Clutch Adjustment troubles, advice needed.

[jtfreels]

Please help a fellow out, I’ve been trying to adjust the clutch in my 82SC for over a week now. Basic problem is I can’t get 25mm in clutch cable travel, no matter what I’ve done.
(I’ve ready almost all the posts here on adjustment and 101 is my constant companion.)

How I got here; the car was shifting great no clutch problems. Then one day push in on the pedal and it goes straight to the floor. The clutch pedal helper spring broke.
I replaced the spring.
Rebuilt the pedal cluster, bronze bushings and new roll pin. New clevis and trunion.

I follow the procedure to adjust, by the book.
I’ve got about 8 threads through the clevis at the pedal end.
Set the adjustment screw to 1.2mm
Cable is secure in the fire wall.
The clutch pedal is pulled all the way up with a bungee cord.
Attach the cable to the large arm, got the cable “preloaded” about 1 inch at the attachment point.
As I tighten the adjustment nut to get the 1mm clearance at the small arm it takes almost ALL of the threads to get the 1mm (most of the threads are to the front of the car), the lock nut has barely any threads to tighten.

In the car, I’ve got the clutch “bumper” at its widest position on the floor board (greatest amount of pedal travel available).
Pushing the pedal all the way down to the bumper I get about 15mm of travel at the lever.

How do I get more travel?
Do I thread more of the cable end through the clevis “shorten” the cable in an attempt not to run out of threads at the adjustment end?

Due to one problem or another (health (mental) and waiting for parts) I’ve not been able to drive the car for a month and I’ve only owned it 2 months.

Hoping for help!

Jay

[Gunter]

Jay:
It sounds like the clutch disk is coming to the end of its life. (Lining thickness has an effect on lever position)
Also, is this a new clutch cable?
You could try this: Take the small lever off and re-install in a different spline position to get more adjustment out of the screw.
Can you post a picture from underneath showing the levers, C-spring, and end-nuts of the cable?

[jtfreels]

Thanks, not the answer I was looking for, but I had considered it.
Not a new cable, but it appears to be in good condition.
I've had the small lever off and is now positioned so that the screw is not running out of room. In fact my lever appears to be in the same position I see in photos posted here.
I'll get it all back together and try and get a photo.

But here is something I'm having a hard time understanding.

If the clutch is thin, would I not still get the 25mm of movement in the cable? The small arm would rotate the same amount but be less effective than with a new clutch.
What I'm getting is a large rotation of the pedal, with little movement in the cable itself. And a corresponding small rotation of the arm.
Maybe my thinking is wrong?

Jay

[Jim727]

Worn out cable stretching?

[Gunter]

Jay:
Correct. The small lever position (And the adjustment screw) is affected by the thickness of the lining of the disc but, that should not affect the actual travel of the cable.
You repositioned the small lever on the spline. Any change in the travel?
It worked before, so, the problem has to do with some of the work you did.
You are sure that the cable sits correctly in the tube going into the tunnel?

[jtfreels]

Did not get a chance to work on it last night.
During working on this I've had various amounts of travel. But the max has been 20mm, my test has been trying to get into reverse with no luck.

It is the "it worked before" that has me stumped, I'm sure it is something I'm doing wrong! Just seems awfully complex relationship for such little adjustments.

[T77911S]

u said "got the cable “preloaded” about 1 inch at the attachment point"
where are u measuring the 1 inch?
i just did mine, set the big arm 1mm off its resting point (the small tab on tranny) and small arm so it just barely makes contact with big arm, didnt measure travel but it shifts fine. (77s)

[jtfreels]

1 inch of threads on the adjustment point at the transmission.
I'm setting the 1.2mm and then adjusting to the 1mm on the small arm.

I think (hope) I'm close to a solution.
When I rebuilt the pedal cluster, the hole where the bushing for the clutch arm goes was worn where the plastic bushing had broken. I thought the old bushing would fix this. It did not, its actually worse and the bushing damaged. This just from testing the clutch movement. I've ordered a new part and bushing from our hosts. I pray this will fix the problem.
I'm going to paint my wheels now, surely nothing can go wrong with that.
Once I get the parts and get it all back together I'll post my results.

Thanks

Jay