Clutch spring

Nevada Hudson

Anyone have the spring which holds the clutch pedal to the side of the frame, for a '51 Hornet ?

Clutchguy

NH,I'm not sure it was equipped with one??.I know most of them have a place on the pedal arm,but no bracket on the side??.

Nevada Hudson

This '51 Hornet has a bracket on the side. I looked at my '50 and it has the same bracket in the same place with the spring attached to the clutch arm.

mars55

What he is looking for is called a Pedal Assist Spring. In the Parts Book it's on Plate No. 12 (page 40) and it's used on all models except Jet 1948 to 1954.

Unknown

Is he talking about the big heavy clutch spring?

mars55

hudsonkid wrote:

Is he talking about the big heavy clutch spring?

Does it attach to clutch pedal? Then yes he is.

[Deleted User]

You need to talk to Bill Albright or Al Saffrahn for the correct spring and the hanger that bolts to the frame. It's called an OVERRIDE SPRING. IT HELPS PULL THE CLUTCH PEDAL DOWN WHEN PRESSED HALF WAY AND PULLS IT BACK WHEN HALF WAY IS RETURNED. With out this spring you are riding the throw out bearing all the time. Walt.

Nevada Hudson

Right Walt ! Thats what the noise is from. The hanger is still there. Its a real heavy-duty spring.

Clutchguy

Clutch guy wrote:

NH,I'm not sure it was equipped with one??.I know most of them have a place on the pedal arm,but no bracket on the side??.

If you look,you can see if it was equipped with one??.As mentioned here,it is an assist spring.NOT all vehicles were equipped with this.I know the book shows one,and you also see the bracket that bolts onto the frame,NOS,laying around occasionally in peoples parts,but not all had this!!.I think it could have been something that was dealer installed upon request.You have the spring that is on the inside of the frame that has the bracket that goes to the master cylinder on S/D cars,and also another spring that goes from the cross-shaft on the trans.bell-housing at the bottom[small hole-light spring]that also goes to the bottom of the trans.and has a spring eyelet with a 5/16th's bolt that holds it on.I have several different lenghts of these springs for several different years and models.I also have the bracket that bolts to the frame.The spring on the outside of the frame is not a necessity,but just an assist issue.I've seen it both ways,especially on cars equipped with Drivemaster/Supermatic.

[Deleted User]

Get a spring and install it or your throw out bearing will end up as junk. Hudson put it there to protect the throw out bearing, it keeps the fingers off the bearing. It was installed on all hudsons, 1940 to 1954. And it's outside of the frame, Walt.

Unknown

I know I will not get an answer but on my 29 Hudson there is a spring that is around the shaft that the clutch pedal is attatched to along with the brake pedal. The spring is not a pull spring but a (torque spring ??) that was holding presure on the clutch pedal. Not sure how to say this ??? LOL. Anyways its still there but broken in half and not doing squat anylonger. Wonder of this is the same about keeping the weight off the throw out bearing etc. Ron

Clutchguy

walt's garage-53 wrote:

Get a spring and install it or your throw out bearing will end up as junk. Hudson put it there to protect the throw out bearing, it keeps the fingers off the bearing. It was installed on all hudsons, 1940 to 1954. And it's outside of the frame, Walt.

Hey Walt,I don't like to disagree,but my 49 C6 cv.has never had anything in the hole on the outside of the frame.I also am working on a 50 C 6 cpe,and I looked at it today,and it does not show ANY signs of ever having a bracket-which is required-mounted on the outside of the frame of it either??.

mars55

The parts book says that car equipped with Drive Master or Vacumotive Drive did not have the spring which why you will see Hudsons with and without the spring.

[Deleted User]

Did you buy these cars new? I sold Hudsons and never saw a standard, overdrive or a vacumatic without this spring. The bracket bolts to the frame using the same kind of screws that hold the rear fenders or quarterpanels.

[Deleted User]

Get your parts book out and check under clutch. I'm checking a 48 to 51 and a 53 and all list the spring and bracket plus the bolt and lock washer. All transmission, standard, overdrive and Vacumatic. This is what helps to pull the clutch cylinder back when the gas pedal is released when you slow down to 20 MPH. I install a clutch assy in a 1951 Pacemaker with Vacumatic, 3 buttons on the dash and the spring was there broken in half. How do you account for that? Walt.

mars55

I am checking my parts book page 42 at the end of Group No. D2-6 thru D2-9.

The Note there is says "Left hand drive cars equipped with HDM-SMD-VD do not use clutch pedal assist spring". My book is dated November 1, 1954.

Unknown

If it's any help, my 50 C-6, a supermatic drive car, has the spring on it. (well, it no longer has the supermatic though....)



but who knows what might have happened in the 50 years, before I owned it though...

Nevada Hudson

My '50 Commodore 6 has that spring, with the same bracket on the outside of the frame behind the left front wheel. It used to have factory Supermatic, which was removed before I acquired the car. While changing the clutch fluid on the '51 Hornet, I noticed that it had the same spring bracket, minus the spring. With the engine running, I noticed a noise from the clutch area... very faint. I pulled on the clutch bracket ( As if there was a spring there), and the noise went away.The clutch pedal is lower than the brake pedal, but when it is pulled ( like there was a spring), it is even with the brake pedal and the noise stops.

Clutchguy

Well Walt,I called around and checked with a few others.They all have the spring or had the spring at one time.So maybe the ones I've seen without the spring have been removed or maybe were forgotten when assembled??.So what is the easiest way to install one of these springs?.

Nevada Hudson

Lance told me its dangerous if not done correctly, as there is a lot of force with this spring.

Clutchguy

Nevada Hudson wrote:

Lance told me its dangerous if not done correctly, as there is a lot of force with this spring.

I was wanting to know how to do this-Safely?? I hope Walt has an answer,seems he is familiar with them!.

[Deleted User]

You will have to call Bill Albright or Al Saffrahn to see if they have the spring and the bracket that bolts to the frame. The bracket goes to the frame right under the drivers seat. The reason a lot of springs are missing is beacause the contact ends were never greased and the end were worn thin and broke off. In my business a lube job included putting wheel bearing grease, applied with the finger and worked in. This spring is very strong and care must be takened to install. Hudson had a tool that worked like a shoe horn. You can try a come along with one end hooked on a part of the chassis to the spring. Walt.

Clutchguy

walt's garage-53 wrote:

You will have to call Bill Albright or Al Saffrahn to see if they have the spring and the bracket that bolts to the frame. The bracket goes to the frame right under the drivers seat. The reason a lot of springs are missing is beacause the contact ends were never greased and the end were worn thin and broke off. In my business a lube job included putting wheel bearing grease, applied with the finger and worked in. This spring is very strong and care must be takened to install. Hudson had a tool that worked like a shoe horn. You can try a come along with one end hooked on a part of the chassis to the spring. Walt.

Walt,do you know what this tool looked like,or maybe how it hooked or how it was held.Is it in one of the special tools catalog?

[Deleted User]

I sure wished I had a picture of this tool. It was supplied by a tool company, can't remember the name just now but maybe the old brain (86) will come to life. When I closed up my business, I sold all my tools and now after 30years who would of thought I'd be back to Hudsons, thanks to my daughter. I remember it was a bar about 18 inches long with a notch on the end that hooked to the bracket and the spring set in a grove and you pulled the bar to the rear and the spring would slide of onto the bracket, a one minute job.

Nevada Hudson

Well, anyway if someone has an extra clutch spring for sale, please contact me. The bracket is already there.