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Gary Martin JH 15371
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Joined: 03-12-2005
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 98
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I just installed my engine and 4 speed trans yesterday. After I hooked up the clutch cable, I went to try it out and was a little surprised at how much effort it takes to depress the clutch. I have never driven a JH yet, so no experience with how things should feel. All parts are new(Cable, clutch cover, disk, release bearing). The pedel moves freely, and the return spring by the fork arm seems stock. The cable is routed properly.

Is the clutch always a bit tough to depress on the JH ? I have driven many stick shift cars and have not run across one this stiff in a long time. Thanks, Gary

Scott Robinson
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Joined: 03-22-2005
Location: Libertyville, Illinois USA
Posts: 30
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I have seen many references over the years to the looonnnggg pedal throw, but I don't recall any mention of the 4-speed clutch action being particularly stiff (difficult to depress the pedal).  If everything is moving freely you should only be pushing against the pressure plate springs. Maybe things just need to break in a bit. Unless you installed a particularly heavy duty pressure plate, I would investigate further. Suggest you disconnect the cable from the throw out bearing actuating arm and make sure the inner cable is moving without resistance when the pedal is depressed. One posssiblity is a broken strand in the cable inside the sheath.

Good luck and congrats on getting it back to mobile.

Scott

Mark Rosenbaum
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Joined: 03-12-2005
Location: Kingman, Arizona USA
Posts: 532
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I just went out and checked the clutch on my car, which has a 4-speed and the original clutch.  The pedal moves about 6 or 7 inches (which isn't really all that unusual), and takes roughly 20 to 30 pounds force to operate -- quite significant if pushing by hand but by no means what I would call excessive.  When driving the car, I find the clutch pedal quite light although the clutch itself seems a bit slow.

If your clutch needs more force than this, something isn't right -- I'd suspect a throwout lever not properly seated on its pivot, a throwout bearing sticking on the tranny input shaft, a pressure plate that is either incorrectly installed or defective in some way, a friction plate whose torsion spring has come loose and is jamming up the works, or a misalignment of some sort between engine, flywheel/clutch, and transmission.



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