G-Force. The last time I put everything together, I ran into the same problem you are having and had to use two shims on the throwout bearing, which solved the issue. I'm using the McLeod adj. throwout bearing.

Hope this helps...and don't consider just playing golf like everyone else!

-Earle

[Jim Parsons]

I agree, sounds like the cover is for a .280 thick Disc. I have a. 330 in my stocker but had to add .050 AN washers under the cover bolts to get the set up right. I sure would give it a try brfore I bought any thing else.

[Notch1320]

I too have the McLeod adjustable throwout bearing. I have 3 spacers in it now, with a very thin stock fork. I tried the Lakewood fork, but the thickness of it caused the fork to contact the bearing retainer bolt on the trans. I ground a large section out of the fork as a pocket for the bolt to clear, but I could never really get it to work without hitting something during pedal travel. Like I said, I have tried everything as far as adjustments go... with the same .035 gap as a result.

The only plus to this deal is that I can now remove my trans, bell, shifter, passenger header, starter, and clutch in a little over an hour max!

I shouldn't be this good at this... I need seat time, not more time under the car.

As far as spacers... where are you guys talking about installing them exactly? I am not understanding this!

Earl, I am not into golf... but sometimes I wish I had a golf club, and this clutch assy. in front of me!

[Rory McNeil]

Concerning a couple of your other problems, are you sure the flywheel uses an 11" disc? My 5.0 Stocker`s Soft Lok is only 10", even my 428FE bracket car has a 10 1/2" disc. As for spacing out the starter, i`m assuming that you are using the larger 164 tooth flywheel which has the starter ring gear at the front of the flywheel, rather than flywheel that has the ring gear farter back. I ran into the same thing while testing different flywheels in my Mustang. Ford does have an OE starter that will work without spacing the starter out. I believe that the starter is from a mid-late 80`s Ford truck with a 300 ci 6 cylinder and a manual transmission. The proper starter would work better than one that is spaced out with washers, as the washers prevent the starters locating ring from seating into the block plate. As to the relaease fork, my McLeod fork came modified for use with the Long style clutch; it has a section of flat plate which replaces the ridged section of fork, where the fork goes behind the pressure plate. This provides enough clearance for the fork to travel foreward, disengageing the clutch, without the fork contacting the top of the pressure plate. I wish I could get my scattershield and clutch out of my Mustang period!! Between the headers and narrow trans tunnel, I just don`t have enough room to Re&Re it with the engine in the car. I guess next time I have the engine & trans out, I`ll be firing up the sledge hammer!

[Notch1320]

My flywheel is a 164 tooth.

The Lakewood fork is basically the same deisgn as the McLeod long style fork, but is just a much thicker unit, and the cable end is angled toward the front of the car slightly.

The clutch is an 11" piece that McLeod set me up with. The reason it is an 11" is because when I got the car, that was the flywheel the car had in it. The car was also supposed to have a soft lock unit, but didn't. You don't always get what you paid for you could say. The more, and more I fuss with this set up, the more it makes me want to scrap it, and start fresh with an entire new clutch / trans.

I really would like to figure out first is why I can't get the air gap I need???? Even with all the parts I have, it should still work, but doesn't even come close.

[Brad Zaskowski]

Shawn,
The spacers the guys are talking about go on the six studs that the pressure plate bolts to the flywheel with. If you were set up for a .280 disc before and now have a .330 disc your air gap is probably .050 less than before. Basically your pressure plate can only open up the air gap a certain amount and if you use a thicker disc that certain amount is now less. Measure your old disc and figure out how much thicker the new one is. The difference in the disc should be how much shims you need. Hope this helps.