Effort Reduction Kit

Here ya go.

John

Thanks John, any special tips or instructions?

The length of the master cylinder pushrod is somewhat critical, i.e. if it is too long, it will be on the wrong side of center and you won't be able to depress the clutch pedal.

The cast bell crank is made of soft material and will wear quickly if those three pivot points aren't periodically lubricated. Those pivot holes can be machined to accept small needle roller bearings.

John

If you have a copy of the Ford Technical Service Bulletin book, it has the instructions on how to install it. I gave a copy once to a mechanic friend of mine a while back when he was trying to fit a clutch effort reduction kit to an early Pushbutton Pantera. He found the easiest way to install it was to pull the pedal box out. If you don't want to do that, you can slide the steering wheel assembly with the shaft out to gain room under the dash, also pull out the driver seat so you can lay on your back to work but it will be a pain in the ass still because of those small parts, especially if you have big hands. Wear safety glasses while working on your back under the dash as stuff will fall on your face, guaranteed

Here's another pic.

John

Is anyone able to provide the instructions from the Ford Technical Service Bulletin book. I have yet to give this project to a mechanic but when I do I want to have all information possible for him to complete the project. Thanks

It's pretty strait forward. You just substitute the new parts for the old.
It mounts up under the dash near the throttle pedal.
It's kind of a tight space under there.

The orientation of certain parts of the effort reduction kit is critical. If I recall, credit for the instruction sheet below, goes to Mike Drew.

Wasn't there originally a number quoted on the effort reduction? I seem to remember 35%? I presume that is a scientific arrived at number and not a guess?

Here's what the TSB says. I did not include their pics, as the ones above are better.

John

Given that these kits are described in TSBs and have official documentation, would I expect that one is factory-installed (or dealer updated) in a Build Date "04-73" Pantera L?

Is something like this something the owner was expected to take the car back to the dealer for?

How did Pantera owner know when a new TSB came out?

Were these retrofits paid for by Ford or the Dealership? (if paid by ford, I can see why they would tire of supporting Panteras, especially in a downturning economy where everyone wants Pintos).

Thanks -

Rocky

Great question. I'd like to know that too but I think they were never installed on the US cars at the factory and only available on a service complaint under warranty?

The sure didn't cost $345 for the kit either?

TSB'S are sent to the dealers for their information only. Unless its on a major recall, corrections were done if/when the car was brought in for routine service.

At the bottom of each article, it gives the month/year the defect was corrected in production. The next info bellow that told the dealer whether it was for informational only or reimbursable within the provisions of the warranty.

Here's what's at the bottom of that TSB.

John

Does this mean they were installed in production starting Sept 1-72? Really?

Actually my car is an August 72 and came with this linkage.
Forest

Thanks Forrest. I'm going to have to get under there with a mirror to verify this.
Is there an engineering/identification number cast into that three spoke hub?
I see from the posted instructions that one of the "spokes" is offset in relationship to the earlier one which was symetrical.

This is an example of how information on the Pantera is confusing.

So many of the issues were pre-L issues and when it became the L, they were all fixed.

The only early features left on my car that I can see were the dual pod dash and the early fuel tank, fuel tank fill, and fuel tank pick-up.

As I just posted in the model year thread, I went to install the kit about 18 months ago while I had the footbox pedal mounting plate out and didn't. The reason has to be that it's already installed?

That's ok with me. I could apply the $350 elsewhere.

Yes ... it is on my car ... a 74L at build.

I looked at a 6/73 build date car yesterday, and it has the kit installed. However, there is no way of knowing for sure if this particular car was originally delivered with the kit.

John

I'm pretty sure there is one on mine too. Since I got my Sony digital slr I take pictures of everything now.

Back then...forged aboud dit!

I remember being surprised it was on the car. Can't imagine the clutch without it. It isn't a melted marshmallow now with the Centerforce in it?

I'm trying to verify a clutch effort reduction kit retrofitted on a '71 Pantera but I can't find my Ford TSB. Can someone confirm the length of the pushrods assembly and post the picture from the TSB on how to measure it. I read that the length is supposed to be 3 and 1/8 inches but Mike Drew stated it as 2.91 inches per the TSB. Was there a later bulletin that changed it?

LIV1S;
Attached is a page from my TSB book which I believe is what you are asking about.

Do the majority of Pantera owners use this kit?
Just wondering as I don't believe mine has this.

The service bulletin says they were installed in the production line by September 1972. Look at the production date on your car pop riveted to the door post.
My car is 4460. Produced 9/72 and is a '73 L model.
It has the kit.
So to answer your question, if you look at the unit numbers, mine is somewhere about 1/2 through total production.
The answer is 50/50. 1/2 have them, 1/2 don't.

quote:

Originally posted by JAG13CAT:
LIV1S;
Attached is a page from my TSB book which I believe is what you are asking about.

Thank you

Ford's reason for this kit was not exactly what one might think. Their Official Reason was so one could sit at a stoplight with the car in gear and the clutch in without tiring one's leg! There is no TSB for replacing a worn-out crankshaft thrust bearing resulting from this poor driving practice... The linkage works like a compound bow-and-arrow: force is INITIALLY HIGHER than original, then drops off to a much lower level as the clutch pedal bottoms.

If you're going to all this trouble, consider adding bronze bushings to all those little mild-steel-on-mild-steel pivots, since they all wear and periodic lubing will be impossible. The wear generates much slop in the clutch linkage over years, limiting disengagement distance and wearing your transmission $ynchros.

4280 has the effort reduction kit. with a centerforce clutch the pedal effort is very low. compared to Rocky's 5357 which had a std clutch with the E.R.K. it is substantially easier.

I installed mine today and the push rod was a little too long and the arm would get caught on the peak of the arc, and not depress. We shortened the adjustible length of the rod going in the master, and it works perfect. I have had my car 10 years without this and I can tell a big difference, and Im getting better clutch disengaugment that equates to quicker shifts DO IT!

Who sells it, and is it really $345?

Check with the vendors. If they don't have a 'kit', maybe they have OEM parts out of a wreck that can serve the same purpose. As mentioned, this is a much nicer project to do on a bench instead of laying upside-down under the dash.