Putting everything together I found this, the bushed rod from the clutch fork does not line up with the z bar. You can pull down on it and force it in but at that point the clutch fork is twisted enough on it's pivot so that one of the fork ends in the release bearing doesn't touch the bearing anymore, and when you try it out it seems to bind. I can't imagine that the static position of the clutch fork requires it to be twisted like that. I suppose after a while the rod bushing will wear and not twist the fork like that but I don't want to ruin anything in the meantime, have any of you found this? Also, are these z bars supposed to have side to side slop in them? After it's bolted into the frame bracket you can still move it back and forth about a 1/2 inch, the plastic seats are in there but nothing is keeping them against the pivot ball. I will be calling the supplier, but maybe someone on here sees something I missed. Thanks. Paul.
The Z bar slides on the stud in block and the other stud has a clip to hold stud in the Z bar so it dont move back and forth. not sure if the clip is in there to hold it in place? hope that helps
Thanks, there is a clip holding everything in there but you can still move the pivot in and out about a 1/2 inch. Almost as if the first insert is too far in or the clip groove is too far out.
There are 2 plastic inserts in the z bar to hold it just snug, sometimes even a thin washer on the inside to take up the slack.
I am still having the issue with the fork, when I connect the clevis to the z bar, the fork tilts on it's pivot and one end does not touch the release bearing. My gut tells me this is not right and I need to know if this is normal, because it appears to keep the clutch from releasing due to the extra play caused by the tilting. The second pic shows what it looks like with the clevis attached. Has anybody else found this while doing a 4 speed conversion? .
How's the alignment of the frame bracket and geometry of the z bar when the nut is tight? Pic of that?
Is it possible that you have the Z-bar in backwards? I think the part sticking down toward the clutch fork has the bend in it - and the clutch pedal side is straight. I had other problems with mine that caused the frame bracket to be stressed and bend. Cheers, Ted
I was trying to find the thread to link here: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.p...Linkage-on-a-70-Stage-1&highlight=fork+clutch also see this one: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?272174-4-speed-parts-dilemma&highlight=clutch+linkage You are right, only 1 way for that to go in. I thought there was a bend in the fork side, but it looks like that was a bad thought!
Two things: 1) Wrong Z bar (I think this is the main issue) 2) Either the ball is wore out or the tube is too big (Looking at your picture of the top z-bar). The ball stud fits so that it pivots around the tube, there should not be any noticeable play. http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.p...stions-about-4-speed-parts-PLEASE-ADD-TO-THIS!! (Look at thread #16) Rich
Thanks, despite searching, I never came across that binding linkage thread. And if I have to pull the trans and swap parts to get it to work, I might end up going ape**** because the parts were supposed to be exact duplicates of the originals, with no iffs ands or butts. And of course the fork and throw out bearing are the hardest to get to. The z bar is supposed to be an exact repop of the original so wear should not be the issue, and it looks just like the BB one in the post.
I had crawl under and check mine. The measurement of the 4 1/4" is correct. The fitting of the ball stud is a concern, mine goes in exactly straight, your looks to be at an angle? Is there any slop in the z-bar with the clutch pedal rod disconnected? There shouldn't be. If that is all OK, then it leads me to the chutch fork itself. My throwout bearing has clips that hold the fork in place and then the ball stud to the bell housing. That fork is not offset, some it comes straight out.
I bought the whole setup from Dave Kleiner, and talked to him again today and was told to set the play at the pedal at a 1/2 inch and go from there. Not sure what affect that will have on the fork being crooked but he knows more about this than I do. Thanks for getting under there! I am told that the crooked look of that frame bracket is normal with the brackets they sell today, I have two from two different sources and they were the same. There was a thread not too long ago that showed a stock bracket being different, and I actually cut and welded one of the ones I had to make it straight, and that did not seem to make any difference. You can move the z bar back and forth between the frame and block, a lot less now that I put some heavy grease in there, but those two seats do not contact that pivot ball at all unless the z bar is pushed completely one way or the other.
Wow ! I cant beleave U are having that much trouble. That fork You have was probable welded together wrong, then plated. As for that Z bar if it is correct or not when the ball stud is istalled with clip it should only turn not sfift back and forth (engine to backet) So when bolted to bracket it turns like it is on bearings of sorts. Oh and the bracket, I had to cut and weld the three new ones that i got, all from diff. suppliers. I compaire everything that i get with an original if i can to be sure.
