Clutch fork

[tysonn]

Just discovered that the clutch fork in the car that I bought partly dismantled has a clutch fork has a short metal rod that is meant for a hydraulic system.PO bought a 1275 recon midget engine which is in the car and I'm now wondering if the gearbox is also from the midget.The only number I can find on the box(now off the car)is 16143L.Does anyone know if this is simply a matter of buying a fork off a 1098 gearbox?

[mike.perry]

Externally the 1098 and 1275 boxes are identical except that the 1275 has a reversing light switch at the base of the gear lever. The 1098 clutch fork will fit but if you are using the Midget diaphram clutch then you will need to modify the relay shaft

[tysonn]

Thanks for that Mike.I have sent the fork to Tomroy and hes gonna give me a standard fork.Will have to check the diaphragm.

[darren1camper]

So how can you use the midget clutch fork with the Morris minor pedal?

[philthehill]

You cannot - because the MG Midget/Sprite clutch operating system is hydraulic and the end of the operating lever finishes in a fork into which fits the release rod which is between the clutch release fork and the clutch slave cylinder.
You can use the MG Midget/Sprite clutch release fork if you convert to full hydraulic operation - but you need a gearbox casing with at least the clutch slave cylinder mounting lugs which you can drill and tap to suit or a gearbox casing all ready drilled and tapped for the hydraulic slave cylinder i.e. MG Midget/Sprite or A40.
See attached picture for details of slave cylinder mounting.[frame][/frame]

[bmcecosse]

Surely the Minor mechanism could be fairly easily adapted to fit on the fork in place of the hydraulic push rod ? Or is the fork too short to give sufficient mechanical advantage?

[philthehill]

Yes it could be adapted as all things can be but it is not a straight forward job - unless you have the technical ability and the tools to combine the Minor and MG Midget/Sprite clutch linkage it is much easier to go either fully hydraulic or change the clutch release fork.
Even then if I remember correctly removing the clutch release fork from 1275cc MG Miget/Sprite gearbox and replacing it with a 1098cc Minor clutch release fork for use with the diaphragm clutch is not a straight forward job.
The rubber bush in the relay shaft will soon fail if not uprated. I used a hard plastic bush from Minor Mainia when fitting the 1275cc MG Midget/Sprite box/clutch to my Minor.
The MG Midget/Sprite especially the 1275cc diaphragm clutch has a very heavy pedal operation and the clutch release arm is quite short and would need lengthening. The 948cc and 1098cc MG Midgets/Sprites on the other hand are similar in operating pressure to the Minor 948cc and 1098cc so are not so bad but they still had the hydraulic clutch release operation so the release arm would still need modification.