Clutch fork rod

[John S]

To double check with you the way my clutch fork rod is installed is that the correct way? The assembly manual shows it mounted that way. I have seen some pictures of Chevelle‘s and Monte Carlo’s with it mounted on the other side of the Z-bar.

John S

[MC1of80]

The angle looks incorrect. I would put it on the inside, towards the block for a straighter travel. Here is a pic from my 71 402 4speed disassembly. 

[jft69z]

I just looked at the 70 Assembly manual, all the pics do show it on the outboard side... Section 7, pages C2 thru 4.

But like Tom said, straight travel isn't a bad thing either, as long as nothing is in the way when it goes full travel (oil filter, engine block, etc).

EDIT: I just went up in the attic and dug out the Z bar from when I had a manual trans in my old Monte. The bottom of that bar has an offset twist, which would angle that rod to the clutch fork, if mounted outboard like the manual shows.

 

 

[John S]

My Z-bar also has an offset twist, but I have seen them on both sides of the Z-bar probably just as many on one side as the other but the straighter the travel is always better. I have room to put it on the other side. I always thought that angle Looked to be a little bit too much. 

[MC1of80]

1 hour ago, jft69z said:

I just looked at the 70 Assembly manual, all the pics do show it on the outboard side... Section 7, pages C2 thru 4.

But like Tom said, straight travel isn't a bad thing either, as long as nothing is in the way when it goes full travel (oil filter, engine block, etc).

EDIT: I just went up in the attic and dug out the Z bar from when I had a manual trans in my old Monte. The bottom of that bar has an offset twist, which would angle that rod to the clutch fork, if mounted outboard like the manual shows.

 

 

Hey, mines twisted too! 🤪Look at the pic. Just that the one on mine is on the inside, straighter, less stress angle. In my opinion. 

[jft69z]

17 minutes ago, MC1of80 said:

Hey, mines twisted too! 🤪Look at the pic. Just that the one on mine is on the inside, straighter, less stress angle. In my opinion. 

Who knows, I may have done mine that way almost 40 years ago when I built that car. Probably because it looked like a better angle, 😄

[MCfan]

The arm of the Z bar is also slightly twisted and the rod is attached on the outboard side, lower hole on my '70.  I can't get under there to check but I wonder if the rod is more perpendicular to the clutch fork arm when the clutch is depressed (if the rod is on the outboard side)? In any case, mine seems to work fine installed as the Assembly Manual shows.

[John S]

I switched it to the inboard side. It is straighter, looks better, even on the outboard side with the clutch depressed there was still an angle. at car shows I’ve seen as many Chevelle’s with them on the inboard side as on the outboard side I don’t know why I pay attention to that but I did. With the clutch depressed, it looks perpendicular to the fork. As long as it works it’s all good.

[MC1of80]

At this point I believe it is personal preference even though the manual shows it to be on the outside.