Clutch pedal height asjustment

[bliebler]

On my 73 clutch pedal there is a threaded adjustment with a 19mm locknut. My clutch pedal height was much higher than my brake so I had to heat the locknut and turn the pedal in 4 turns to match the brake pedal. Now the threaded end of the pedal [ which is where the threaded end inserts into the cross shaft to the cluster] hits the floor. Is this because my clutch has worn or is the clutch pedal supposed to be higher than the brake? It appears that this locknut has not been messed with for 40yrs.

[edmayo]

Is this with the floorboard in and the pedal stop set correctly?

[bliebler]

The floorboard is in and the pedal stop is set. if I reduce the pedal free play to 3/4 rather than the 1 inch I can lower the pedal stop and this prevents the problem.

Maybe I was setting pedal free play a little too loose as if I put a little pressure either way I get a little more than the 3/4 I have now set.
I also suspect that my shift fork may have bent as I had a sudden clutch out of adjustment a few weeks ago.

Do any of your cars have this threaded brake pedal adjustment? it appears that mine was set high from the factory as I 've owned the car for 25 yrs and rebuilt the pedal cluster then and that locknut was rusted on then. I just sandblasted the pedals and repainted.

[edmayo]

The right free play is 3/4" measured by pulling pedal back (towards seat) then push forward until resistance is felt. The pedal stop is set to stop the pedal at the over center point. The shift fork has no bearing on the clutch adjustment.

[HughH]

While not trying to comment on anything Ed has said ( as he has probably forgotten more about this than I will ever know) when did you last change the clutch cable? Would the "sudden clutch out of adjustment" you experienced a few weeks ago be linked to a partial failure of the clutch cable. That happened to me a few years ago when some strands of the cable broke and the cable stretched as as result leaving me with hardly any clutch. A month or so after it was readjusted the balance of the cable broke.

[jameshtaylor]

"Sudden clutch out of adjustment" also happens when the small pin holding the pedal to the cluster shaft shears. I had three "sudden readjustments" within a week, adjusting the cable each time, before I figured out what was going on.

[VintageExcellen]

the clutch pedal is always a bit higher than the brake pedal. I f you are making an adjustment and things are banging into each other then your adjustment is not right.

[bliebler]

My clutch and cable replaced 4 yrs and 8,000 mi ago. My pedal cluster ok. What happened a few drives ago the car started shifting hard regardless of speed. When I came to a light it was hard going into 1st. When I got home I saw the free play was over 1 inch . I tightened the cable and drove around and it shifted great . 2 drives later on start up one morning it did not want to go in reverse. I tried 1st and same thing. I once again checked free play and it was again over an inch. I adjusted again and it was ok but I sense. Something wrong.

I always adj free play to around 1 in because my Owners Manual says 20 to 25 mm.
This time I pushed the pedal forward till I felt a little resistence and pulled back to stop then adj this to 3/4 in as Ed suggested. This allowed me to move the pedal stop down which keeps pedal from bottom out on the floor.

Also if I adj the pedal up one more turn as it was set before this also moved the pedal stop down.
With the pedal higher than brake I notice when I push down the pedal meets resistance about even with the brake.

[RSTarga]

I always start with the brake pedal height. It should be just about level with the accelerator pedal when pressed hard, this makes it easier to heel and toe. My clutch pedal is just a little lower than the brake pedal when all are in the static position. I've got about 3/4 inch of free play.
If your free play is changing you definitely have a cable problem or your clevis pin, (if I recall correctly) maybe breaking.