Clutch hydrostatic slave cylinder and release bearing free play

[PatK]

Hi All, I'm in need of advice and reassurance from you kind souls. On my 1965, Mk2, 3.8 L I had a leak from the clutch slave cylinder. It was an older cylinder, with a pull off spring on the side, and free play on the clutch operating arm was achieved by screwing a threaded rod in or out, so it could be adjusted to give a small clearance at the operating arm and thrust release bearing.
Unfortunately these spring assisted slave cylinders don't seem to be available anymore so I purchased a hydrostatic replacement the same length as the original. The setting up of this requires that the operating rod is pushed fully into the slave cylinder and the clutch release arm is pushed away as far as possible and the threaded rod adjusted so that there is a distance of 33/4" ( 19mm ) between the centre of the screwed end and the centre of the clutch release arm. When this is achieved and the locknut secured and the clevis pin inserted and secured, the slave cylinder spring pushes the clutch release arm forward so that there is no slack in it and it appears that because of this the release bearing is in contact with the clutch itself. Whilst the pressure on the release bearing is not great, it worries me that this will lead to premature wear of the release bearing. The workshop manual says that this system is self adjusting, but it seems that for this to happen the thrust bearing has to be in contact.
So am I worrying over nothing? Will the thrust release bearing have as long a life as one with a small clearance? Or do I fit a withdraw spring with a stop to give a small clearance?
All advice would be most welcome, thanks,

Pat

[B87UL]

PAT

I have sent you a PM on this subject with my telephone number. If you ring me I will talk you through the problem.