Clutch linkage problems - HELP!

OK, thanks everyone.

I've ordered the OEM MC/Slave setup, the slave is the original one (no telling how many strokes it's had in 350,000 miles), and I may have striped the threads on the bleeder. Plus the connector on the MC end was slightly corroded like moisture had gotten in there.

So the hydraulic system will all be new and good.

If it works great, if it doesn't I'll get it hauled in, in either case I'll let you folks know what happens.

Now I'm thinking of another project, converting a Studebaker Champ pickup to a hydraulic clutch, after all I've got some parts to Jeep parts to play with and it doesn't look like it would be that complicated.

Jeff DeWitt

Jeff DeWitt wrote:

Glutton for punishment eh?

When Hydraulic systems fail on a trail, you are stuck, when mechanical systems fail, you fix them....

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build Photos:

When hydraulic systems fail on a trail, you get a tow, urinate in the master cylinder or shift without clutching. Does your Jeep have mechanical brakes?

Cheers,

Earle

As a matter of fact. 'Yes' it does and I needed them last summer too!

I blew a front brake line in a panic stop when some fool pulled a U-turn in front of me on a 40 mph road. My 'mechanical' emergency brake saved the day or at least the early demise of some old fart I was about to push sideways into the next life when my Warn HS9000i came through his door.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build Photos:

If that's a a US spec '86 that you blew the brake line on and you had no brakes at all after then you should check your system thoroughly. It should have a split system that works one front and both rears even with a failed brake line. If you lost them all then you may another problem besides the blown brake line.

Of course if it's not US spec or if you've intentionally removed the split system then never mind.

The 86 CJ7 master is only a dual system, either both fronts or both rears, no splits. My old Volvos and Rovers had splits like you mention but needed dual calipers on front to do it.

It worked the rear brakes on the next pedal pump, then the center seal in the 8 year old rebuilt MC went out and the pedal hit the floor on subsequent pumps.

Didn't have time for more than one extra pump anyway, the second foot hit the e-brake for the third pump....

Mike

Apparently

The mechanical clutch linkage on a Studebaker Champ pickup is a little weird, plus my truck was badly converted to (Stude) V8 by a previous owner, and the clutch is very heavy (it IS a real truck).

I'm going to take a hard look at it and see if the project makes sense, but part of it making sense means no modifications that can't be undone.

There seems to be something about Studes and Jeeps that goes together anyway. I know a guy who has a Cherokee anti sway bar mounted on his Champ pickup, and a while back someone had a VERY cool little old Willys

4wd pickup that had been converted to Stude V8 power many years ago. That was one of the coolest little trucks I've ever seen, and the best of both worlds.

Jeff DeWitt

That is a design issue and a compatibility issue. The new 'so called' OEM clutch pressure plates are no such thing! The all are based on hydraulics and need 'way' too much pressure to be comfortable with a mechanical linkage unless you weigh in at 300 lb or so.

These suckers have a multitude of little 'fingers' the throwout bearing has to push on to release it. The 'real' OEM ones only had three large fingers.

This makes the difference between the weight of the foot almost being enough to release it with a 'real' OEM plate, to needing about 80 to 90 lbs of weight on the damn pedal to hold the sucker down. My wife even had to pull up on the steering wheel to hold the clutch down. Thankfully my new Plate blew up so I went back to the stock Borg Warner three fingered plate. Wow what a difference!

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build Photos:

Jeff, you might want to do a little research in the International parts list. The older ones that I'm familiar with used a hydraulic setup that was a lot easier to adapt as it was more like bracket mounted pieces that would connect to the existing fork from an external mount bracket which is pretty easy to fab. The Jeep parts have a lot of dependencies on the mount locations on the bell housing itself and don't appear to be very easy to re-locate for use with existing linkages.

Basically, IH used what looks more like generic parts to power the existing linkage. A good start would be the old Scout setups.