Frame Off...stock Or Hydraulic Clutch

Starting to source drive train parts on my build. I am missing several linkage parts to the clutch and wondering if I should just go hydraulic. Body is off so it seems like a great time to make the switch. I'm seeing others use YJ cylinders on the stock levers. Tranny is a T18 so also need to see what bracket I need down there (if any). I have searched conversions but was not able to source a kit. Is it just a cobble of parts? Info appreciated.

 

Don't mind the rusty tranny drop spacers. They are coming off and I'm going back to stock leafs......

 

What's your intended usage? Daily driver? Weekend warrior? A few times a year?

 

I went hydraulic, never going back..

 

I guarantee that the linkage will not work when you have one front wheel stuffed and the other hanging. You can get around it sometimes by turning the engine on and off as needed. If that matters to you, go hydraulic or cable. The frame flexes too much for the bell crank to work in all situations.

 

Yes, this has happened to me. Its not as much fun as you might imagine. I used the cable system and it work well and now I have the Novak slave and mount with YJ hanging pedals. Worked right the first time. I was amazed. I am running a sm420 with a 225 v6.

 

82 CJ iron duke master and slave
What I used for my T18... couldn't be happier with the hyd setup.

 

Going for bone stock, narrow steelies....Not a wheeler, just a Socal, PCH cruiser.....

I talked to the guy at Novak today. Really liked his setup.


47,
Do the YJ pedals mount up to the CJ5 pedal hanger? What did you use for the pedal cylinder? Novak recommended a YJ part I believe...I'm assuming a plate over the right hole is used to mount the cylinder....Anyone have a photo of that?

 

I dont have a cj5. I have a cj2a. There is a bit more work to make it happen in a 2a.
2X4 frame for my CJ2A
There is a lot of info that people have contributed in that thread. I don't know what will work in a CJ5. I just went with what was easily available. I used YJ Clutch master, brake booster and master and pedals with a line I made for clutch and Novak T/O arm, bracket and slave. It all works so well i can't believe it.

 

Not stock anymore with that plate and a Hydraulic clutch..............

Plate on the firewall might look like this:

 

Slave cylinder and master from a 1980-84 jeep cj with the Gm 4 cyl...

Slave is bolt-on , onto the bellhousing, just need to drill 3 hole in the firewall, you can use you're exising pedals.

 

It would be helpful to put the year/model/equipment of your Jeep in your signature file.

If this is a PCH cruiser, choice of a T-18 seems a little odd. But for the use you describe, the bell crank will be fine. It's very reliable and works well. If you want to upgrade, replace the factory ball joints with Heim joints - easy to do, more durable than the ball joints, and probably smoother.

Hydraulic is great, but you'll have to design the system, and hydraulic cylinders eventually wear out and leak. If you don't need the extra performance, there's no need to add it.

 

+1

 

As the Oem system wear too...

Design is a big word for something that very simple.

As i said before no need to search for part as you only need to buy the oem slave and cylinder from a 1980 jeep cj5-7 with the gm engine.

Napa master # NCF 72308

napa slave cylinder # NCF 73173

I run them for 5 years, never had any problem.

 

Is there a cable system that is a stock alternative?

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not a huge fan of hydraulic systems. When I worked as a mechanic at a jeep shop, I saw way too many failures of hydraulic throwout bearings on YJs. I guess a slave-cylinder-type system is a whole different animal, but old habits die hard. Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

Manual factory OEM linkage or something that resembles that , a cable or Hydraulic all require the Big "M" Word................"Maintenance" .

In either case it does not matter what you have.............................What really matters is paying attention to it!

 

Thanks guys..I guess a little back story would have helped. Picked this CJ5 up as a project and the T18 was already there. Sandblasted straight body, newly rebuilt 258, T18, Tcase, axles, brakes, new Redline EFI and a TON of new parts. Couldn't resist. As we all know, buying not running can be risky and I am missing several parts to the clutch mechanism. Some are not available but easily fabbed. Previous owner may have been thinking hydraulic too.....I can fab a plate to better mount the cylinder to the firewall. A little bit of beef up couldn't hurt either.
Last shot is the build target. (Not mine) Earlier year but close enough.....


View attachment 35005

 

Nice jeep !

 

Thats really nice

 

Yes very nice Jeep. Another vote for hydraulic...over 10,000 miles through it and nary a problem.