Has anyone lengthened the push rod between the clutch pedal and the master cylinder? I'm thinking about it because my truck shifts like hell now that I put this new SB clutch in. I think my stock hydraulics are weak and just don't quit have enough travel to fully disengage the clutch. I have to stomp the pedal completely to the floor to get it in 1st, 2nd, or Rev. I guess since surfacing the flywheel and taking off every so little material moves that whole assembly farther forward from the slave cylinder and since the clutch is a little higher pressure than stock, my stock hydraulics just almost can't work right. (wow, that was a long sentence!) I was thinking about cutting the push rod and welding a turn-buckle style nut and junk in there. That would allow me to adjust the throw to be little longer, right? I hope so, but then again, I'm an electrical engineer, not a mechanical one.

Any ideas...other than the upgrade kit from South Bend for $250! I won't be doing that! I'm sure it may also smooth up a little as the clutch wears in. I have put about 200 miles on it in and out of town and it seems to be getting better by the day. The OFE does engage real smooth. I have no hopping what so ever, I just need it to disengage more.

 

That will only work if the linkage has slack and is worn. If the rod is extended to long the pedal wont release and the throwout bearing will be riding excessivly. How did the transmission go back in? I use dowels and keep it even so i wont hurt the disc. If you hung the tranny on it on the install you might have bent the dics center hub. I have a new SB in my 3500 and its perfect.

 

I rented a tranny jack and lined it up and it slide right in with no problems. Now, this was my frist time to do such a thing, but I took my time and new to not use the bolts to put it together. Once it lined up with the pilot bearing, it just went thump and slide right up to the motor.

I don't know exactly how this factory hydraulic clutch works, so I don't have a good feel for how to make it work better. I think the shaft on the slave should be the one that needs to be longer, not the one up top. And when I say longer, I mean only by a little, little bit. I don't want it holding pressure off my plate, but it needs to disengage farther.

 

$250 hydraulics?? From SBC?? I don't think it was that high when I bought mine.

As for your linkage idea...Peter told me to do the same thing. Haven't done it yet, but probably will when I pull the tranny again. I also lengthened my slave rod a little bit, too!

Chris

 

Ya, I talked to Peter this morning and he gave me the idea. I don't know if I believe that it will work, but it is worth a try. I just asked him how much the upgrade kit was, he told me $250 on the phone. I 'bout shot a cheeto out my nose. I thought that was a little high. But then again, I just paid $600 for a clutch! I have never bought one before, but surely that isn't the cheapest around!

 

Does that $250 kit include the adjustable master rod??

What this adjustment does, is take all the slack out of the pedal...basically, a little preload on the pedal. Everyone I've talked to said it works like a charm!

Chris

 

Ah ha. I see. Well, I can tell you it shifts better if you take the floor mat out from under the clutch pedal. The problem here is, my 2002 doesn't have the adjustable pedals like the '06's do and my seat has to be under the steering wheel to get the dang clutch to the floor! If I was 6'0", I probably wouldn't have any problems. I wonder if taking the pedal out and cutting/welding the pivot point on the pedal itself would be easier than taking the clutch hydraulic assembly and all that crap out. Any thoughts?

And why doens't this thread show up when I click "New Posts" at the top?

 

Even though the clutch hydralics are supposed to be self adjusting, lengthening the rod helps quite a bit in getting the engagement point up off the floor, making gear shifting much easier.

An adjustable rod can be made by cutting the existing rod in two, threading each half with a 1/4 inch die, then connecting the two halves back together with an all-thread joining nut, avialable at any home building supply, along with a jam nut to keep the desired adjustment from changing. This makes the rod length adjustable. Care has to be given to where, exactly, the cut is made so that the nut(s) doesn't interfere with the sliding electrical switch.

The rod can be removed from the master cylinder by carefully removing the snap ring which holds the piston in the master cylinder. Do not allow the whole piston to come out, which would require the whole hydralics to be bled, which is a royal pain to do.

 

I trimmed my floormat

I would still make the pedal adjustable...cutting it off, and re welding it would be harder, to me...but I don't fit under there very well

Chris

 

Do I have to take the master off the firewall to get to the clip to remove the rod like you say, or can I just crawl up under the dash and do it from there. That sure would be easy. Have you done this before and was it on an '02? I looked at the pdf repair manual and it doesn't show the level of detail I was wanting to see, I was looking for that snap ring you were talking about. And how do you hold the push rod piece closest to the master cylinder once you cut the other end off while threading? I figure a pipe wrench will chew it up. I don't know if that will affect it or not!?!?!

 

The hydralics will have to come out as a whole assembly (master, slave, hose, and reservoir), unless you can find, or fabricate, some kind of tool to remove the push rod from the master cylinder. Removing the hydralics isn't too difficult. I can do it in a little over 10 minutes in, and 10 minutes out. The hardest part is removing the clip which holds the rod to the clutch pedal, and once you get it figured out, it's real easy too.

 

O. I'm sorry. I misunderstood you. I thought you meant the push rod could be removed from the master cylinder with a clip. I realize now you meant the push rod can be removed from the pedal with a clip. I see that in the maual. Thanks. I'll see what I can do. I still seams to me the adjustment should be made at the slave cylinder rod length....I'm so stubborn!!

 

I agree on the slave extension. On your first post you said between the pedal and master and thats why i said you need to be carefull as to making the rod to long.

 

Ya. Funny thing is, we are talking about a very minute adjustment. Heck, I'll bet .010" would be plenty. If not, I'm sure .020" would be enough. All this work to make my rod .020" longer..... No joke in this one!

 

You guys just confussed me??..... Sorry.

Lengthening the rod to the slave doesn't help. I speak from experience.