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Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT??

Posted By: RSI700VIPER

Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 08/31/09 01:13 AM

OK, So I bought this Coronet RT awhile back and didn't have much time to play with it until recently. The clutch worked fine but the pedal would not return all the way back up unless you used the top of your foot. I then adjusted to factory spec so that resistance is felt after the pedal travels 1 inch, and now the pedal returns nicely BUT HERE IS THE PROBLEM... Now when I push the clutch down it bottoms out before hitting the floor. Like the clutch is fully engaged and can't travel anymore on the input shaft. Car appears to be all original. Could I have the wrong ratio z-bar or clutch fork??
Posted By: stumpy

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 08/31/09 01:28 AM

That sounds like it's working right to me. It isn't supposed to hit the floor.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 08/31/09 02:29 AM

Quote:

That sounds like it's working right to me. It isn't supposed to hit the floor.




Since when?
Posted By: RSI700VIPER

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 08/31/09 11:05 AM

Posted By: WINGCARS_6970

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 08/31/09 11:09 AM

I think I remember .But wasnt there 2 different length adjusting bolts.From the Z bar to clutch fork
Posted By: RSI700VIPER

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 08/31/09 01:15 PM

I don 't think the length of the adjusting bar would have any affect as the distance it would travel would be the same, longer or shorter. However, if the fork were longer or shorter, or if the z-bar "leg" where the rods connect too are longer or shorter, this would affect the pedal travel vs. clutch travel ratio. My pedal travel vs throwout bearing travel seems way off.
Posted By: John_Kunkel

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 08/31/09 08:01 PM


I'd guess that a mismatch of parts is the problem.

If the pedal hits a hard stop before it reaches the floor there is probably an overcenter condition somewhere. If the pedal was over-traveling, the pressure plate fingers would hit the clutch disc.

Have somebody sit in the car and operate the pedal through its entire range, you should be able to see what's stopping the pedal.
Posted By: RTSE4ME

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 08/31/09 10:31 PM

Maybe the finger height needs to be adjusted correctly?
What type of PP do you have?
Posted By: stumpy

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 08/31/09 10:55 PM

If the pedal was meant to hit the floor then there wouldn't be a standard shift car with any carpet left under the clutch pedal. It's supposed to stop before it reaches the floor but not by much. All the pedal needs to move is enough to release the clutch fully anyway.
Posted By: RSI700VIPER

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 08/31/09 11:36 PM

What's a PP? It just doesn't feel right. I have a 72 charger rallye w/ 440 and the pedal retuns all the way, and goes to the floor. I don't have to push it all the way to the floor to engage the clutch, but I am able too just the same. My RT pedal stops traveling about 3/4s of the way down if I adjust it so it returns all the way back. Or I can adjust it so it hits the floor, or almost hits the floor, but won't return back to the top without help from my foot. Must be mismatch parts or something with the clutch fingers or throw-out bearing. Is the fork shaft and z-bar unique to 440s? Car has matching 4-speed. Maybe it has the wrong bell housing with the pivot point for the fork shaft closer to the T_O bearing
Posted By: 1fastrunner

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 08/31/09 11:42 PM

I had all kinds of issues, all of which were corrected by Jamie Passon.
Here's what he replaced:
wrong clutch
wrong flywheel
wrong fork pivot
misaligned bell
worn z bar ends
wrong input shaft
He also reconditioned the shift rods, one was bent too bad and also had to be replaced.
The only problem I'm having now is the shaking of the front when I start in first. Something has got to be loose, but I still can't figure it out.
Jim
Posted By: RSI700VIPER

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 09/01/09 12:29 AM

jim,
The shaking when you let the clutch out is either the flywheel needs resurfacing (trued-up) or the crank is bent. I've also seen where someone cut the nib off on the end of the input shaft because the crank was not cut for a pilot bushing which cased vibration. Hard to believe all those items where wrong on your car. Are you sure the guy wasn't fishing?
Posted By: 1fastrunner

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 09/01/09 01:10 PM

The Hayes clutch I had never worked right from the get go, they even sent me a free replacement, same problems. I had the wrong flywheel, the disc was hitting the bolts. The fork pivot was a small block as well as a small block bell. We reused the bell, but the bolt holes were striped and had to be replaced. the z bar ends were out of round pretty bad which caused it to be sloppy. The front shaft was also from a small block.
My motor was recently rebuilt and I have a brand new resurfaced flywheel, so I don't think those are the problem.
I could write a book about all the strange things I have found wrong in this car.
Jim
Posted By: B G Racing

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 09/01/09 02:09 PM

The most common problem we find is the bushings in the z-bar are worn or missing.
Posted By: 1fastrunner

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 09/01/09 04:21 PM

Thanks Bob,
Mine are all brand new, unless they weren't installed properly.
Jim
Posted By: John_Kunkel

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 09/01/09 08:00 PM

Quote:

If the pedal was meant to hit the floor then there wouldn't be a standard shift car with any carpet left under the clutch pedal. It's supposed to stop before it reaches the floor but not by much. All the pedal needs to move is enough to release the clutch fully anyway.




If so, what stops the pedal?

And, yes, you will find marks in the carpet where the pedal arm touches it occasionally, savvy drivers don't push it down all the way.
Posted By: Dougsmopars

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 09/01/09 09:48 PM

Had the same problem with my road runner. Brand new clutch plate throw out bearing resurfaced wheel rebuilt z bar pedal would only come up half way. Also clutch wouldn't last. Could not find the reason or problem finally got pissed off and sold the car. The clutches were Hayes
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 09/01/09 10:19 PM

Quote:

Had the same problem with my road runner. Brand new clutch plate throw out bearing resurfaced wheel rebuilt z bar pedal would only come up half way. Also clutch wouldn't last. Could not find the reason or problem finally got pissed off and sold the car. The clutches were Hayes




!!! MAN !!! Some of you give up easy.

Look guys, this is simple. Clutches are simple mechanical devices. I know it's work I'VE BEEN THERE. I've probably had the 4 speeds in/ out of all my various Mopars I've owned some 30 times or more, I wasn't counting. So I know it's work. So get going. Get greasy. Get UNDER there.

First thing to do is inspect the linkage from one end to the other. Inspect the pedal bushings, the pedal, the rods, and espessially the "Z bar." Get a buddy to run the clutch in/out while you crawl under and look for things bending or moving that shouldn't, or not moving that should.

IF all else fails find a friendly friend/ shop/ etc with a press and "jig up" the flywheel, disk, and pressure plate and measure finger travel and disc clearance at release.

Put it back in the car and recheck. Bore a hole in the bell/ shield if you have to, to get a feeler ga. up in between the disc/ pp to check release. Take a GOOD look at things like the fork.

THIS IS SIMPLE MECHANICS and levers. There's nothing complicated about it.

DO NOT easily negate problems you think it "isnt" Is it the correct pp? Does it REALLY fit the flywheel? Right disc? in backwards? Bend/ bending fork/ linkage? Broken mount/ engine moving? Frame bracket loose/ cracked/ bending? Z bar cracked?

There CAN be stuff wrong with pressure plates, junk caught inside between the plate and cover, etc.

Is it the right Z bar? are the levers and rods the correct lenth so that the levers are near 90* to the rods in the "main" part of the swing?
Posted By: Dougsmopars

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 09/01/09 11:03 PM

This isn"t my first rodeo. Swapped many a clutch in the 35 years i've owned Mopars. I banged my head against the wall for allmost 3 years on the problem. Had many people look at it. Spoke to Hayes, replaced everything twice. Still only half a pedal. Enough was enough.
Posted By: RSI700VIPER

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 09/01/09 11:38 PM

sixpack- lots of good advise. I'll "get greasy" and see if something looks out of place. I suspect though it;'s a mismatch part. Does anyone have the part number for the clutch fork and z-bar as these are the lever multipliers?
Posted By: John_Kunkel

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 09/01/09 11:42 PM

The Brewer's website has pics of the various forks, torque shafts and their application.

http://www.brewersperformance.com/
Posted By: SomeCarGuy

Re: Wierd clutch problem with my 69 Coronet RT?? - 09/02/09 02:22 AM

I keep seeing Hays mentioned and more often than not, a negative experience.

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