Before I tear into it, any tips on why my throwout bearing chatters as I'm driving down the road? I've adjusted the clutch such that I have a good inch and a half free pedal, and I can clearly see the gap between the carbon throwout bearing and the clutch plate throwout bearing surface with the engine not running. Also the clutch throwout fork ball is good and tight, and the clutch pedal return spring is new. I don't know how old the clutch disk and pressure plate are, but it doesn't slip and the flywheel seems reasonably true (although I haven't had it apart to check the surface runout).

My questions really are, if the clutch pressure plate lever springs are weak, with the engine running, does the centrifugal force push out the forks and close the gap between the carbon t.o bearing to t.o. bearing plate? Or are the forks not shimmed correctly. Perhaps the pressure plate springs not applying equal pressure to the clutch disk? Any thoughts?
Thanks

First how sure are you that the clutch plate is not slipping a bit? I can't imagine the noise coming from the carbon throw-out bearing unless it is rubbing on the transmission input shaft. With the gap you have there should be sufficient space to keep it from making noise with the pressure plate linkage. It is possible for the pressure plate arms to be sufficiently worn to permit them to move but the springs between the arms and the throwout bearing plate and centrifigal force should keep the gap. Can the noise be coming from the transmission front bearing or retainer?

[ December 19, 2001: Message edited by: ChevyChip ]

I solved the problem, and if it would help anybody else, I thought I should post what I found. It turns out that the Clutch Pressure Lever Retainer Spring (Grp 0.878 Part# 473174) needed to be adjusted (bent) to apply more force on the three clutch pressure levers. This spring was used on '32-'34 pressure plates so maybe this little bit of information may help a fellow old car nut from having to recreate the wheel on their vehicle - so to speak.

[ January 04, 2002: Message edited by: jimk ]

jimk, glad you were able to solve your problem. I was laboring over the adjustment of my clutch before I put the car away for the winter. I had a question in my mind also about the gap at the throw out bearing carbon. Seems that I have about a 3/8" gap. I had installed a new cluch disk and pressure plate assembly, including new springs. Is this close to what you had or did you find it should be less.
Thanks!!

My gap is more on the order of 1/16" to 1/8" (just by eyeballing it). With 3/8" gap at the throwout brg. you must have more than 1" of free pedal? I followed the service manual to adjust the pedal stop such that you get 1/2" gap between the pedal arm and the floorboard (looking at it from the engine side of the firewall). Then adjust the free pedal to about an inch (all of this is without the engine running). After you get this all setup, with the engine running AT ANY RPM the 1" free pedal should be maintained. That's were my problem was, once I started the engine, the free pedal clearance went away and the throwout bearing was in contact with the throwout collar. I had to bend the springs to stiffen up the pressure plate release levers.
By the way, I gave your email address to a guy in PA that will part out a '31 rearend. He said if you buy the axles, then he'll sell me the spider gears. No big deal if you already found some as far as I'm concerned.