1. Registration trouble? Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom right corner of the page and your issue will be resolved.
    Dismiss Notice

Overly Sensitive Clutch

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by Buildflycrash, Mar 12, 2020.

  1. Mar 13, 2020
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
    Messages:
    6,656
    I would personally try drilling a hole in your clutch pedal below the existing pin and double-nutting a hardened bolt through it for the chain to mount. Simple, cheap, effective.
     
    45es and termin8ed like this.
  2. Mar 14, 2020
    termin8ed

    termin8ed I didn't do it Staff Member

    Mason, MI
    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2002
    Messages:
    4,418
    Not a bad idea.

    In my case i need to verify if the fork is seated properly.

    But my problem also started the second after i put a new clutch in so i blame the new clutch. I just cant remember what i put in mine.
     
  3. Mar 14, 2020
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Northern California
    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    3,547
    When you say there is only 2” before disengagement.... that is off the top of pedal travel? Like if you are driving and push in the pedal to shift, the clutch releases within the first 2” of pedal travel, then as you start to let off the pedal there is no action until the pedal is 2” from the top and removing your foot?
     
    Glenn likes this.
  4. Mar 14, 2020
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2003
    Messages:
    5,466
    I believe you would have to modify how the clutch arm attaches. The Stock I remember is a cable with a ball, where the Chevy uses a rod with a pivot and nut that goes through the arm. It would be easy to change, but something to consider.
     
  5. Mar 14, 2020
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2002
    Messages:
    12,367
    Good question, I've been wondering this too. Also free play, is there any? If there is, then engagement/disengagement travel isn't much at all.
     
  6. Mar 14, 2020
    Buildflycrash

    Buildflycrash More or Less in Line. 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Gulf Breeze FL...
    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2007
    Messages:
    3,559
    Yup. And there is a small amount of travel at the top after fully engaged.
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2020
  7. Mar 14, 2020
    Buildflycrash

    Buildflycrash More or Less in Line. 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Gulf Breeze FL...
    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2007
    Messages:
    3,559
    Lots of pedal travel- small section When clutch does anything. I think that is what the others are trying to fix as well
     
    jjdebarros, termin8ed and Glenn like this.
  8. Mar 14, 2020
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2002
    Messages:
    12,367
    Yeah, it seems it's not an isolated problem.
     
  9. Mar 14, 2020
    Buildflycrash

    Buildflycrash More or Less in Line. 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Gulf Breeze FL...
    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2007
    Messages:
    3,559
    I’ll look at that for sure.
     
  10. Mar 14, 2020
    termin8ed

    termin8ed I didn't do it Staff Member

    Mason, MI
    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2002
    Messages:
    4,418
    Yea, ive tried loosening and tightening the clutch chain. Only difference is where it engages is a little higher or lower.
     
  11. Mar 14, 2020
    Rich M.

    Rich M. Shoe salesman 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Maryland
    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2008
    Messages:
    2,169
    Pictures please of your setup.
    It only takes about 5/8" travel at the clutch itself to get release. All clutch forks are 3" from the stud/mount to the center of the to bearing. The farther away from to stud to the cable attachment, the more the arm will have to travel to get the travel necessary.
     
  12. Mar 14, 2020
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2002
    Messages:
    12,367
    Which if not excessive can give more accurate control of the release. This is the reasoning, correct?
     
  13. Mar 14, 2020
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
    Messages:
    6,656
    I just thought of something. In the original design, the pedal pulled on the lower arm on the clutch pivot tube. That turned the tube and pulled on the upper arm to pull on the clutch arm. The arms on the tube were not equal lengths. The longer arm is on the bottom, and the shorter arm was on the top. This gave the pedal more mechanical advantage, slowing the clutch arm action in relation to the pedal.

    [​IMG]

    The chain setup works on a 1:1 ratio and removes any and all mechanical advantage. It would make total sense to want to slow the clutch arm action down after installing the chain.
     
  14. Mar 14, 2020
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Florida Keys
    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2014
    Messages:
    4,170
    I have an AA chain control. I have about half of my pedal travel in the engagement range; very easly to modulate or slip my clutch. This Jeep came to me with this setup, so I don't know what throwout arm is in there. Either way, I really like the chain setup.
    -Donny
     
    boopiejones likes this.
  15. Mar 15, 2020
    Buildflycrash

    Buildflycrash More or Less in Line. 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Gulf Breeze FL...
    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2007
    Messages:
    3,559
    That’s what I thought was happening. I love the chain concept. Just lost that geometry provided in the torque tube.
     
    jjdebarros and ITLKSEZ like this.
  16. Mar 17, 2020
    John Gedde

    John Gedde Been around the block once or twice...

    Middle Island, NY
    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2019
    Messages:
    125
    This thread inspired me to try something... My v6 clutch has always been really stiff/hard. Heck, so much so that sometimes my leg would shake holding it down! Seeing how much available travel I had versus how much I needed to fully engage/disengage the clutch led me to believe I could decrease the effort by reducing fork travel. So I drilled another hole about 20% closer to the centerline of the tab on the brake/clutch shaft and lo and behold, the clutch is noticeably less heavy now and still has plenty of free motion on each "side" of the "zone." I had also gotten rid of the cable between the bellcrank and also the link between the two bellcranks and replaced them with proper rod ends and threaded rod using Woody's "Smooth Clutch Kit". The kit itself didn't make the clutch any lighter, just a bit smoother and eliminated the rod wear issue between the two bellcranks.

    BTW, Drilling that hole was a pain in the butt. That tab is case hardened! My 15 year old daughter helped and after all was done, she commented on the pedal pressure saying "it was decently heavy but she could deal with it." Before, she was not happy about the prospects of ever driving it.

    John
     
    Glenn, Fireball, Rich M. and 2 others like this.
  17. Mar 20, 2020
    AKCJ

    AKCJ Active Member

    Fairbanks, Alaska
    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2003
    Messages:
    1,035
    Great thread guys. I've had the "clutch is like a light switch" problem (and the shaky leg problem) for a long time. I'm planning to redrill the jackshaft hole at some point to see if it helps. One thing that helps the stiff clutch problem is lubrication. There are zerks on the pedal pivots and I installed zerks on the jackshaft. If I wait too long between greasing, I notice a big difference in the stiffness.
     
  18. Mar 20, 2020
    Buildflycrash

    Buildflycrash More or Less in Line. 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Gulf Breeze FL...
    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2007
    Messages:
    3,559
    Back working on clutch. I ordered this longer fork but way to long. It would be into the brake MC.

    [​IMG]


    Decided to try to shorter the throw at the other end of the chain.

    [​IMG]
     
  19. Mar 20, 2020
    Buildflycrash

    Buildflycrash More or Less in Line. 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Gulf Breeze FL...
    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2007
    Messages:
    3,559
    i took off the pedal and flipped the tab down drill a hole lower. Not one drill bit I own will touch this part!!! WTF IS this made from and how do I get a hole in it????

    [​IMG]
     
  20. Mar 20, 2020
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
    Messages:
    6,656
    Have any small carbide burrs for a die grinder?
     
New Posts