clutch pedal adjustment - too much vs. not enough free play

[timsch]

The clutch pedal adjustment at the linkage will give me a bit more that 1" of free play at one setting and a bit less that 3/4" at another half turn. I'd prefer to leave it with less free play, but don't want to cause any issues. I'd think that any significant free play would good, but what do I know....

 

[Ray,IN]

Since we don't know the make/model of the tractor involved, all I can say is, good luck.

 

[timsch]

'48 8N

 

[Ray,IN]

I"d go with 3/4". It still allows the throwout bearing free play without pressure that wears on excessively. Over 1" might place too much pressure on the pressure plate fingers with clutch fully-depressed.

 

[steveh1155]

I&T manual says 3/4". Just installed a new clutch on mine and that's what I set it to. I doubt if slightly over or under that would matter much, if it did, they would have engineered the adjustment to be much finer.. The clutch I replaced had about 1-1/2" pedal play for decades and it still wasn't in too bad a shape when I removed it!

 

[soaked]

Hi timsch,
Agree with steveh1155.
This 52 8n came to me with 7 threads showing ABOVE the clutch arm and is close to 3/4" fp. Works great. For fun, I unscrewed the eyebolt to 10 threads. It moved the engaging zone down about 1 inch. And worked just fine.
Screwed back in till 4 threads showing, and the zone started to engage about 5 5/8" up from the running board, then hit the pedal arm hit the bracket stopping its travel. This was not usable, as it takes about an inch for the engage zone.
Did the testing a few years back, white is how I prefer at 7 threads, but blue at 10 works just fine

 

[timsch]

Thanks everyone for the info. The specs I saw showed 3/4 - 1". I'll adjust mine back down to the slightly less than 3/4" and call it good.

The whole reason behind this is to make sure I have as much gap as feasible when blocking the clutch pedal when it sits. I had issues recently with the clutch sticking and not allowing me to put into gear when the engine was running. I sprayed a few cans of parts cleaner on the clutch/flywheel interface last night and it shifted great after that. Fingers crossed that it stays that way. I'm in no rush to split the tractor. Clutch seems fine otherwise.

 

[soaked]

Pushing the pedal down as far as it can go, without forcing, would give the biggest gap, --- means taking the floorboard off.

Put a steel ruler extending the top cover height above the pedal was about 5 1/2". (Same tractor as in post #6)
Pushed the pedal as far as it would go down. Went way farther than with fb. (11 3/4")
Tied the pedal off with wire to the brake link rod, (which bent back up 3/4" or so,) to snap the pic.( about 11")
Middle pic shows the 7 threads on the eyebolt give some clearance allowing the clutch arm to rotate, and not hit the pedal.

Could block with wood or...
Maybe using it more would fix it too

 

[timsch]

Using it to shread now rather than my Kubota has essentially brought it back into service, so it will be used more now, (at least half the year).

I don't need to go overboard with removing stuff. I'll just give the threaded adjuster another half-turn and hope for the best. At some point, I'll probably drill and tap a hole in the housing where it'd be convenient to spray as I saw recommended on another similar thread, so I could spray again without pulling the starter.

 

[soaked]

Think I've read spraying contributes to the disk swelling, and sticking.

Im not taking floorboards up on any of mine, was more to show an answer for the biggest gap.

Also not gonna cut and fab up a slot in the floorboard like this

Would work tho

 

[timsch]

Think I've read spraying contributes to the disk swelling, and sticking.

I don't recall reading anything about that. I'm not sure how something that evaporates as quickly as this stuff does would swell the disks. Hopefully someone can verify that if so. Regardless, If I didn't spray, I'd have to be splitting the tractor, so not much risk in doing so.

 

[soaked]

I have a brush hog 8n that sits for months before use. It sticks sometimes. Ive not sprayed, but start in gear with a jumper wire, then hold the clutch pedal down while driving, reving and then slowing down, till it pops free.
Splitting is just busy work if have the tools, jacks, blocking etc.

 

[used red MN]

I"d go with 3/4". It still allows the throwout bearing free play without pressure that wears on excessively. Over 1" might place too much pressure on the pressure plate fingers with clutch fully-depressed.

Your thinking is backwards, less free play moves the pressure plate fingers a greater distance. Think about it, free play motion is lost motion similar to a very worn pin and yoke. Or with more free play the movement of the clutch pedal and linkage is lost motion in terms of clutch plate finger movement. If you have zero free play the stroke of the clutch pedal is moving them the entire time, no lost motion means more finger travel.

 

[Ray,IN]

Your thinking is backwards, less free play moves the pressure plate fingers a greater distance. Think about it, free play motion is lost motion similar to a very worn pin and yoke. Or with more free play the movement of the clutch pedal and linkage is lost motion in terms of clutch plate finger movement. If you have zero free play the stroke of the clutch pedal is moving them the entire time, no lost motion means more finger travel.

Good catch! You're correct of course. No free play means the throughout bearing is constantly holding pressure and wears out quickly; like riding the clutch pedal.