Protecting your clutch
Protecting your clutch
Author
Discussion

marcus1970

Original Poster:

1,217 posts

265 months

Friday 8th May 2009
quotequote all
Hello all,

What's the best way to prolong the longevity of our clutches.

I've just had another new one fitted and wanted to make sure this one lasts a bit longer.

All ideas welcome.

Cheers

MB

brogenville

941 posts

231 months

Friday 8th May 2009
quotequote all
1) Adjust the rod that goes into the master cyclinder so that it disengages the clutch without over-extending the diaphragm spring;

2) Don't sit at junctions in gear- the twin plate clutch arrangement rarley gives proper clearance on the second friction plate, so even with the pedal right down, you'll always be wearing the friction material down ever so slightly.

knight

5,235 posts

309 months

Friday 8th May 2009
quotequote all
Avoid those standing starts, that can be so much fun!! wink

plumAJP

1,149 posts

219 months

Friday 8th May 2009
quotequote all
brogenville can you explain point 1

brogenville

941 posts

231 months

Friday 8th May 2009
quotequote all
When you press the clutch pedal, this lever acts on rod that forces in the clutch master cyclinder. This rod is threaded however so tht you can adjust the amount of clutch throw that you can provide with the pedal flat to the floor. Have a look at the clutch pedal and you'll see what I mean. You abviously want to be applying enough cyclinder travel to release the clutch, but not more than is necesarry, as this over extension of the diaphragm spring is likely to be a strongly contributing factor in the "broken fingers" clutch failure that you often hear about.

Byker28i

92,029 posts

247 months

Friday 8th May 2009
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or have short legs biggrin

esso

1,849 posts

247 months

Friday 8th May 2009
quotequote all
..............like me! Does everyone else have to pull the seat right forward to reach the pedals then have to drive wishing their arms were shorter!laugh

Edited by esso on Friday 8th May 19:21

greenm

473 posts

230 months

Friday 8th May 2009
quotequote all
No you are just like me short legs and long arms?? It is a pain but you dont fall over as much as those tall ones?? Lol

350Matt

3,908 posts

309 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
Another thing to do is fit a positive pedal stop, I glued in a bit of carbon sheet behind the carpet so the pedal has a something solid to hit. As well as the cylinder rod adjustment you can also adjust the pedal itself as the threaded rod coming out the back of it provides the stop.

You then set the pedal so that the clutch juuust clears with the pedal planted firmly into its stop.

Its all too easy to have it set-up so you're over extending the clutch fingers at every stroke.

JensenA

5,671 posts

260 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
esso said:
..............like me! Does everyone else have to pull the seat right forward to reach the pedals then have to drive wishing their arms were shorter!laugh

Edited by esso on Friday 8th May 19:21
Yeah biggrin Until I learnt to push the backrest further down than I would have thought I'd like. (If that makes sense) And I found it a lot better, try it.

Byker28i

92,029 posts

247 months

Sunday 10th May 2009
quotequote all
Don't forget the steering wheel adjusts as well.

esso

1,849 posts

247 months

Sunday 10th May 2009
quotequote all
Byker28i said:
Don't forget the steering wheel adjusts as well.
I didn`t know that!....Howdya do that then?

Ballsy

317 posts

247 months

Sunday 10th May 2009
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I bought pedal extensions lol

JensenA

5,671 posts

260 months

Sunday 10th May 2009
quotequote all
esso said:
Byker28i said:
Don't forget the steering wheel adjusts as well.
I didn`t know that!....Howdya do that then?
Reach down the steering column and you'll find a little lever thingy, pull it down and you can move the wheel in and out, and up and down.

southendpier

6,208 posts

259 months

Monday 11th May 2009
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JensenA said:
esso said:
Byker28i said:
Don't forget the steering wheel adjusts as well.
I didn`t know that!....Howdya do that then?
Reach down the steering column and you'll find a little lever thingy, pull it down and you can move the wheel in and out, and up and down.
This comes up a lot. As JensenA says the lever is on the column, on the right hand side.

dean_ratpac

1,582 posts

308 months

Monday 11th May 2009
quotequote all
marcus1970 said:
Hello all,

What's the best way to prolong the longevity of our clutches.

I've just had another new one fitted and wanted to make sure this one lasts a bit longer.

All ideas welcome.

Cheers

MB
i take out of gear when sitting still, never hold clutch in a lights. amazing how trained you get - i let someone else do it, and they started to put the clutch in round corners (town driving) - let alone at the lights hovering it!