Clutch Engagement Pedal Position

[sjc115]

I'm new to manual transmissions, so forgive me if this is a stupid question.

Is there a way to adjust the position at which the clutch pedal engages? In other words, when the clutch engages the pedal is pretty high up in the air. I would prefer it to engage with the pedal closer to the floor. Is it possible to make that adjustment? The Transmission is a T-18 .

 

[mtnwhlr]

Do you have an inch of free play?

 

[tarry99]

I'm new to manual transmissions, so forgive me if this is a stupid question.

Is there a way to adjust the position at which the clutch pedal engages? In other words, when the clutch engages the pedal is pretty high up in the air. I would prefer it to engage with the pedal closer to the floor. Is it possible to make that adjustment? The Transmission is a T-18 .

SJC,

Yes......and Transmission doesn't matter............but does require changing your linkage lengths.......I am assuming this is manual linkage and not hydraulic?????
But here is the problem and it can become complicated .........So if you shorten the travel required to make the clutch work at a lower pedal position..........will there be enough travel down to first disengage the clutch and second have enough free play at the top of the pedal travel so the clutch does not slip when fully engaged? Need about 3/4-1" of free play. This is a trial & error process working with pedal ratio's
The only other way to overcome that is to change the ratio's at the pedal so that the action becomes faster. Here's how: As the clutch rod attachment point moves further away from the pedal fulcrum point going towards the foot pedal the clutch rod action becomes faster and travels less distance.......... but you will loose mechanical ratio advantage ...........meaning the pedal will require more force from your leg to push...........Everything is a tradeoff.

 

[sjc115]

I'm not sure about the free play, I'll have to double check that, but off the top of my head I would say, yes. If there is not 1" of free play, what am I be looking at (new clutch, minor adjustment,???)?

It is a manual linkage (not hydraulic).

Is the travel shortened by turning the long nut on the linkage going back to the Transmission (item #4 in this picture)?
http://www.jeep4x4center.com/images/cj-clutch-limkage-parts-b.gif

 

[tarry99]

I'm not sure about the free play, I'll have to double check that, but off the top of my head I would say, yes. If there is not 1" of free play, what am I be looking at (new clutch, minor adjustment,???)?

It is a manual linkage (not hydraulic).

Is the travel shortened by turning the long nut on the linkage going back to the Transmission (item #4 in this picture)?
http://www.jeep4x4center.com/images/cj-clutch-limkage-parts-b.gif

SJC,

Free play is just one of the needs that has to be maintained at the top of the pedal travel...........it is an adjustment as is everything we are talking about here ............nothing but " Adjustments"
Look at you clutch linkage system this way:...........you have a rod from you pedal to your bell crank & then another rod that pushes your throwout bearing fork that pushes the throwout bearing against your clutch cover that release's your clutch.
Real simple..........That is your total mechanical operating length window right now that makes your clutch release ( pushing down ) & engaging
( travel up)............simply if you have 20 inches of total mechanical length now and you shorten the linkage by 1 inch which moves the engagement point by a percentage based on ratios you still have to do the same work but in a smaller length widow.
As I mentioned above if you want that clutch to release lower or closer to the floor you need to shorten the total length of the linkage which makes that overall length window a little shorter........... But, sometimes by shortening the total length you loose the ability to move the throwout fork & bearing far enough in to release the clutch.......but on the opposite side as you shorten the linkage it increase's the free play at the top of the travel. Hence, if you now had no free play and you shortened the linkage 20"-1"=19" you now would have 1"of free play.
That is why it is a trial & error situation that you need to play with to get the pedal to where it suits you while still accommodating the needs of the clutch system.
Sometimes that is hard to do since your playing with preset mechanical ratio's & rod lengths that can be overcome by shortening rods & changing those ratios as I noted above.
Draw a picture that may help you see this a little clearer.

 

[sjc115]

tarry99, thank you. After looking at the diagram and reading your explanation i think it all makes sense. I can shorten my linkage length as much as I want/need to as long as pushing in the pedal completely disengages the clutch. The 1" free play at the top tells me that the clutch is completely engaging when the pedal is released (it has no impact on the adjustment that I want to make).

Thanks again!

 

[tarry99]

tarry99, thank you. After looking at the diagram and reading your explanation i think it all makes sense. I can shorten my linkage length as much as I want/need to as long as pushing in the pedal completely disengages the clutch. The 1" free play at the top tells me that the clutch is completely engaging when the pedal is released (it has no impact on the adjustment that I want to make).

Thanks again!

Yep! ..................sounds like your on board now ...Mission Accomplished!

 

[sjc115]

I'm definitely on board! Ever since I bought the jeep my mind has been turning with ideas about what to do next!

 

[Corr33]

My son and I just got a jeep CJ5 1976. I keep reading about clutch free play and have adjusted clutches before on my camaro. I dont see anyway a spring can return the clutch pedal to the 'most' upright (even with brake) pedal and then adjust the linkage for 1in of free play. Am I missing a spring on the clutch pedal or something like that?
Thanks
Larry and Dustin

 

[HackFabrication]

My son and I just got a jeep CJ5 1976. I keep reading about clutch free play and have adjusted clutches before on my camaro. I dont see anyway a spring can return the clutch pedal to the 'most' upright (even with brake) pedal and then adjust the linkage for 1in of free play. Am I missing a spring on the clutch pedal or something like that?
Thanks
Larry and Dustin

Pedals aren't going to be even. There is a really heavy duty spring in the clutch pedal assembly that returns the pedal to the top. If you want even pedals, you are going to have to modify the pedal assembly. Or swap in an aftermarket pedal assembly. I wouldn't...

 

[Hedgehog]

A quick additional the spring is one heavy duty item, but it doesn't come into play much. Why? The spring actually cams over at the very top of the pedal travel. This allows the heavy spring to keep the pedal up, but when the pedal is depressed the spring is not being stretched or used. I.E. your foot doesn't have to fight both the big spring AND the pressure plate resistance. Spring only holds the pedal up. This didn't make any sense to me until the pedal mechanism was in hand and I could actually see how the system worked.

 

[Corr33]

Okay, got it. After reading through the posts again. It really is very simple.
Thanks
Larry and Dustin