Clutch BS

[rodneym]

My intermittent problem is back. I know there’s history of talk about the T/O bearing riding the clutch fingers (or not too), how millions of Mustangs can’t be wrong, it’s a Ford design flaw, etc. but I have a couple questions:
No matter how much your cylinder slave pushes/pulls…how much physical release do you need at the pressure plate? Isn’t this what’s paramount? I’m seeing about .022-.025” (hard to get the gauges in at that angle and I don’t want to scratch anything). Is this good? It’s Mcloed gear but I don’t know the model numbers.
Also, my clutch arm is the push forward style, at 8 o’clock (when sitting at the wheel). The first 3/8” (guesstimate) is totally free slop. Should the clutch arm ‘bottom out’ against the bell-housing when the clutch isn’t pushed in? Or do I simply need it to not push against the fingers?
Also, some folks like patrickt suggest a return spring. What are symptoms of not enough, or fast enough clutch arm return?
Thanks!