[T3] Adjusting Clutch Pedal Play

J. Jonik j_jonik at yahoo.com
Thu Nov 30 16:32:51 PST 2017


Adjusting clutch pedal play at the wing nut end of the clutch cable is a bear of a job...hard to reach...hard to turn, etc., unless engine is out...or lowered a bit if still bolted to trans.

But...not so hard if using a just-invented (this afternoon) wing-nut turning tool/wrench.  No interest in patenting it because A) Very Few People in the world would need it, and B) it's too easy to make at home.

It's 20 or so inch length of metal pipe, about half or 3/4 inch diameter.  Grind or hacksaw two notches in one end across from each other...each notch about half inch deep, but just, and only just, wide enough to slip over the "ears" of the wing nut...maybe about 1/4 in. wide.    It should slip snugly over the wing nut so as not to bend off one of the wings.   For turning the pipe tool, a vice grip, clamped about  5 in. from the other end, will do.

Best used if long-corroded wing nut has been sprayed over some days with Liquid Wrench or whatever loosening spray.

Jack up at least left rear of car, block front wheels or do the jack stands for safety. Crawl under and reach up to clamp a regular vice grip onto the front end of the threaded cable bolt...not on the threads, of course.   That will block that bolt from turning when pressure is put on the wing-nut wrench.

Then, bingo...push engine area wire clusters out of the way, slip the pipe tool back behind the metal and onto the wing nut...wings being in the pipe notches. (The threaded exposed rod end of the cable will be inside the pipe tool.)  Then turn clockwise to tighten...to get the pedal play to about an inch or whatever it's supposed to be.  Check pedal every turn or so.  Doesn't take many turns.
  If it REALLY doesn't want to turn...maybe some more days of Liquid Wrench.

The wing-nut will want to resist once (twice?) every revolution when it re-seats itself into its thankfully roundish/squarish hole in the lever...but if the area is greased a little, or wet with Liquid Wrench, use some extra muscle at those points (watch yr knuckles when it gives to turn easily)...or push that lever forward a touch with a long screwdriver while turning.   The idea of making the tool with notches that Just Fit over where the  wings grow out of the bolt is to prevent bending, or breaking off, a wing.

Making this simple turning tool is a LOT easier if you have a spare wing-nut to use to adjust a good fit at end of the pipe when using grinder, hacksaws, files or whatnot.   Doesn't have to be perfect....just so it's not too loose.

Questions about why a clutch pedal would go out of proper play range are for someone else.  Stretched cable?  Other?


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