Length of clutch fork?
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rklein383
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Thanks. This, along with some clutch forks found on ebay confirms what I suspected. In the era of late 60's, apparently there were two clutch forks used on the sb 318 engines (what I have), depending on application, bell housing and transmission. One was around 13 inches, and the other just shy of 11 inches.
My engine, bell housing and transmission were for a truck application, along the lines of a D200 (or even D500 or D600), and was originally equipped with hydraulic clutch system, and probably had the longer 13 inch fork, but clutch linkage has been converted to a cable system by a previous owner. When they did the conversion, they used a shorter clutch fork.....measures 11 1/4" end to end, and this one does not have a ball end for the push rod from the slave cylinder.
Kinda having to piece together what it is I have, vs. what it should have been, and handicapped by not knowing the latter.
Thanks again.
My engine, bell housing and transmission were for a truck application, along the lines of a D200 (or even D500 or D600), and was originally equipped with hydraulic clutch system, and probably had the longer 13 inch fork, but clutch linkage has been converted to a cable system by a previous owner. When they did the conversion, they used a shorter clutch fork.....measures 11 1/4" end to end, and this one does not have a ball end for the push rod from the slave cylinder.
Kinda having to piece together what it is I have, vs. what it should have been, and handicapped by not knowing the latter.
Thanks again.
rklein383
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- Dec 2, 2005
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I put 2" CPPA headers on my 440 in my 69 383-s Barracuda back in the late eighties and had to shorten the clutch fork slightly. Really no big deal. It does shorten the leverage arm of the fork but wasn't really noticeable. It is preferred that the clutch adjustment rod be in a straight line with the fork and z-bar, but a slight angle works too. Rod
That is for a mechanical clutch linkage on the driver side?
Have concluded that my engine, bell housing, transmission, etc. are similar to what would have been factory issue on a Dodge D600 medium duty truck, with hydraulic clutch, with ball end of a 13" fork on the right (passenger) side.
Literature for that suggests clutch was 12" standard or 13" optional. So what it seems I've got is someone replaced the hydraulic clutch with a mechanical cable system, using a 11" fork on a larger than standard clutch. Might explain why it seems "stiff".
BTW, same literature also describes the engine as a "premium 318" putting out 212 hp. Curious to know if the "premium 318" was just a standard 318 engine, or if it is somehow different.
Have concluded that my engine, bell housing, transmission, etc. are similar to what would have been factory issue on a Dodge D600 medium duty truck, with hydraulic clutch, with ball end of a 13" fork on the right (passenger) side.
Literature for that suggests clutch was 12" standard or 13" optional. So what it seems I've got is someone replaced the hydraulic clutch with a mechanical cable system, using a 11" fork on a larger than standard clutch. Might explain why it seems "stiff".
BTW, same literature also describes the engine as a "premium 318" putting out 212 hp. Curious to know if the "premium 318" was just a standard 318 engine, or if it is somehow different.
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