So problem solved! Must have been that broken tab which was causing all these dramas, after painfully putting everything back together and taking it for a drive i still need to adjust the nut down a bit on the slave as contact point is still up very high. My left knee is hitting the steering wheel, there's smoke coming from the exhaust manifold, the steering is heavy as fcuk and suspension is boat-like.... ahhh i miss what a real car feels like to drive