Heavy Clutch

[caekmaster]

Hi guys, my clutch is really heavy, and its not very smooth to operate, it also makes creaking noises from the pedal, is this normal? how can i fix it?

Thanks in advance

[Wagon_Wheel]

You probly have a heavy duty clutch installed, just put up with it, or if you really want, you can change it to a standard spec one.
And the squeaking would be an old clutch cable

[Hillerus]

The clutch cable can go hard right before it fails.

My SS had a problem where the plastic throwout bearing had broken slightly, causing the clutch fork to drop down and rub on the bellhousing, giving a very heavy clutch, and it wasn't releasing all the way, making it difficult to engage gears.

Just have a look, see if anything looks wrong.

Since fixing it, the clutch is so light, it feels like a hydraulic one.

[GTP 85]

the creaking is most probably due to the extra stress in the pedal's pivot pin. Hit it with some silicon lube or something and the creak will go away.

as for the heavy pedal. get under the car, unhook the cable off the clutch fork. then try to feed the cable thru its sheath.. in and out. you should be able to shift it quite easily, if it's stiff then thats your problem! replacement cables arent that expensive.

if its not that, then it's bound to be an issue with the thrust bearing.. gearbox out job.

i had these same issues with my gearbox.

[immortality]

if it's the clutch cable as mentioned above, remove from car and soak in kero or parts wash and clean all the crap out that works it way in there, use some compressed air to dry it out, then get some graphite powder(dry lube) and work it in there.

i've snapped 2 clutch cables whilst sitting at bussy intersections not a good look. fix it now before you have the same problem. on the other hand it's a great way to learn to drive a car without a clutch

[azkwazere]

on the other hand it's a great way to learn to drive a car without a clutch

how do you do that....?

aZk.

[georgeonboost]

on the other hand it's a great way to learn to drive a car without a clutch

how do you do that....?

aZk.

you just snap it into gear. not good for it...but it does work!

-George

[Hillerus]

you just snap it into gear. not good for it...but it does work!

-George

You don't have to be rough. If you sync things correctly, you can be quite smooth. I used to drive my bosses ute around without using the clutch, you couldn't even tell most of the time.

[immortality]

simple, put car in first gear and start car....., accelerate, back of power and pull out of gear and put a slight amount of pressure on selector for next gear, as the revs drop and gear speeds match it will slide into the next gear etc etc. changing down is a little more fun, you need to bring the revs up before shifting it into a lower gear. with a little practise it's easy.

i use to go cruising with some of the truck drivers at my old job, he did it all the time, no effort at all. never crunched gears. very smooth.

if you ever get stuck in the middle of no-where with a buggered clutch cable you will be able to get home. worth learning to do.....however, learn on someone elses car

[nathans1987]

you just snap it into gear. not good for it...but it does work!

-George

if you do it properly its not bad for it and it goes in easily just get the revs right for the gear and it will slip in nicly 1st wont work tho if your not rolling.

[caekmaster]

thanks guys, ill get under it on the weekend and have a look

[aries75au]

yeah I learnt this in a datsun stanza some idiot put the thrust bearing in back to front???huh?? so wouldn't push the pressure plate fingers in, anyway picked the car up for peanuts drove it like this for a week then decided to pull the box out and check thats when noticed it back to front. lol turned it round wow had a clutch again. the only prob was stalling it or turnig it off at traffic lights then having to start it in first when lights went green, lol ruh,ruh,ruh,room ( ever turned a car over in gear )LOL

[immortality]

yeah ( ever turned a car over in gear )LOL

yep, every manual commy i've had has done it easy in 1st gear

[com8]

Had a mild 302w/ 289 heads V8, with a 4 speed toploader in a cortina many years ago. yeah a ford.... it was a phase , I feel better now.

Took my then girlfriend for a cruise in down the coast (kangaroo valley)
keepin it short . we hit a large drop then bump that ripped the exaust off from the extractor flange ( both of them)
to just past the muffler.. bloddy sounded & felt like an explosion.

the right ride extractor managed to hit or fall on the clutch cable (hydraulic)ripping it off ..
had no clutch, no exaust 300K"s from home ..thinkin what tha???

Ended up drivin it all the way back, having to stop every half hour for air .....the fumes were bad .

It wasnt hard without the clutch as said before theres a certain rev range where it slips in and out, use least amount of torque.... red lights, stop signs, retarded people are your worst enemy

but the car sounded friggin AWSOME !!!!

I hope it never happens again.