I installed it today on the 383. I'm running a Hays Billet Steel flywheel, Centerforce dual friction clutch and pressure plate, Centerforce throwout bearing, and adjusted the pivot ball 1/8" taller so that its 4.750" from the end the of the bellhousing. Anyways..I installed the clutch fork, and it sits right up against the bellhousing, pointing toward the front of the engine, and its TIGHT! NO FREEPLAY..and the throwout bearing sits right on the fingers of the pressure plate, just touching the fingers..thats it, but theres..Like, no movement by hand with the clutch fork whatsoever....for some reason, i recall on my old clutch, i could move the clutch fork back with my hand...maybe i had a bad clutch..But i just wondered if this extreme tightness is normal? Thanks. Herb

adjusted the pivot ball 1/8" taller That's your problem. Put it back where it belongs. Sounds like it's set up so high, that the throwout is jammed all the way back to the clutch gear bearing retainer, and the other end of the clutch fork is hitting the front of the little "window" in the BH that it goes through.

you think so? I've always heard that the adjustable pivot ball needed to be set at this height..but with the Hays Billet flywheel, it seems like its kinda thicker than the original.

I just looked at it again, and yes, it seems jammed all the way and the front of the clutch fork is hitting the window in the bellhousing. I will install my stock pivot ball and see if theres a difference.

i can tell you one thing for a fact based on it happening 2 times to a friend of mine and once to another . they are serious when they say drive that clutch for 500 miles before you get on it . if you get on it the clutch will not seat properly .

i have the instruction sheet from my scattershield and it says measure from the back (side facing tranny) of the ball pivot to the bellhousing face or back (not front) of the block saver plate if using a scattershield. and it should be 4.750. but the 4.750 includes the thickness of the ball of the pivot and the blocksaver plate if used

I just installed my stock short pivot ball back in the bellhousing, and the clutchfork comes right out of the center of the window, and isn't pressing all the way forward like it was before. Theres a little freeplay in it, which i think would be ok. Before, the throwout bearing was wedged so far back, it was pushing the clutchfork all the way forward, all this due to the pivot ball being too tall. I think its fine now, i'll just have to drive it and see.

Good....

Things always seem to work better when the parts are happy. Sometimes the parts themselves don't read the instructions, unfortunately; or even listen to what people have "heard".

Yes, it should have a bit of free play; maybe ¼ - ½" at the outer end of the fork. Just enough that the throwout isn't bottomed on the front of the clutch gear bearing retainer. If there was no free play at all, it would be an indication that you have the wrong throwout bearing (too tall).

383Vette, what is the verdict on this issue? I have a Hays 10-130 flywheel (168 tooth) and was planning to use a Centerforce clutch but found posts about Hays flywheels not being made to OE specs & thus not working with the Centerforce DF. I just called Centerforce and they said as long as the Hays flywheel is .950 thick it should be ok, any thinner and you get a hard release.

Thanks,
Chris

The Hays flywheel is .990 thick. So you have to go with the shorter pivot ball. My problem before was that I was running the length for the pivotball on Centerforce's recommendations for the .950 flywheel, therefore with my Hays flywheel, it was pushing the clutchfork too far foward. I like the Hays flywheel, very nice quality piece.