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07-17-2018, 08:26 AM | #1 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 25
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Surprise...no clutch.
When driving home from visiting friends last night, pushed the clutch to shift from second to third. Clutch went straight to the floor. Obviously something happened to the clutch pedal linkage. Thankfully we were only a mile from home, so kept it in second gear and just drove more slowly.
When I crawled under the A to take a look. This is what if found - the somewhat substantially piece of cast iron making up the clutch release shaft arm had cracked right down the middle! Thankfully, I have another one on the shelf with some other transmission parts, so an easy fix. Just a bit of a surprise. Last edited by saintjoelarry; 07-17-2018 at 08:33 AM. Reason: Add attachment |
07-17-2018, 08:43 AM | #2 |
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Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Zanesville Ohio USA
Posts: 268
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Re: Surprise...no clutch.
That'll do it for sure! Luckily you were close to home and no damage done....
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07-17-2018, 08:53 AM | #3 |
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Northwest CT
Posts: 1,092
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Re: Surprise...no clutch.
Those cast clutch arms do crack. My grandfather started losing the clutch one day and put the car up on ramps to adjust the linkage. While testing the clutch the arm broke just where yours did with the car in 1st it jumped off the ramps and they punched holes through the fenders... nobody was happy that day.
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07-17-2018, 09:02 AM | #4 | |
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Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Red Deer, Alberta
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Re: Surprise...no clutch.
Quote:
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07-17-2018, 09:12 AM | #5 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 25
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Re: Surprise...no clutch.
Nope, I'm not sure at all that it is cast iron. Perhaps cast steel. Perhaps forged. Nonetheless, it is fairly substantial, yet bridle enough to crack. But, after 87 years of use, I guess I can't complain. Who among us wouldn't be a bit more bridle after 87 years?
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07-17-2018, 09:35 AM | #6 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Tacoma, WA
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Re: Surprise...no clutch.
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07-17-2018, 09:53 AM | #7 |
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Davenport, Iowa
Posts: 2,110
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Re: Surprise...no clutch.
After 90 years and tens of thousands of clutch pedal uses - or even hundreds of thousands - we are seeing this problem occurring more these days than ever before. That clutch arm has held up pretty well since 1928, but the metal fatigue issue is finally striking our cars. Think how much pressure is exerted on that arm every time the clutch pedal is pushed in! Eventually something is going to give and it's usually this clutch release arm. Not your fault. It's time had come. Either replace it with an original style (which should last another 90 years) or go with the heavy-duty wider arm, which looks kind of odd, but is stronger. No matter which one you pick, it's unlikely this problem will occur again in your lifetime.
Marshall |
07-17-2018, 11:07 AM | #8 |
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 13
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Re: Surprise...no clutch.
Kinda off topic, I know, but I've always had a concern about the same happening at the brake rod - pedal connection. That is not a lot of metal surrounding that eyelet, which is all that stops the car. Anyone had that rod assembly let go?
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07-17-2018, 11:30 AM | #9 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 25
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Re: Surprise...no clutch.
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07-17-2018, 01:39 PM | #10 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Southern Maine
Posts: 1,498
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Re: Surprise...no clutch.
I would say the clutch arm gets more of a workout than the brake.
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07-17-2018, 05:02 PM | #11 |
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 7,496
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Re: Surprise...no clutch.
When I’ve fitted a clutch release arm, I use a fabricated one beacause it is not possible to buy a new one that will do the job. I have to cut and weld even the fabricated one to make it work. Never had a failure though. If I were the OP, I’d toss the cast arm and use a fabricated steel one.
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07-17-2018, 06:09 PM | #12 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Santee Calif.
Posts: 508
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Re: Surprise...no clutch.
Not the arm, BUT had the pin fall out one time. That was a exciting few seconds Used the E brake to get her stopped. Walked back up the road and found the pin, and a short piece of fence wire. Five min. later we were back on our way
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07-18-2018, 01:38 PM | #13 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Maryville, TN
Posts: 491
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Re: Surprise...no clutch.
About 20 years ago I was in a parade in Illinois and the same thing happened to my clutch arm. It was a cast part, probably from India, as the replacement part looked the same and had a "Made in India" tag. I used it for a while until I replaced it with a fabricated steel one. I believe that they were sold by a long defunct but well known supplier at the time.
Vic |
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