Clutch / Torque Converter: Pressure plate finger adjustment

[nels]

Has anybody ever adjusted the finger height on a three finger pressure plate? I am putting a Mustang five speed in a Stude and using a Mustang clutch plate. The spring pack that surrounds the center circumference of the clutch disk is taller (larger diam springs) and the throw out bearing comes way to close to the springs. If I over adjust the clutch to get the pedal well off the floor when it engages, the bearing will actually hit the springs. I think if I adjust the fingers out further from the plate (away from the engine) i can get more clearance when the clutch is fully depressed.
Does changing the finger height just move the range fore and aft or is there more involved?
I am using the Stude pressure plate.

[StudeRich]

Aren't those the adjustment nuts on a Borg & Beck Pressure Plate that are peened and locked by the builder or re-builder, and not to be messed with due to a good chance of not getting them PERFECTLY equal, causing clutch chatter?

[nels]

Yeah, they are. The shop manual actually has a spec for the finger height. I have never seen a rebuilt pressure plate that has the right height for a Stude but they all seem to work fine.

[glassfrog]

I will be doing the same. What size pressure plate do you have and which mustang disc are you using?
John
I need help too.

[nels]

I will be doing the same. What size pressure plate do you have and which mustang disc are you using?
John
I need help too.

John
I have been trying to use the Mustang 55-107 street perf disc with the old style adjustable GM pressure plate. This plate was in the car and was virtually new. I was told that it looked identical to the 50-105 B&B pressure plate, which is GM and the one others have used with success. However, I think the window of adjustment of the 50-105 is marginal going from how far off the floor the pedal starts to engage and the amount of clutch pedal free play that you should have. I say this after talking to a friend who has done the conversion to his convertible. I will warn you that the Stude or early GM adjustable pres plate will not work with that disc. I have had the trans in and out five times trying different adjustment variants with no success. What finally happens is you sacrifice all the free play in the pedal to just get some disengagement of the clutch. In other words, the throw out bearing is loaded and spinning all the time.
What are you putting the five speed into? I am installing mine in a 64 convertible. It is an extremely tight fit with the x member involved.

[Mike Van Veghten]

Are you using a generic clutch and pressure plate or are you using prooven, name brand parts.?

If you are using a name brand...."call the manufacturer..." Ask them these questions. They will have the "best" answers, for their parts.

If using an off brand...good luck, and use great caution.

One thing interesting though, with the high quality diaphram type pressure plates out there, I didn't know many were still using the three finger (B&B and equiv.)..!? Espicially for the street..

Mike

[nels]

Mike
I am using name brand stuff, Hayes clutch plate, B&B pressure plate. I believe the the action on the old style pp is of a different ratio than the new pp. I'd like to plot the deflection of the friction surface to the deflection of the fingers for the two pp in question. I would bet the late model has more deflection per finger travel than the old style. And yes, I did call Hayes and talked to them but they were of little help, maybe because I was using a mix of Hayes and B&B.
You mention diaphragm pp. which one fits into a Stude bell housing?

[steve c.]

I used a Hayes disc and plate, t5 trans using the Dan Giblin adapter. Started having clutch problems. Took it all apart and found the Hayes pressure plate fingers all different heights, it was never staked down properly. I set it myself using the procedure in the stude manual. Staked it and used locktite. It's never worked better. The procedure was actually very easy. By the way the pressure plate was brand new. Also if your using the Giblin adapter, I put a slight chamfer on the inside circumference, made the trans slide in ALOT easier !