Remove Clutch Lever (the lever with Helper Spring)

[mapleslab]

My '86 Carrera has a broken Helper Spring (among other things) and I am in the midst of tearing it apart. The problem I am having is removing the actual lever that the helper spring attaches to. The smaller lever came off the shaft relatively easily. It is my understanding that the larger lever should slide off with minimal persuasion. Mine feels practically welded to the shaft. I hate to put a torch to the thing as I have a general disdain for using open flame near cars...but will if I must. Is there a trick to this...I have been looking into a small "puller". Any suggestions would be great.

[Jdub]

I cannot imagine you have it, but any chance there is a small pin horizontal in the body of the lever the spring attaches to? Clean it and put some light on it - you are looking for a small dowel pin that drives through the lever to hold it in place.

this design ended in '78 so not sure this is your problem...

[Flat6pac]

One of the problems that lead to a heavy clutch is the large arm that idles on the verticle shaft becomes attached and dry inside and no longer idles. I use the air chisel with the point on the bottom center of the verticle shaft as I pull down on the arm. Reinstall after cleaning and antiseize.
Bruce

[mapleslab]

Thanks for your responses guys:

Jdub - no dowel pin...I read somewhere that early models had this and cleaned it good without seeing a pin.

Flat6pac - That is the exact problem I am having...very heavy clutch pedal. I thought perhaps the helper spring (which is broken) was to blame...perhaps I will fix the issue once I get this lever properly lubed and idling despite myself. Are you suggesting that the motion of the air chisel vibrates the arm loose? Wouldn't that hurt the internals that the shaft is connect to in the clutch housing?

[jrumiano]

I had the exact same problem with my 85. I ended up having to unbolt the crossover pipe and move it out of the way so I could get a puller in there to pull the stuck arm off the shaft.

Good luck.

[mapleslab]

Thought I'd post what worked for me in the end.

The post has a little play in it (up and down). I was able to wedge a metal punch between the clutch housing and the top of the throw out lever (where you would put a screw driver to pull down if the throw out lever wasn't stuck!). Then took a 3 pound hammer and hit the pin up. It slowly worked its way out. I had to continually adjust the punch so that the gap was always taken up. The key was to make sure I wasn't hurting the internals! Only time will tell...

[brg2290]

Originally Posted by Jdub

I cannot imagine you have it, but any chance there is a small pin horizontal in the body of the lever the spring attaches to? Clean it and put some light on it - you are looking for a small dowel pin that drives through the lever to hold it in place.

this design ended in '78 so not sure this is your problem...

In attempting to remove my clutch lever, I've just come up against this issue. Is this pin tapered, or cylindrical? Can it be driven out from either side, or one side only?

Gary S.

[pete3799]

Drive the pin from the front of the car towards the rear.
There is no room to hit the pin the other way.