I know in its native home in the sierra, the clutch has a fancy self adjusting mechanism, but, is the release bearing held under slight spring pressure against the pressure plate vanes?

Reason for asking, I've mocked my clutch up, using a hydraulic pull slave, and whilst it works ok, I can pull the actuator arm off the ball pivot, with everything at rest, obviously don't want this happening on the road. If I apply slight pressure, simulating a spring loading effect holding the bearing aganst the vanes, all is ok.....

small spring pulling pedal towards the bulk head? I don't think you should have any play in there.

My MT75 setup is cable operated (with a simple pedal lever connection, not the old sierra ratchet system). The only adjuster is on the cable at the bellhousing. Since I don't have a locknut there, at one time, it has loosened to the point where the clutch wouldn't disengage (pedal virtually on the floor) my kids who are the majority drivers now just didn't seem to notice the deterioration.

At no time, however did the release arm become detatched.

So: I think the strict answer to your question, based on my personal situation is that no the clutch release bearing isn't held against the vanes of the clutch and no it hasn't fallen off the pivot.

If you set up the clutch so that the release bearing is always in contact with the fingers the release bearing won't last all that long. It is supposed to pull clear once disengaged. Personaly i would try to devise someway of holding the pull arm on to the release arm, so that it doesn't become detached. HTH Ray

Thanks guys, I've fitted a pattern plastic backed release bearing, I don't think that is helping, it comes off the arm very easily, so have ordered a genuine ford part, £32