Starting from scratch, hyd or mech clutch linkage ?

Posted By: AlexP

Starting from scratch, hyd or mech clutch linkage ? - 06/30/08 03:48 PM

I've got none of the parts to go from the clutch pedal to clutchfork for my fourspeed.

When starting off with an auto car, how hard is it to adapt the z-bar assembly over ? Does it simply go to the same part on the drivers frame rail that the column shifter went to ? Is it just a weld on and go kind of thing ?

I called brewers and they told me it would be about $300 to get what I needed. I can get a hydraulic clutch set up for the 833 for $369 off of eBay...

What should I do ? I really don't care about originality and have no real basis for judgement about preference.

Posted By: That AMC Guy

Re: Starting from scratch, hyd or mech clutch linkage ? - 06/30/08 06:29 PM

If you're not going for the stock look, go hydraulic. Easier on the leg and easier to install.

Only go mechanical if you're:
a) going for a stock appearing resto
b) like me, don't trust hydraulic gizmos.

Posted By: JohnRR

Re: Starting from scratch, hyd or mech clutch linkage ? - 06/30/08 07:21 PM

all you need to do is weld on the bracket for the Z bar , it goes on top of the framerail , not in the same place as the column shift linkage .

as said above only got to hyd linkage if you want yet another hyd gizmo to worry about ...,

Posted By: Chilort

Re: Starting from scratch, hyd or mech clutch linkage ? - 06/30/08 09:37 PM

The way I described the first hydraulic clutch vehicle I ever drove: "it feels like you are stepping in a bucket of mashed potatoes." I can't stand the feel (or, really, lack of feel). Go mechanical.

Posted By: Roadcuda

Re: Starting from scratch, hyd or mech clutch linkage ? - 06/30/08 10:13 PM

Quote:

The way I described the first hydraulic clutch vehicle I ever drove: "it feels like you are stepping in a bucket of mashed potatoes." I can't stand the feel (or, really, lack of feel). Go mechanical.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way about hyd clutchs. While I got used to the one on my Cruiser, I still can't get used to the one on my Dakota. It just crabs too much starting from a dead stop. And according to my books they can't be adjusted? I wish for the days of mechanical clutchs again!

Posted By: DaytonaTurbo

Re: Starting from scratch, hyd or mech clutch linkage ? - 06/30/08 11:48 PM

You can do a hydraulic yourself for much much cheaper than that ebay price if you play your cards right. Member goldduster318 pm'd me with part numbers for all the required stuff from summit. Works out to considerably cheaper than retrofitting in an oem mechanical setup and way cheaper than that ebay setup.

As for the feel, yeah hydraulic definitely does have a different feel to it. Took me a while to get used to it in my civic after I was so used to the cable operated clutches in the 80's mopar fwd's. It is nice being so light on the foot and all, makes driving the car through traffic a breeze. One thing I really did notice helps is if the clutch has a definite mechanical "stop" when you push the clutch pedal in all the way, helps make it feel not so mushy.