Clutch issues - Stiff pedal!

::this post doesnt have any pics::

Hi all,

So I just went through and did a clutch job; I've reinstalled everything correctly as per the FSM. I go to push on the clutch pedal and it feels amazingly stiff. I played with the clutch cable to give it some play, IIRC 3/8ths of an inch of play, and I go to press the clutch and Fwoomp!...The ball end on the clutch cable goes flying....

I've got a v-6 225, T14 - D18. When I went through the rebuild I used the 10-1/4" link between the two cross shafts....I checked the cross shafts with a level to see if they were off canter with the frame to T-case and it was all even across. Ideas?

Thanks!

 

Did your new TO bearing slide smoothly on the main drive bearing retainer and did you lube the retainer and inside of TO bearing?

 

just did a clutch job . did you by chance use a borg & beck 3 finger pressure plate or a diaphragm type

 

I used a diaphragm clutch and lubed up the TO bearing before assembly. Made sure that it moved smoothly on the clutch fork.

 

Did you by any chance replace the fork? I had a replacement that was stamped incorrectly and would operate smoothly until the last little bit of travel then bind up. I had to do some clearancing with a die grinder and file to make it work.

 

I did replace the clutch fork. It was a take off part from a 225 that only had 25k on it. Is there anything I should be checking for elsewhere? Binding in the linkage? Too much travel on the cable?

 

anyway by what do you mean a stiff pedal . as compared to what . a newer car with a hydraulic clutch , I don't have the linkage set up with the cross shaft , But I have had two of the adjuster balls just come flying off over the years . come to think of it , that's the only two times jeep was towed home . clutch cable set up only (71) . I would buy another one and try again

 

Well it takes quit a lot of pressure to push the pedal down, and through the pedal through the pressure keeps building. From what I understand with diaphragm clutches the initial pressure should be high but then feel lower as the diaphragm opens up between the clutch disc and flywheel

 

What year Jeep is this? Floor or swing pedals??.......You may need to pull that out so you can at least see the action of the Clutch Fork, and the pivot ball and how that moves on the throw out bearing candlestick while in a static mode inside the bell housing...............most standard clutches only have about 600-700 lbs of base pressure at Idle, while the balance of the clamping force comes via the counterweights or fingers or in a diaphragm style it is the complete ring area that the throughout bearing rides on that acts as the extra clamping force as the RPM increase's and the fingers grow...............
I would look at your ratios on your clutch linkage to see if they are correct starting from the pedal............the pedal ratio should be around 6-7 :1 and will finally turn in a 2:1 Ratio once the motion hits the fulcrum ball on the clutch fork.
Did you lube the cable when it was out?
Is the throw out bearing the correct OD size where it contacts the finger area on the clutch cover?
Check your install of the linkage.........if the starting points where it starts to pull from is over center that will also make the linkage hard to work in a mechanical since.
Pictures would be great!..........

 

I will try to get some picture up, its a swing pedal. Bell crank and cross-shaft style thats been used for ages. I lubed the clutch ball, cable, cross-shaft ball ends, TO bearing...Ill check to see where the "pulls" start. Should they be off center starts?

 

Hard to explain............but should start and finish equal distances from center , using the leverage created by pulling in an arch.

You obviously have a problem so don't discount anything from being contributory in the system.

 

So far as I know, no. I'm going to take off the inspection cover here soon to see if anything is binding up on the inside of the bell housing...

 

You described the stock system with cable and jack shaft but then said it's a "swing pedal". My understanding is that it's one or the other.

I have noticed a huge difference in pedal effort when I lube my pivot points on my clutch linkage. At the frame pivot there should be zerks. I installed zerks in the jack shaft (frame to t-case) to grease up the two ball studs.