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doning
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-- 06-19-2012 @ 4:17 PM
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Hello all! Once in awhile, not every time, I here and sometimes even feel up through my clutch pedal pad a soft clunk sound. If I put it in reverse, add a little gas and slowly let the clutch out I here a soft clunk. Then sometimes as I am coming to a stop I depress the clutch to put the car in neutral and I hear it. It's a '37 Ford car. Everything is new! And I mean new. Pressure plate, disc, all bushings, clevis's, pins, springs, throw-out bearing, pilot bearing, etc. I have 1 inch pedal travel. The "only" thing I did not replace was the u-joints. They looked and felt okay. I have been hearing it when I started driving the car last year. Any ideas? Thanks, Don
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ford38v8
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-- 06-19-2012 @ 7:40 PM
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Doning, we areall amatuers here, most of us anyway, and we make mistakes. I don't remember how many times I assembled my transmission only to have to disassemble it again to finally get it right. Any restorer that tells you they got everything right the first time is just plain not telling the truth. All this explanation just to suggest that you will see the problem if you take off the floorboard one more time.
As you did say you "sometimes" feel the thump in the pedal, I'd say it's not directly related to the clutch, but more indirectly, like one of the transmission mounts being loose. It's real easy to forget to tighten one mount, or have the rubber cocked, thinking it's tight when it's not. That's just my guess, as of course I've never had to do a job over again. 
Alan
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supereal
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-- 06-19-2012 @ 8:18 PM
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Did you remember to reinstall the spacer the goes under the bolt that holds the u-joint to the transmission shaft? It is a special thick washer. Without it, the u-joint can move back and forth on the splines. It is easy to forget, as I learned years ago, and will produce that kind of noise.
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doning
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-- 06-20-2012 @ 2:42 AM
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Oh wow Super! Man, I don't remember that but it doesn't mean I didn't do it. Oh, well. I'm not ripping it apart for that. For as much as I drive the car it's going to stay there. This weekend I am going to go under it and tighten everything that I can. Thanks.
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doning
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-- 06-20-2012 @ 2:48 AM
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Thanks for your help ford38V8! I'll check to make sure everything is tight.
This message was edited by doning on 6-20-12 @ 2:48 AM
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TomO
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-- 06-20-2012 @ 7:43 AM
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Doning, if you don't eliminate the problem by checking everything else, I would remove the rear end to check the washer that Supereal mentioned. If the washer is missing, the universal yoke can slide back and forth on the transmission output shaft until it leaves you stranded some day.
Tom
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doning
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-- 06-20-2012 @ 8:59 AM
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Does anyone have a photo or a drawing what this washer looks like? I did the restoration on this 5 or 6 years ago so I don't remember it. It's not like I put it all together and left parts out. Thanks.
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supereal
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-- 06-20-2012 @ 9:49 AM
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Here is a drawing of the spacer. It is part # B-7095. It was used from '28-'48. It has a 13/32" hole, an outside diameter of 1 5/32", and a thickness of 11/64". It is important, not only to secure the u-joint, but to position the output shaft of the transmission. If omitted, it can cause the noise you hear, and/or prevent smooth gear shifting. If you can't find yours, C&G has them for a couple of bucks.
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doning
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-- 06-20-2012 @ 10:51 AM
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I think I'm in the clear. I never took the U-joint apart so the washer should still be inside. I kind of remember seeing it now. Is it held together with a bolt and washer I see? It's hard to tell. It's been so long ago. Also, the transmission shifts very nicely.
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doning
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-- 06-20-2012 @ 1:43 PM
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Supereal: The washer is in there. After studying your drawing I remember it now. This weekend I'll get underneath the car and just make sure everything is tight. Thanks again.
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supereal
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-- 06-20-2012 @ 6:49 PM
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The next place I'd look is the rear axles. If either, or both, have any play at all on the keys, they will clunk. This sometimes happens if the tapers were not absolutely clean when the hubs were mounted, with no oil or other substance on them. If the hubs don't seat on the tapers, cone shaped shims are available. Usually, any loose hubs will produce a swedged key way. If key stock is used instead of the real thing, problems often crop up, as well. It is important to tighten the axle nuts as much as possible. We use a breaker bar with a pipe extension for the job.
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ford38v8
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-- 06-20-2012 @ 8:39 PM
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Hoo boy, Super, I gotta say I strongly disagree with this one. If there were so much play at trhe keyway as to feel a clunk at the pedal, and this has been going on for a year already, it would be a miracle that the axle hadn't broken by now.
I'll stay with my original guess of a loose tranny mount.
Alan
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doning
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-- 06-21-2012 @ 2:44 AM
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Super: I put brand new axle keys in the axle and made sure that the taper was super clean and applied grease also. The rear end is mint!
One thing I was thinking about last night was the pin that holds the throw-out bearing fork on. I can see if that was moving it's way out it would hit something? By then again, I remember too I put a new pin in there with a hole on the bottom so that I could slide a cotter pin in it to prevent that.
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supereal
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-- 06-21-2012 @ 4:48 AM
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I've seen too many loose hubs and battered axle ends over the years to fully agree, Alan. When they are loose enough to clunk, they really can be felt, as well as heard. Any problems in the drive line are "telegraphed" by the torque tube. The clunking is more due to the hub being loose on the taper, as the smallest amount will cause the noise. I certainly agree that a broken axle, and probably a loose wheel is the likely result. The sound may also be due to a problem with the differential spider gears if they are worn, or have been run dry.
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ford38v8
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-- 06-21-2012 @ 10:05 AM
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OK now... New information, so I'm allowed to waffle on my guesses, right?
Doning, pull your drums now, and check those keys and keyways. Clean the grease off the tapers and drums and never never NEVER put grease on them again!
The taper is supposed to be what keeps your drum from spinning, not the key. A properly installed drum could in theory have had the key left out without causing a problem. The introduction of grease prevents a full tight fit of drum to taper, and allows the drum to slip, bumping the key back and forth on each up and down shift. Hold your breath and cross your fingers when inspecting the keyway on the axle. Look closely at the inboard terminus of the keyway for a fine line crack at that location. An axle with a crack there is going to fail, just a matter of time.
Alan
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deuce_roadster
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-- 06-21-2012 @ 10:36 AM
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Ditto v838s advice about removing the grease from tapered parts. Inspect VERY VERY carefully the axle, maybe use some die penetrant, a lost rear wheel at speed could be fatal at worst--expenive at best. If you know someone with an A&P license they have experience looking for hidden/invisible cracks.
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doning
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-- 06-24-2012 @ 2:04 PM
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Well for now I went through the clutch system on the car and everything looks great. What I did do though was increase my pedal travel from 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches. It seemed to shift alot smoother and I even did a better job shifting it too. I drove the car yesterday about 20 miles on back roads and never heard, or felt any clunking.
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