Clutch question

Post by **Nellie** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:54 am

I've a 1958 Morris Minor 1000 and I've snapped the metal rod under the car that joins the clutch pedal to the actual clutch twice in as many years - is this a common problem? My boyfriend's fixed it and is making me a spare rod to carry around, but is there any way to alleviate this problem? It's a little disconcerting when the pedal goes flat to the floor in heavy traffic....!

I've heard that the rod can actually be replaced with a cable - has anyone tried that and is it more effective?

Thanks, and have a great day!

Nell

Post by **bmcecosse** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 6:46 pm

Never heard of such a thing - have the clutch adjusted so you are not making it over-travel. Not heard of a cable conversion - there are hydraulic conversions - but expensive and unnecessary for standard car.

Post by **bigginger** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 6:57 pm

The rod snapping is common. Not heard of the cable conversion though - hope there is a kit for it, I want one

Post by **kennatt** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:08 pm

The rod snapping is common begginer where does it snap had mine for 15 years need to examine the rod if it is common,dont want a beakdown cheers ken

Post by **bigginger** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:25 pm

Where it passes through the clutch arm at the gearbox with mine. Happened twice now, and when I asked about it on here was told it happened pretty often. They can also wear badly at the pivot at the other end, which may be worth checking. Never had it happen with a new part, btw, but ask again in another 40 years

Post by **Welung666** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:56 pm

The pivots are more lilkely to give out than the rod but I can see the the last couple of threads being the weakest point, it was on the threaded tubing I used to work with.

Post by **bigginger** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:59 pm

The rod where it passes through the pivot - I might take a pic, since I have one that has worn off a car at the mo. It's pretty deep

Oh, and it wasn't the last couple of threads either time, it was just behind the acorn nut.

Post by **Welung666** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:02 pm

Must be a fairly deep pitch on the thread then to weaken it so much, mind you thinking about it there is a lot of forces involved so understandable that any weak spot is liable to failure.

Post by **bigginger** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:04 pm

dunno, mate - IANA engineer

'Swot happened though...

Post by **rayofleamington** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:48 pm

They tend to last very well if they are greased regularly...

This is one of the many areas to put 'spare grease' (i.e. the older grease that comes out when you squirt new grease into the balljoints/trunnions/etc... )

I tend also to wipe the spare grease over any nearby bolts/nuts and over brake pipe connectors (but not over brake pipe flexi hoses)

Post by **millerman** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:53 pm

I've had a rod break. Great faith is obviously placed in grease

Post by **bigginger** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 11:17 pm

I'm guessing it's on cars (like LCVs

) which have not had as much careful maintenance as their more cosseted brethren. I can see why greasing the acorn nut/pivot would help reduce the strain on this, the weakest link in many links, as it moves in a slight arc under great pressure...

Post by **Roni** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 11:37 pm

On my first minor I had problems with the linkage often enough to work out how to get home with no clutch. I can remember the feeling of going to press the clutch pedal only to find it is already down. Eventually I tracked the multiple failures to soggy engine mount rubbers and no engine steady bar. (It wasn't a great car!) This put a lot of strain on the linkage when the engine rocked and shook.

Post by **bigginger** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 11:45 pm

Fun though, aren't they, the clutchless changes

Post by **Kevin** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 11:52 pm

Fun though, aren't they, the clutchless changes

Ok Andrew what are the optimum revs then as this might be a useful tip

Post by **bigginger** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 11:55 pm

Not a clue - no rev counter or anything like that. Whatever revs mean the least noise - I think that revving in the neutral between gears, double declutch style, helped too, but it was a few years ago, and only for about 5 miles

Post by **Roni** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 6:40 am

Just be gentle on the gear lever when changing and dont force it. It is more of a "by ear" thing than a rev counter job.I used to get into 3rd and quietly drive home in that avoiding all traffic lights where possible. It is one of those times where the low speed torque of the motor is really useful. Another thing to remember is to slip the lever into neutral when you finally stop or be prepared for some good bunny hops when you push down on the useless clutch pedal out of habit.

Post by **Stig** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:08 am

Well I've had the relay shaft break around the weld a while ago and, more recently, the pedal itself come loose on the shaft after that weld broke but I've not had any problem with the actuating rod.

Nellie, have you got any play in the clutch pedal? It's supposed to be adjusted so there's about 3/4" before you feel much resistance. As bmc says, if it's too tight you'll be putting a lot of strain on the linkage.

Post by **Willie** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:37 am

Nellie, if the second clutch rod which snapped was the one made by your boyfriend then it was probably not hardened enough steel. That rod is extremely tough because it has been tempered. If he just made up a mild steel rod then it would wear sooner than the proper item. My rod had worn almost halfway through the hook end when I rebuilt the car so,
since your car is a 1958 model, yours was entitled to be somewhat worn.

Post by **MarkyB** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 6:24 pm

I had this happen on my LCV. I used a couple of plastic cable ties as a temporary repair.
They worked really well and made the clutch action much lighter.
I was tempted to leave them in place but replaced them with a new rod as I thought they would wear through eventually.
Defiantly worth keeping a few in the glove box for various roadside repairs.