# 8N Ford clutch



## Larryr

How do you adjust clutch on 52 8N ford ? Picture would be nice


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## sixbales

Howdy Larryr, welcome to the tractor forum.

See items #7-#11 on the attached parts diagram. This is your clutch linkage rod assembly. 

Pull the clevis pin, loosen the locknut, and turn the clevis to shorten the rod length. Do one turn at a time and check results. Adjust till you get 1" to 1-1/2" free play on the clutch pedal. Free play is the movement you get when you push the clutch pedal by and till you feel resistance.


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## Larryr

Thanks for the info ! I Have been a member for years but some how I had to reregister! I have brand new everything clutch ,pressure plate ,throw out bearing etc but it has been sitting for years due to motorcycle accident that left me with one leg in 2008 and lost interest and thoughts of incapability ,but I" am determined to get it running again ! The clutch pedal goes down to floorboard and stays there unless I pull it back up !

Larryr


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## FredM

before you split the tractor, did the clutch pedal go to the floor then?, will be interesting to hear how far the clutch rod travels when the clevis pin is pulled and the rod pulled to the rear of the tractor and engages the throw out bearing.


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## Larryr

No the clutch pedal did not go to the floor ,it has to be out of adjustment and I did take pin out and it is worn bad ,I have a new one now to put back in and try again as soon as it stops raining here ! When I split the tractor I replaced all components ,including new tranny seal ! Its been so long since I lost my right leg ,I'am just getting back to try and get running but it is difficult for me, but determined !I wish that I had help 

Thanks all
Larryr


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## sixbales

The tractor has been sitting for 8 years. It may have a rust buildup on the shaft that the throwout bearing rides on, causing drag, which prevents the clutch spring from returning the pedal to the "up" position.

Have you tried 'working' the clutch pedal up & down by hand? On the down stroke, can you feel resistance to the clutch pedal when the throwout bearing engages the clutch fingers? 

You might consider attaching a stiff spring to the clutch pedal to return it to the "up" position?


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## sixbales

Attached is a parts diagram illustrating your clutch


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## FredM

Keep at it Larryr, you will win in the end and have your machine running again.

And as you say, the problem will be an adjustment, the fitting of the new pressure plate, and clutch disc would have given more clearance between the throw out fingers and throw out bearing, so an adjustment to take up the free play will be necessary.


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## Larryr

I replaced clutch linkage pin today and adjusted clutch ,also lubed clutch pedal pivot ! Clutch pedal now comes all the way back up but seems to have a lot of travel to engage and is the softest clutch I have experienced ,I can push it down with my hand ! Does this sound right?

Larryr


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## BigT

Most clutches can be pushed down by hand. Adjust your clutch till free travel is between 1" and 1-1/2" (Free travel is the distance the pedal moves when pushed down by hand before contacting the clutch fingers).


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## Ali mowahed

sixbales said:


> Howdy Larryr, welcome to the tractor forum.
> 
> See items #7-#11 on the attached parts diagram. This is your clutch linkage rod assembly.
> 
> Pull the clevis pin, loosen the locknut, and turn the clevis to shorten the rod length. Do one turn at a time and check results. Adjust till you get 1" to 1-1/2" free play on the clutch pedal. Free play is the movement you get when you push the clutch pedal by and till you feel resistance.


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How can you get free play on the pedal if you have to force the adjustment threaded stud up after making the adjustment so the pin aligns through its eye?
Furthermore, isn't the purpose of free play to keep the bearing that is at the end of the fork away from the tension spring of the pressure plate so the bearing doesn't wear out prematurely and therefore the tension can not even be against the return spring of on the fork and not the pressure plate. Regardless of what is the push on the threaded stud against and that push whatever it is against guarantees no free play. What am I missing?
Also at what distance from the floor roughly should the clutch pedal come up before the clutch engages? 1/4 way, 1/2 way, 3/4 way?
This is 1948 Ford 8N


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## Ed Williams

Sounds like the clutch return springs may be bad, item 23 on the parts list. I can push the clutch pedal down by hand, but you can fell the resistance on the return springs.


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## Baddog

Quick question for you experts. Trying to adjust clutch on my 8N. Took a bit to get the pin and cotter pin out, but got it. Now the adjustable clevis bolt won't budge. Sprayed BP Blaster on it for two days and can't get it to move. Any ideas please.


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## BigT

Howdy Baddog, welcome to the forum.

Normally, there is a lock nut on the rod, tightened up against the clevis base. You have to break this connection first. 

If you have the time, spray it 3 times a day for a week or so. Then try putting a vice-grip on the rod, and another vice-grip on on the clevis base and see if it will break loose.


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## Baddog

Baddog said:


> Quick question for you experts. Trying to adjust clutch on my 8N. Took a bit to get the pin and cotter pin out, but got it. Now the adjustable clevis bolt won't budge. Sprayed BP Blaster on it for two days and can't get it to move. Any ideas please.


I'm not having an issue with the long rod and clevis it's with the one pc bolt/clevis. There is no lock nut on this one. Thanks for the advice.


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## Ali mowahed

Baddog said:


> I'm not having an issue with the long rod and clevis it's with the one pc bolt/clevis. There is no lock nut on this one. Thanks for the advice.


===========================
I know exactly what you are talking about. I bought this 48 8N a few months ago and I had this feeling that the clutch pedal didn't feel natural. I haven't driven anything with a clutch for years and years. So it was a subconscious thing. I said to myself you know what, this doggone clutch is too tight and has got no free play. I put up a post here ( haven't you noticed?  ). That one answer I got didn't do me any good.
So I checked there where the adjustment is done. Exactly, you are correct.
Lets it put it his. Not only I got it done but I also realized why they never adjusted it.....whoever before me. It is because the thing was basically frozen and I did what you have. Now the problem is I can't remember what I used to get it loosened. But one thing is I do know. I was bragging to my friend about it. Whoever thought that this would give just the right reach with the torque needed to break it loose. I can't remember for the life of me if it was a combination of wrench and plier and screwdriver or was it some ..... dang it is almost coming to me..... it is like you have to be on drugs to suddenly see what works.... that is what I told my friend. There is no room in there.. that is for sure. So you need something to reach in there and also have another thing to turn it.
But the thing that reach in there..... wait wait... it almost came to me.. aha. it came to me.... oh my i better say it before I slips away. You just got lucky.. are you ready?

A doggone Allen wrench. L shaped and just the right size. Then you feed I think the short arm of it right into the eye. I can't think that it would be the long arm of it. Now on the long arm, on the Allen wrench, you put the close end of a wrench to put torque on it if I remember right. Whatever size wrench to make it work.
there you have it. That is the trajectory that you can let your thoughts can work towards.
The highlight is the Allen wrench and the right size. If I recall right it has to be that its short arm is shorter and long arm be longer as they make different sizes not just in diameter but the length of the arms... Or maybe it regular or shorter.... Allen wrench.. nonetheless the keyword is the right size Allen wrench in other words L-shaped tool and of course, it needs to be strong so it won't break or bend on you because you will be putting serious pressure on.
it.
And cheers.

So now you know the trajectory of what to use.....You can fill in the finer details on your own.
If this advice did you good and made your day... please let me know. Why it matters to me....? because I am no expert and I have more often come up with solutions about things that cause experts to get mad at me. 
why? because I make experts look like part changers....
I also work on appliances, I don't change the part, I fix it...


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## Ed Williams

Try a 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF. I find it works better than PB Blaster. You must keep it in a sealed metal can to prevent the acetone from evaporating. I usually use 2 application per day for 7 days. Also, tap the joint lightly, preferably with a compothane hammer, with each application to get the solvent down in the joint. Be patient, it will eventually come free. One more thing. First tap the joint like you were going to tighten, then go the other way. If all else fails, use heat to expand the metal and break the rust bond.


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## Ali mowahed

Ed Williams said:


> Try a 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF. I find it works better than PB Blaster. You must keep it in a sealed metal can to prevent the acetone from evaporating. I usually use 2 application per day for 7 days. Also, tap the joint lightly, preferably with a compothane hammer, with each application to get the solvent down in the joint. Be patient, it will eventually come free. One more thing. First tap the joint like you were going to tighten, then go the other way. If all else fails, use heat to expand the metal and break the rust bond.


==================================
What about Coca-Cola, it will eat anything I have been told. But how are you going to soak the whole thing in there. There is no room.


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## Ed Williams

Ali mowahed said:


> ==================================
> What about Coca-Cola, it will eat anything I have been told. But how are you going to soak the whole thing in there. There is no room.


I use an old fashioned gravity squirt can with a 6" noźzle. It only holds 3 or 4 oz. You use bo use your thumb to flex the bottom to make it squirt.


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## Joe.S.AK

Ali - Yes, if you have any of that 1930 Coke laying around it might work - but - not the new stuff.

BadDog - Consider a little careful heat and then shoot it with whatever flavor Break Free, Kroil, ATF/solvent, engine oil/solvent, or whatever your brother-in-law recomends.

The heating slightly expands the outer piece while the rod will stay cool / shrunk for a few seconds. Heating / shocking (love taps to break the rust bond) the 2 parts and then quickly heating again and then immediately cooling the parts with the cool penetrating oil 'stuff' of your choice may get the oil drawn in, by either capillary action or vacuum, to where it can do some good. The thin penetrating fluid will be drawn into the threads and careful loosening/tightening will expand the range.

Tap, tap, tighten a tiny bit, loosen a tiny bit, spray again, tighten a little more, loosen a bit more until the joint finally moves just a little bit. Get coffee to steady your nerves. Spray again and loosen/tighten until it works loose. Don't go crazy and break the rod.

If you choose to reheat watch out for fire. That would be bad. - Joe -


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