Black Widow Build (1960 1/2 ton)

[60ShortStpeGMC]

Ed - I like the "work truck gone bad" on the tailgate. The door panel webs are cool too. Heck of a truck.

[60ShortStpeGMC]

Cool beans, got the fly wheel resurfaced today. Finished with clutch reassembly this evening.

Flywheel before:


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Flywheel after:


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Clutch assembly installed and the throw-out bearing and fork.


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Next up, install the tranny.

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[60ShortStpeGMC]

Gettin' close...



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[GMCNUT]

All Solid Black 1955 through 1960 GMC trucks came from the factory with the wheels painted Aspen Green if you can believe it - almost none exist today that way, but that's how they came originally when new. Aspen is a green color about as loud as the green color of Pistachio ice cream - almost like glow in the dark green. I am not sure I can bring myself to do it to my own Black 1960 GMC when it gets a repaint (mine is known as the "Black Phantom" on this board) but I definitely dare you to consider adding that GMC-only oddity to yours and see what people say when you tell them it is supposed to be painted that way....LOL

[60ShortStpeGMC]

LOL

I saw a late 60's Ford, all black with an Aspen green grill today. Kinda made me flinch. I'll pass on painting my rims that color.

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[60ShortStpeGMC]

I have had a difficult time getting the transmission to mate with the bell housing. I can get it within the last half-inch only to be stopped cold.

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I went searching around the webs to find out what else I could do besides rent a transmission jack. It just so happens that I found the answer on another truck forum. Somebody said that they buy longer bolts than stock, cut the heads off and use them as guides.

Long story short, that solved my problem. I didn't buy bolts, however, I bought threaded studs instead. Same difference but saved myself some time and effort.

Now to figure out why the clutch doesn't engage....

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[60ShortStpeGMC]

Hm, newly installed clutch doesn't disengage.

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Based on some reading, I checked the following:

Master cylinder: new, works good, plenty of fluid.

Slave cylinder: old, no leaks, visibly works good, plenty of fluid.

Throw out bearing: new, in throw out fork, clutch pedal readily moves bearing, looks like bearing engages pressure plate springs, though at the end of the clutch pedal stroke.

Throw out fork: original, operational (e.g. not bent or broken), mounted correctly, clutch pedal readily moves fork.

99% sure that the clutch plate is not installed backwards. It simply wouldn't fit if I did - at least I think so.

Only thing I can see is that the clutch plate appears to be pinned between the flywheel and the pressure plate. Odd. I thought it was supposed to float between the two?

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[David R Leifheit]

Originally Posted by 60ShortStpeGMC

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Hm, newly installed clutch doesn't disengage.

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Based on some reading, I checked the following:

Master cylinder: new, works good, plenty of fluid.

Slave cylinder: old, no leaks, visibly works good, plenty of fluid.

Throw out bearing: new, in throw out fork, clutch pedal readily moves bearing, looks like bearing engages pressure plate springs, though at the end of the clutch pedal stroke.

Throw out fork: original, operational (e.g. not bent or broken), mounted correctly, clutch pedal readily moves fork.

99% sure that the clutch plate is not installed backwards. It simply wouldn't fit if I did - at least I think so.

Only thing I can see is that the clutch plate appears to be pinned between the flywheel and the pressure plate. Odd. I thought it was supposed to float between the two?

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Does this bearing look like the old one?
There are two throwout bearings for these trucks. A long (or tall) and a short. I suspect you need the long one, I also suspect that the bearing when the pedal isn't pushed down sits loose and doesn't contact the fingers on the pressure plate at all.

Either that or there needs to be some adjustment made on the pushrod to snug the system up.

The disc *should* be pressed against the flywheel and pressure plate when the clutch -isn't- depressed. I've never looked to see how much space is created when the pedal is depressed, but it likely isn't much.

While I should have throw outs of both types in my trucks, I am not pulling the transmissions so I can take pictures (and the ground is swampy so crawling under is a nasty proposition) as most (if not all) of my trucks have that same, or similar, very "light" transmission.

-If- the throwout is fine, and the pushrod length is fine... then _gremlins_.

[60ShortStpeGMC]

Originally Posted by David R Leifheit

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Does this bearing look like the old one?
There are two throwout bearings for these trucks. A long (or tall) and a short. I suspect you need the long one, I also suspect that the bearing when the pedal isn't pushed down sits loose and doesn't contact the fingers on the pressure plate at all.

Either that or there needs to be some adjustment made on the pushrod to snug the system up.

The disc *should* be pressed against the flywheel and pressure plate when the clutch -isn't- depressed. I've never looked to see how much space is created when the pedal is depressed, but it likely isn't much.

While I should have throw outs of both types in my trucks, I am not pulling the transmissions so I can take pictures (and the ground is swampy so crawling under is a nasty proposition) as most (if not all) of my trucks have that same, or similar, very "light" transmission.

-If- the throwout is fine, and the pushrod length is fine... then _gremlins_.

Aha! You make a couple of very interesting points.

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I'll take your word about the clutch plate and scratch it off the list for now. And the slave cylinder push rod is almost maxed out. I even placed it on the outer end of the fork for additional travel/leverage.

The new throw out bearing was pretty close to the old one, but, if memory serves, not as tall. Also, I'm pretty sure the throw out bearing is not pressing against the fingers of the pressure plate when the clutch is not engaged.

Thinking about your feedback, it would seem that my problem could be solved if I had more travel in my clutch pedal or slave cylinder push rod. So you're probably spot on - the extra travel could be absorbed with a taller throw out bearing.

Thanks, that gives me something to go on.

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[60ShortStpeGMC]

Getting the correct throw out bearing solved the problem. In this photo you can see the difference in height (or width in spec-speak).


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The installed bearing is identically sized to the original. I had to adjust the slave cylinder push rod, but that was it. Running driving truck now.


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