This squeals annoyingly! it is new (well, about 6 years old but unused, pukka motorcraft) If i lightly press the cluth pedal so the bearing is against the cover, the squeal goes. I have tried a light spring to fully disengage the bearing off the cover, but it doesn't work unless I also manually press teh clutc fork end sideways a bit.

Any bright ideas? Should I use the light spring to hold the bearing against the cover?? (bit worried as I suspect the bearing may not like it)

There is a spring on the clutch quadrant in a sierra with a type 9 that is designed to tension the cable and a mechanism for cable auto-adjust which applies constant quite firm pressure pulling the clutch release bearing against the diaphragm fingers. Designed that way by Henry. Also stops bearing rattle.

Brilliant, that means a Clive designed spring gizmo can pull the lever against the cover too.

That squeal was doing my nut.

Is the boot that covers the hole where the arm passes through the box missing
I left mine off when i fitted mine and it drove me nuts,rattling and chirping
I refitted the boot last week and its shut the noise up

Mine has exactly the same set up its always had with either a type 2, type E or type 9 box. There is a small spring at the pedal end that places a small amount of load on the cable keeping the bearing in contact with the clutch cover. I have never used the rubber cover at the gearbox end, in truth its not possible with the RS2000 alloy bellhousing that has been on the car for the last 20 years. In all that time I have never heard a rattle or squeal of any kind.