Clutch "Finger" adjustment. (1 Viewer)

[Millardo]

Clutch "Pressure Lever Height"... Clutch finger...

I evidently didn't get this right during clutch assembly. So now I need to adjust the clutch finger lever height adjustment bolts. With everything assembled back into the vehicle, it's not easy!

I pulled the cover, and got in there painstakingly with a bent 12mm box end wrench. But in trying to eyeball it, I have made it worse.

Does anyone have a secret to share? Anyone else had to do this?

ALSO, it seems strange that the fingers don't engage the face of the throwout bearing in the same place... For instance, one of the three fingers contacts the TOB face out towards the edge. Is this correct?

 

[Fast Eddy]

Sounds to me like you're going to have to take it apart again. Are you sure you got the clutch plate in there the right way?

What was it that made you realize it was wrong? I've got to say I've never heard of this adjustment.

 

[Millardo]

Sounds to me like you're going to have to take it apart again. Are you sure you got the clutch plate in there the right way?

What was it that made you realize it was wrong? I've got to say I've never heard of this adjustment.

Yeh, it's in there the correct way...

There was no indication anything was wrong.
I was poking around trying to find the source of a random squeal when I pulled the bell housing cover. I thought maybe the TOB wasn't completely releasing so wanted to look at it. It was fine, but as I reached up and engaged the TOB by engaging the clutch fork, I noticed one of the finger adjustment bolts was lower that the other two, and not making contact at the same time. So I started to fiddle with all three, now its completely out of whack. Causes the TOB to wobble now when engaged and engine is running. Probably should have left it alone, but wanted to avoid excessive wear on the other two.

 

[FF LC FREAK]

When I put the finger style clutch on my 40, I had one of the bolts out of adjustment. Like you, I assumed they would be set correctly from the factory and they weren't. I had to drop the tranny anyway a few days later (after driving it) for another reason and fixed it then. I would imagine you could kind of do it while on the vehicle, but it would be a pain. It is pretty easy without the transmission in the way. You don't need the SST. I used a piece of metal with a magic marker mark on it. You already have the correct measurement from the FSM. I put all three bolts to the same mark and called it good. You may be better off just dropping the tranny rather then messing with this over and over.

Good luck!

 

[Millardo]

Update...

Just to complete the thread.

With a torch, I heated and bent a longer length 12mm box end wrench(HF),
and was able to get at the nut on the back side of each of the three clutch fingers.
Then with a regular length box end, I could adjust the bolt height. Still not easy, but doable. I'm not sure what the torque should be on those nuts, but that are as tight as I could get them with the lack of leverage given the tight quarters.

 

[cuencanolenny]

I had a new clutch installed while they were addressing leaks in transmission and transfer case earlier this year. The leaks weren't fixed as parts weren't available and the mechanic didn't advise me of such. Regardless, new parts are on their way and with them out of the vehicle I decided to check the finger height because the clutch chatters when being engaged and finger height is indicated in troubleshooting. I may still remove this clutch to verify that the flywheel was indeed resurfaced, I have lost confidence in the mechanic. So, I used a quality square head and blade. Easy enough to hold the square head to the bell housing face and push the blade in until contacting the finger. Then I check the depth with a dial caliper. I found two fingers within .003 of each other, and one finger that is .041 higher (closer to the bell housing). There is no tolerance specified in the FSM, however, I note there is a difference between not only what Coolerman noted (2.930) vs the FSM at 3.06. What really caught my attention was the discrepancy, as noted in the picture above, between the metric and the USA. The metric listing is 76.5 mm which is 3.0118 or 3.012 for practical use. This is a .049 difference and is substantially different from what Coolerman listed. I believe Coolerman was replacing his 3spd with a 4spd and using the 3spd transfer case and so I don't know if there is a change to the bell housing requirement or not that might explain the difference between the two FSM specifications. Mine is a 1970 and the manual is for 1969-1971 Body & Chassis that I purchased from FJ Parts.

 

[cuencanolenny]

Fast forward to 22FEB14. The transmission and transfer case are rebuilt using Terrain Tamer kits. I had to get a couple of used parts, front output shaft housing and shift fork. The new synchronizer rings are slightly different in manufacture and for some reason my mechanic could not get past the slight difference and wouldn't install them. I did put in a new speedo driven gear as well. So I had not removed the clutch, that is quite a lot of work since you have to remove the clutch in order to remove the bell housing so I crossed my finger that the mechanic was on the level regarding having the flywheel surfaced. The adjustment to the clutch fingers was the trick, smooth as silk now. So I cannot emphasize enough, do not trust that the pressure plate (3 finger) has been set correctly at the manufacturer or remanufactured. Check it yourself. You can use a square head with blade to sit flat on the bell housing face and push the blade in to contact the finger and lock the blade. Then you can use a dial caliper to check the measurement. The specification calls for .002 spread across the three fingers. You can adjust the fingers without breaking loose the locknuts, but once you are done make sure they are tight. A box end wrench will fit but you have to fiddle with it to get it on the nut in a position you can apply some force. Of course you have to remove the throwout bearing to do this but that is a two second operation.

 

[shelfboy1]

is this a 3 speed ,very easy for the clutch not to seat right if your not carefull in tightning down the bolts for the pressure plate .i have never found a need to adjust those bolts on any clutch i have installed and its been many .i have found several times where the clutch wasnt seated properly and caused chatter
.kind of unusal for the bearing not be even on the fingers there may be other issues to look at

 

[nitroid13]

Just asking but I have a jan/74 40 with a 4 speed but it has a older style 3 Finger clutch.

What would be the problem with putting a newer fj40/fj60 pressure plate and throw out barring on my flywheel?

Also I know the disks are the same cuz I swaped a 1972 fj40 clutch disk into my 1980 fj40 and it works fine Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

 

[Pighead]

What would be the problem with putting a newer fj40/fj60 pressure plate and throw out barring on my flywheel?

No problem. But you'd have to switch the clutch fork, pivot and slave rod too...

 

[vtgbeemer]

I think the flywheels are different thus the pressure plates won't interchange. The position of the throwout bearing that you are viewing is not the position that the throwout bearing does its work. It mounts to the fork with springs in such a fashion that allows it to float slightly when it is thrust against a spinning clutch pressure plate. It basically centers itself. The adjustment on the fingers is relative to being parellel with the bellhousing and square with the crankshaft.
I adjusted mine prior to installing the trans while the engine was still out of the truck using a straight edge accross the face of the bellhousing. Correct me if I am wrong but the position of the throwout bearing should be disregarded when adjusting the fingers.

 

[Pighead]

I think the flywheels are different thus the pressure plates won't interchange.

I don't think the flywheels were different in '74...