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Overly Sensitive Clutch

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

  1. Mar 20, 2020
    Buildflycrash

    Buildflycrash More or Less in Line. 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Gulf Breeze FL...
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    Nope. I do have a die grinder.needs 5/16 hole.
     
  2. Mar 21, 2020
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Florida Keys
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    Cobalt bit. Also, a carbide tipped masonery bit may be a cheap substitute.
    -Donny
     
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  3. Mar 22, 2020
    Muzikp

    Muzikp Active Member

    Sacramento Ca.
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    Oh... just move the MC to the firewall and put a booster on it :whistle:

    That longer arm looks good, can you shorten it some and use it?
     
  4. Mar 23, 2020
    John Gedde

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

    Middle Island, NY
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    Mine ate up my 5/16 HSS drill and my 5/16 cobalt bit. I used a small reground masonry bit with a carbide tip to get through it, but it didn't make a clean hole. The surface of the tab is case hardened. Once you get through the hardening, a bit will go through it by step drilling a few sizes up at a time. Eventually I got through it. In retrospect, I should've taken the shaft off and used a carbide end mill in my Bridgeport to bang through it. A carbide drill bit would work also, but not in a hand drill as it would be very likely to break and you'd be out the cost of a $$$ bit.

    From what I've learned, if I had to it again without removing the shaft, I'd use a carbide ball burr in a die grinder to break through the surface hardening and create a divot for a cobalt drill bit to work through. Nonetheless, I'd expect the cobalt bit to need sharpening afterwards... I'd still step drill it at least once to make room for the chisel edge (tip) of the drill bit. A split point drill bit will help out here...

    John
     
  5. Mar 23, 2020
    John Gedde

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

    Middle Island, NY
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    I just had another thought and a cautionary note... If you drill the hole and expose the unhardened steel underneath, the crappy link rod will wear out the tab. Furthermore, the raggedy leftover hardening will chew up the link rod. Best is to do what I did and buy the kit from Woody's called the Smooth Clutch Kit which replaces the cable and the link rod with Heim joints and threaded rods. Now the only thing that goes through the tab holes is a bolt which is torqued and cannot move. The rod end does that instead. There's no reason one couldn't make the same kit using parts from McMaster. I planned on this, but I went with Woody's since their price was reasonable for what I got and the design part of it was already thought out. Woody's 4x4 | Clutch & Linkage

    I hope I'm allowed to link to a supplier. I really like dealing with those guys. They have helped me out with a number of unobtainium parts...

    If you do the Heim joint system, the tab no longer needs to be hardened. If it's off the vehicle, it can be heated cherry red with a torch followed by moving the torch away slowly to bring down the temperature gradually. This should anneal it and allow it to be easily drilled (once it cools of of course.)

    John
     
  6. Mar 23, 2020
    Greevesman

    Greevesman Member

    Napa, Ca
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    Seems like I remember AA saying the chain linkage was not for 4 cyl application. So I didn't buy one.
     
  7. Mar 23, 2020
    Norcal69

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

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    If your going to wheel, like the op wants to, I would avoid the Woodys kit and go with a cable or AA chain setup.
     
  8. Mar 24, 2020
    John Gedde

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

    Middle Island, NY
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    I can't see too much of an issue with off-roading. The linkage is nestled up in there pretty good. That said, the cable setup would offer more compliance if you were to get it up on something.

    Either way, Woody's or AA, the end that bolts to the tab has a Heim joint so a drilled tab with compromised hardening is not an issue.

    John
     
  9. Mar 24, 2020
    Norcal69

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

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    The issue is not with the linkage hitting obstacles, it is with the frame twist causing the clutch to disengage.
     
  10. Mar 24, 2020
    colojeepguy

    colojeepguy Colorado Springs

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    I've read of people having that problem with the AA chain kit.
     
  11. Mar 24, 2020
    termin8ed

    termin8ed I didn't do it Staff Member

    Mason, MI
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    Ive had the frame twist and had the tube bind up not being able to disengage. Or maybe it was engage. Either way it made for a floor it and go situation
     
  12. Mar 25, 2020
    Buildflycrash

    Buildflycrash More or Less in Line. 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    Yea, like an overly sensitive clutch! So busy and stressed at work I Don't have motivation to work on it.
     
  13. Mar 25, 2020
    Buildflycrash

    Buildflycrash More or Less in Line. 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    Yea, like an overly sensitive clutch! So busy and stressed at work I Don't have motivation to work on it.
     
  14. Mar 25, 2020
    Norcal69

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

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    I run a cable from inline tube. But wether the AA chain or a cable setup if your adjusted too tight, you could have problems similar to the linkage setup when frame is twisted up.
     
  15. Mar 26, 2020
    Buildflycrash

    Buildflycrash More or Less in Line. 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    Made some progress finally.

    Here’s the end of the chain attached to the tab of the clutch tube.

    [​IMG]

    I’m wanting to shorten/lower the chain on the tab to make the clutch less sensitive. But had a really hard time drilling through the hardened steel tab. This bit made for tile and granite did the trick.

    [​IMG]


    Hole got way off center but when it started cutting I just kept going.


    [​IMG]

    Next getting the transmission back in was not fun. The first evening I jacked and hoisted and pushed for 2hours with no progress.

    [​IMG]


    The next morning I remembered that I hadn’t installed the clutch fork!! Good thing I didn’t get it in!!



    Tonight it fought me a while but victory is mine!!

    [​IMG]
     
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  16. Mar 28, 2020
    Bigdaddy13

    Bigdaddy13 Member

    So.Cal
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    sounds like your clutch has trust issues.

    Did you try taking it out to a nice dinner and reiterating that you love it deeply?

    just a thought.
     
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  17. Mar 28, 2020
    Buildflycrash

    Buildflycrash More or Less in Line. 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    I drove around a bit today and the clutch was significantly better.

    From what we discussed here this problem is a result of adding the AA chain linkage. The factory linkage has some built in geometry on the torque tube that makes the clutch a little harder to push but definitely less sensitive. Changing/fixing the geometry a bit with keeping the chain linkage, turns out to be a pretty simple thing. Drilling a hole closer to the center line, in the tab on the clutch tube will make a noticeable difference. See my posts above. If I could do it again I would drill that tab just another 1/4” lower. I think the new hole I drilled was about 1/2” lower than the factory one. This whole thing could be done in 30 minutes or less.

    1 Remove the chain linkage from the tab. One 1/4“ bolt.
    2 Remove clutch pedal from clutch tube. One 1/4” bolt
    3 flip the tube/tab to the bottom so you can easily drill it. It’s hardened steel so you’ll need the right drill bit.
    4 drill it. Flip the tab back up and put it back together.

    It’s easy and effective.
     
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2020
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  18. Jul 22, 2020
    cayenne

    cayenne Member

    central Texas
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    Cheers for this modification. Just did it, and it solved a problem I had for years....my whiplashed neck thanks you!!

    Still need to adjust it do it disengages further up the pedal, and figure out why it binds off-roading, but this was a big help
     
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  19. Jul 24, 2020
    Buildflycrash

    Buildflycrash More or Less in Line. 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    T
    Thats fantastic. Glad I was able to contribute.
     
  20. Jul 24, 2020
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
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    I’m surprised the Woodruff’s are selling that so inexpensively. They are know. For ridiculous prices. It’s good to know they are finally getting realistic with their prices. Might talk to Bigjohn about his steering g box experiences with them. I’ve known them for 25 years and have heard tons of horror stories. I even used to race against Gary back In The day.
    Hopefully things have turned around there.
     
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