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1948 Desoto clutch problems?
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kfunnyman
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Mar 12, 2014, 11:15 AM
Post #1 of 8
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1948 Desoto clutch problems?
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I haven't posted a message in a while. Therefore, things have been good. Until now, that is. Driving the car normally. As I pulled to the curb, I pressed on the clutch plate to put it in neutral. The clutch pedal is stuck to the floor. You can pull it up manually. Nevertheless, when you press on it with your foot, it now stays on the floor. In my best Ricky Ricardo voice,
"Whaaaaa happen?!"
1948 Desoto with fluid drive transmission.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Mar 12, 2014, 11:45 AM
Post #2 of 8
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Re: 1948 Desoto clutch problems?
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Welcome back
It's too cold out still but just kidding. Don't know and can't for sure. I think the concept is clutch to use for full stops and shifts from Neutral then forget it - right? Does it engage again when pulled back up?
Still, it probably pivots on something under the hood between body/frame and the engine blocks with a grease fitting that you may not see plainly. Try to watch this operating with a helper pushing and pulling and see what moves where and how. Lube it anyway.
General is simply a clutch disc is sliding on a splined shaft and doesn't want to slide anymore. Bet you can get a view or access to lube even?
See what you can find with a good peek. If nothing broken I'll see what I can find out how its linkage is supposed to work,
Tom
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kfunnyman
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Mar 25, 2014, 8:39 AM
Post #3 of 8
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Re: 1948 Desoto clutch problems?
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Hey Tom.
After a little research, (actually very little) the problem was in the clutch torque shaft. One of the pivot bracket bearings had failed and the pivot bracket popped out. The repair was inexpensive. However, putting the return spring back in place was a beast of a task. I had to get the help of a friend who is a semi-pro hockey player to assist me in getting the spring back into its' proper place. In case it happens again, do you have any advice on how to do that easier and without assistance? Thanks.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Mar 25, 2014, 9:55 AM
Post #4 of 8
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Re: 1948 Desoto clutch problems?
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#1 Glad you found it and could fix it. I take it by the hockey player help you needed plain brute force help of manual nature to get this last spring back in place - right?
General: OK - Plenty of things can't just be done with common tools or even just one person when those times come up for another to just hold something while another fastens or unfastens something where and whatever it is older or newer really not the issue but lack of the right tools or very heavy duty or even specialized tools required. In my observations not so many "one" tool items that do just one task for older things in general. There are still many pressed it items on vehicles right now that really can't be faked without the press to do it. That just one example.
This is where you need to know where to acquire such tools OR better who has what is needed for hire, rent or plain farm out to that would be excessively expensive for possible one time use or rare use for you.
Some creative thinking and at least some tools of force are in order to own. Well thought out tricks can work properly and safely here and there. Since forever I personally have still had to rely on other places for things I could never justify owning if free to me exactly might and probably wouldn't have the room to put it. Take an alignment machine (monster bucks) or a frame straightening machine (monster bucks again) that take up an entire place or bay in a shop. It's not practical for many multi bay multi employee shops right now. You/we send out stuff.
Much boils down to a tool to pull or push common more to auto body repair totally needed for bent metal work. I've worked alone and am not Charles Atlas to just bully thru many of these things but good at creative. Can a mechanical jack fit where needed? Will a chainfall (my word for those) do for pulling? Just used one given to me a couple months ago first time in over 20 years that was given to me by someone who bought it for a one time use. At least that thing didn't take up much room and better I remembered where I put it - laugh if you can
You asked if you needed to do this again and I suggest that if you did it all correctly probably not. I'm not sure of your exact issue and how it is placed or what could have been used or should have been able to do that alone. Most items that moved in that vintage and lots newer also had grease fittings so things about never wore out if tended to but things still break. Look if a fitting is even applicable for this. Might have been later but some entire lines of new cars were delivered NEW without the fittings but rather just plugs in their place and up to the new car dealer to put fittings in or perhaps not do it at all and the problem was the next person long after that vehicle was gone from sight.
Hard to be concise with this stuff sorry. The whole general era of machines things were made to be lubed. I can't think of a sealed bearing anything from that era right down to a generator or starter motor with oil cups - look, they are there and that's what they are for! That list goes on to some water pumps, leaf spring end pivots and another 100 things there's no room to list out.
IMO and observations the so called "Planned Obsolescence" time had NOT yet begun. It if moved there was a way to lube it with few exceptions,
Tom
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kfunnyman
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Mar 29, 2014, 5:00 PM
Post #5 of 8
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Re: 1948 Desoto clutch problems?
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Ok, Tom.
Another issue. Which may be, perhaps, a part of the original, issue. The clutch pedal returns just fine. However, the car will not shift gears with the engine running. (In my best Ricky Ricardo voice) "Whaaa happen?"
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Mar 29, 2014, 8:57 PM
Post #6 of 8
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Re: 1948 Desoto clutch problems?
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OK - when a clutch something does that and won't shift while running it's pretty sure it just isn't disengaging enough.
Either adjusted for proper free-play area or if this somehow warped a more common clutch disc OR not true for any reason they drag and can do that.
Not sure if this is a tunnel drive meaning whole assembly engine to rear differential is really ONE unit when all together or trans is bolted up to engine and on to a driveshaft? If that later type and trans hangs with front shaft thru a disc it will wreck it! If left with weight while loose and not supported that could harm a good old one while working on it. It needs to be supported and adjustment correct. One of the two most likely,
Tom
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kfunnyman
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Jun 10, 2014, 3:12 PM
Post #7 of 8
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Re: 1948 Desoto clutch problems?
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Hey Tom.
Once again, your assessment was spot on! A simple adjustment of the turnbuckle and I was off and running. I apologize for not letting you know sooner! Thank you!
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jun 10, 2014, 8:52 PM
Post #8 of 8
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Re: 1948 Desoto clutch problems?
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Glad to hear it. A good thing about cars this old is many things are basically hardware items/concepts for silly adjustments all over it,
Tom
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