Clutch Linkage Problem - Help !!!

My '66 CJ-5 just snapped the "pedal release rod". I'm going to refer to the picture in the Jeep Service Manual for details. It's the gray book, Form SM-1002-R6...Copyright 1965 Kaiser Jeep Corp...On page 157 is the picture of the clutch ***'y. The pedal release rod - part number 16 snapped in 2 where it hooks to part # 9, the control lever (and tube.) The control lever cuts thru the pedal release rod just a little each time the clutch pedal is depressed. Eventually it cuts through it and the rod snaps. This has happened before. Well, this time, when the rod snapped, the control lever (fork ?) (#28 ) apparently flew forward with such force that the control cable (# 18 ) became disconnected from it. The control cable feeds thru a small hole about 7/8 of an inch in diameter. The hole is up kinda high and I cant see through it to hook the ball at the end of the cable back onto the control lever. Hell, I'm 6 feet 8 inches tall and my head is as big as a basketball. You should see me trying to look thru that hole to hook the ball on the end of that cable back on. It's impossible !! I would guess that there is a groove cut into the lever just wide enough for the cable to pass thru it, then pulling the cable to the rear would re-seat the ball. I tried sticking my finger thru the hole to feel for somewhere to pass the cable thru and seat the ball, but my finger is too fat, like the rest of me. Can someone suggest an easy way to feed the cable thru that hole and get the ball reseated onto the control lever. It's been nothing but frustration so far. I'm gonna go back out there and keep trying. I'll come back in after I get frustrated again and hopefully there'll be some suggestions posted...Thanks for helping...!!!

 

here is one soloution:
http://www.earlycj5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11101
others have used threaded clevis forks; save you old rod, measure the length, thread the rod, install the clevis forks.
for your throw out lever, if it has dropped down and out of sight, you may have to remove the top shidt tower cover, floorboard, and there is a small inspection cover on the top of the F4 bellhousing; remove the cover, look down inside, and you might be able to re-position the lever and re-position the cable. The lever has to be placed over the ball pivot; this takes patience and can be done in vehicle.

 

I guess there's no way of knowing whether or not the fork lever is out of position (dropped down out-of-sight) without doing an inspection (teardown) ??

 

you'll feel if its out of position, and it's fairly easy to put back on without tearing everything apart. like jim said, it takes a little bit of patience to get it back where it should be.

 

Please pardon my ignorance, but when you say "you'll feel if it's out of position, do you mean I should be able to tell by probing around thru the hole (where the cable enters) with my finger, or will I have to take the top parts off and look down in there from inside the cab ?? At this point, I can't get the ball at the end of the cable hooked back on. BUT, I've never done this before, so I'm not sure how difficult it should be. If the fork is where it should be, would it be pretty easy to hook the cable and reseat the ball at the end of the cable to the end of the fork ??

 

yes
but the fork can drop, and since you can't easily hold it while trying to re-install the cable, it can move around on you.
Personally, I think you would be ahead to remove the floorboard/covers so you can see what you are doing at this point.

 

Well, the fork did come loose. I didn't realize this at first. While I was trying to feed the cable end with the ball through the end of the fork with a bent piece of wire coat hanger ( I went in through the top ), the fork said adios and dropped down to the bottom of the bell housing. Now, when you try to crank the engine, the pressure plate binds against the fork and the engine won't turn over. How nice. Unless I'm missing something here, now the tranny will have to be backed out to fix it. All in all, I think this cable with the ball on the end is a pretty crappy design for a clutch linkage assembly...no to mention the other link that broke and the way that bellcrank-like piece eventually cuts through it because of friction. JPFLAT2A, that link you posted to the guy's thread where he modified the link with bearings on the ends...that's how it should have been designed in the first place. 'Cause if that piece hadn't snapped in two, this would have never happened.

 

Can someone please tell me where a good place would be to get a new fork for the clutch in case the one in there is all boogered up. It'd probably be a good idea to replace it. Thanks !!

 

whoa !!!!!
relax and go drink a cold one :stout:
this happens to lots of folks, you're not the first
try turning the engine over by hand, only reverse the direction to free up the fork.
:? don't quite understand why you tried to turn it over in the first place.
take a magnet or another wire and go fishing for the fork
YOU CAN DO THIS !!!!!!!!!!
patience and you can get it all back together without pulling the trans.
an extreme remedy would be to only loosen the 4 trans to bellhousing bolts and slide the trans back an inch or so
this might give you more clearance
for now, just walk away and relax

 

Thanks JP...gonna wait until I get some more patience ( my tank's on E right now ) and go back to it. Probably tomorrow or Friday...thanks for the advice on freeing up the fork.

 

yup, when it's in place it's solid and can't be moved very easy. jim's got ya covered though, take the floorboards off and go at it. if i remember correctly you "can" get a flashlight in there but it'll mainly be fishing around with your hand a bit. it's not too hard but gets on your nerves about the tenth time you drop the fork in the bellhousing.

also, someone correct me if i'm wrong, but is there a spring on the throwout bearing to bellhousing that he should be looking out for as well? it's been a while but i remember doing this on a four cylinder and that spring taking forever to get right... maybe an l-head thing?

 

I don't know what you have considered as far as your linkage. When I got my CJ5 I was only the third owner and had the stock linkage for a long time. A while ago I converted to the advanced adapters chain unit. It is smooth and it eliminated the weak spot in the old linkage which is the rod that broke on you. Just something to consider, I know I was stubborn and didn't want to change things as my Jeep is still stock but this was a worth-while change.