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Clutch movement question

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Clutch movement question
J

jakeh937

Senior Jeeper
Posts
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Location
Petaluma, CA
Vehicle(s)
'79 Cj5, 258 with Howell Fuel injection kit, T18 with dana 20 Tcase, dana 30 front with Detroit locker, AMC 20 rear with LSD and one piece shafts, Warn 8k winch, 1" body lift, 2" suspension lift, 33 tires
Just acquired a 79 CJ5 . While driving it I noticed that sometimes the clutch pedal would not have full motion (like when then clutch engaged the movement of the pedal was very little) I can reach down and pull the pedal back and it would be fine again. When I got home I crawled under there and noticed that the clutch fork is loose. (Like I can move it up and down and it sort of pops. If this normal? Should that move up and down? Am I missing return springs or something?


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I also took a video in case that will help with what I am describing..


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How much free play do you have at the pedal? Should be ~1"


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At the pedal it's about an inch. But when the fork does what it does the entire throw of the pedal is different. Here's a video to help describe what I mean.

Just kidding I don't know how to post videos lol

At the fork itself it physically moves up and down the entire opening in the bellhousing. I'm borrowing a bore scope from work to be able to see in there and see what's going on


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I don't know if something broke or what the deal is. Also, the jeep has a 2" body lift and I'm not sure if that has something to do with it as well


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The body lift will change the angle of the rod and will put force on the fork it wasn't designed for. You might want to start looking into a hydraulic set-up. The bore-scope should shed some light, but if the fork is moving up and down excessivly something is amiss and the Transmission will likely be coming out to figure it all out.
 
That's sort of what I am thinking. I know I did see special made rods for body lifts. I wish I had people closet to me for help lol


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I think hydraulic would be nice but also I have no idea what parts I need, what's involved, or even where to start.


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Look at Novaks site. IIRC they sell a kit
 
Found the culprit. The retainer on the bell housing that holds the fork ball in has busted and the ball is poppin in and out of the groove. Now my question is... is this common? Or what has caused the bell housing piece to break?


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The clutch fork pivot ball retainer on the bell housing is cast in the housing. if that breaks it means the bell housing needs to be replaced.
 
Torxhead said:
The clutch fork pivot ball retainer on the bell housing is cast in the housing. if that breaks it means the bell housing needs to be replaced.
Click to expand...



Is that a common problem with jeeps? Or did something happen to cause that to break?


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Well for starters the bellhousing is cast aluminum, that can be a factor. Although, I have heard of it happening only a few times.
 
Before you scrap the bellhousing, consider the possibility of repairing it. I’m thinking make a new ball that looks similar to a trailer hitch ball, but obviously the same size as the broken one, drill & tap the bellhousing and screw it in.
If it is a common issue, then that should be a permanent fix.
 
jakeh937 said:
Just acquired a 79 CJ5 . While driving it I noticed that sometimes the clutch pedal would not have full motion (like when then clutch engaged the movement of the pedal was very little) I can reach down and pull the pedal back and it would be fine again. When I got home I crawled under there and noticed that the clutch fork is loose. (Like I can move it up and down and it sort of pops. If this normal? Should that move up and down? Am I missing return springs or something?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...



What was the final solution to this issue? I have the exact same problem but I know that pivot ball is missing. I have pulled the Transmission and bell housing yesterday. I'm in the middle of replacing my flywheel and have since included U-joints, bearings, bushings, clutch disk, and now this. I was wondering if tapping and using a permanent ball would be the best fix.
 
JacksonLakeJeep said:
What was the final solution to this issue? I have the exact same problem but I know that pivot ball is missing. I have pulled the Transmission and bell housing yesterday. I'm in the middle of replacing my flywheel and have since included U-joints, bearings, bushings, clutch disk, and now this. I was wondering if tapping and using a permanent ball would be the best fix.
Click to expand...



My whole socket where that pivot ball sat was broken and the ball was moving in and out, causing the clutch fork to do weird things. Bring it was super rough and the socket was 3/4 gone, I ended up buying a new bell-housing...which wasn’t easy to find, nor cheap. I ended up redoing basically all my linkage and even still, the rod going to the clutch fork isn’t perfectly straight. I just hope I don’t have issues again. I also modified it a bit and made my own heim joint to give it some more flexibility.

I’m curious to know...is your clutch link going from the lever to the fork straight perfectly straight in line or is it off?


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jakeh937 said:
My whole socket where that pivot ball sat was broken and the ball was moving in and out, causing the clutch fork to do weird things. Bring it was super rough and the socket was 3/4 gone, I ended up buying a new bell-housing...which wasn’t easy to find, nor cheap. I ended up redoing basically all my linkage and even still, the rod going to the clutch fork isn’t perfectly straight. I just hope I don’t have issues again. I also modified it a bit and made my own heim joint to give it some more flexibility.

I’m curious to know...is your clutch link going from the lever to the fork straight perfectly straight in line or is it off?


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Click to expand...

I'll take a look at it when I get home. I just remember thinking "WTH" when I found the fork basically moving whichever way it wanted to move.
 
jakeh937 said:
My whole socket where that pivot ball sat was broken and the ball was moving in and out, causing the clutch fork to do weird things. Bring it was super rough and the socket was 3/4 gone, I ended up buying a new bell-housing...which wasn’t easy to find, nor cheap. I ended up redoing basically all my linkage and even still, the rod going to the clutch fork isn’t perfectly straight. I just hope I don’t have issues again. I also modified it a bit and made my own heim joint to give it some more flexibility.

I’m curious to know...is your clutch link going from the lever to the fork straight perfectly straight in line or is it off?


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Click to expand...

Just eyeballing it, the part your talking about looks straight to me. How much bend do you have in yours?
 
JacksonLakeJeep said:
Just eyeballing it, the part your talking about looks straight to me. How much bend do you have in yours?
Click to expand...



The actual linkage is straight, mine just isn’t straight in line between the fork and the pivot bar (I don’t remember the name for it). Side to side is off on those. If that makes sense. I would take a picture but my Jeep is getting the exhaust repaired.


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