Bell Crank lever won't move

[fireaxxe]

The other day my clutch linkage broke and disappeared along the roadside. I pulled the Cj home. After deciding to replace everything I can see involving the clutch I crawled underneath and attempted to pull the bell crank lever to the rear (engaging the clutch) only to find that it would not budge. Unless something is bound up it seems that it should move fairly easily. I put the tranny and Transfer Case in neutral. I'm sure I can MAKE it move but that doesn't seem prudent at this time. Any insight would be very much appreciated.

Pertinent info:
1978 CJ5
351 Winsor
T-150 Tranny
Dana 20 Transfer Case

 

[Torxhead]

A Jeep CJ repair manual should have a good layout of the clutch linkage, better yet a factory service manual. The bellcrank should be perpendicular to the frame, otherwise it can put too much load on either of the pivots.

 

[fireaxxe]

Thanks Torxhead. i think I have a grasp of how all the new stuff goes together; I'm curious if the bell crank lever should be relatively easy to move thus engaging the clutch. I can't move ot back far enough to put the new linkage in. I'm curious as to whether the clutch 'seized up' breaking the old, worn linkage or the old, worn linkage broke and the clutch is jammed by some force unknown to me.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

If the foot pedal rod and the rod to the clutch release fork is not engaging the fork. The B/C should freely move with ease.
Can you post a picture so we can see what you're deal'n with?
Is this what you have?
https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/411289_CJ_CLUTCH_ADJUSTMENT_008_1.jpg
LG

 

[fireaxxe]

Hopefully there is a photo somewhere here. I think I'm having an issue with terminology and I apologize for that. The lever in question could also be called a "throwout Lever" or "clutch fork". This is the lever that all the pedal mechanisms move fore and aft to engage the clutch. My adjuster and clutch fork rod are missing. I assumed that I could move the clutch fork easily but it is stuck. Before I force it and snap it off or damage my throwout bearing I would like to know what is going on. Thanks again!

 

[Lumpy Grits]

To push the fork all the way back, requires several hundred pounds of force.
You ain't gonna do it by hand.
LG

 

[fireaxxe]

Thanks Lumpy! I'm pretty strong lol. I get that you have to evercome the tension that clamps the clutch to the pressure plate. So now my question is how do I get the new adjuster and linkage in there? It seems that there is not enough room to put everything in there and then adjust it to the proper specs.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Connect the pedal linkage after mounting the B/C to the bracket. Did you get new Nylon bushings for this? You should.
Take the adjuster and screw it down as far as you can, to make it as short as possible, it should just slip in if you don't have an engine or tranny mount issue.
LG

 

[mriplaybass]

Inside the bell housing the throw out bearing fork pivots on a large ball bearing about the size of a marble. There are 2 things that hold this ball bearing in place between the fork and the bell housing pockets. The pressure generated by the linkage, and a small spring that hooks through a hole in the clutch fork, and the bell housing. If the spring breaks, and there is insufficient pressure on the fork provided by proper adjustment, the fork no longer has a pivot point and can drop down against the bell housing. If your linkage is no longer hooked up, you can try to move the fork by hand. It should move smoothly as the throw out bearing moves back and forth. If the fork flops around, the ball bearing probably fell out.

 

[fireaxxe]

Mriplaybass, so in your opinion one should be able to manually move the throw out lever forward and back? Mine does not move and dissengage the clutch. My concern is that something happened inside the bell housing which caused my weakened clutch linkage to fail.
If my pivot ball bearing fell out I assume it is rolling around in the bottom of the bell housing. Thanks again guys....

 

[Lumpy Grits]

DON'T push the fork forward(front of Jeep)as that's a very good way to have the pivot ball fall out of it's 'pocket' in the bell housing.
You'll most likely have to pull the tranny and BH to reinstall, IF this is the issue.
LG

 

[fireaxxe]

Like most CJ issues it just keeps getting better. It might be time to drop to drivetrain, fix my rear main seal, replace and upgrade my clutch, put in a T-18 or NP435, and a Dana 30 with 4-1 gears.


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[mriplaybass]

It may or not be inside the bell housing. If your inspection plate is missing or has a hole in it (like mine), the ball and spring can fall out. If everything is in there correctly, you should be able to feel the throw out bearing moving back and forth smoothly, and the fork should pivot smoothly. If the ball is missing, the fork is free to disengage from the throw out bearing and become wedged. If the ball is missing, the fork will just kind of rattle around.

 

[quinletc]

How did this ultimately play out?

I am dealing with what sounds like an identical problem.