CJ7 / T18 clutch woes

[Chief78CJ7]

I have the stock mechanical linkage on my CJ7. I've had the clutch bracket on the body side bend on my, making it so I can't disengage the clutch enough get it in gear..

Recently, I've replaced my frame and tub and did a 1" body lift. I replace a bent clutch bracket with a spare I had on hand. To stop this bracket bending over time, I welded in a small brace. After only probably 20-30 pushes of the clutch (my test drive basically) the pivot arm on the bracket broke off.

I decided to get a new bracket and mount it 1" lower to accomodate for the body lift.. but this has resulted in me not having enough throw to disengage the clutch enough to get it in gear--with the clutch linkage adjusted out as far as it goes.

I know the solution.. a hydraulic. I don't care to play $229 for Parts Mike's fix, and I have only until next Wedsday when I leave to go play Trail Leader at the Ozark Jambo.

So, I'm looking for past experiences on this and any potential bright ideas.. I ran out of time last night working on this..

Since dropping the bracket down an inch made it so I don't have enough throw, I figure I'll have to either move he bracket back up, or lengthen the clutch rod (that goes through the firewall).

This is all on an 85 tub/frame, AMC360, T18. My clutch bracket bolts are solid at the body.. they're not moving or flexing.

[Chief78CJ7]

Oh.. I also wanted to see what you all thought about pressure plates. I put in a clutch kit from an 83 J20 with the T18 option which results in an 11" diamter clutch as opposed to the 10.5" clutch that comes in the CJ with the AMCV8/T18. But the springs on the J20 pressure plate are so damn tight.. that is why I'm bending the clutch bracket. I'm wondering what others went with and if you had similar problems..

[OC]

leave the bracket where you have it so everything is lined up. you are going to have to add 1 inch to the clutch rod. that what i had to do when I put on a 2 inch body lift. dropped braket down 2 / add 2 to the clutch rod. works fine now.

[ItsaCJ6]

common problem ...........use the search feature... recent thread on the junkyard swap................

[das_jeepinator]

heres what I did to fix the problem no more worries, but hydraulic isn't out of the picture just yet. 2"x2" square tube pice of 3/8" plate welded to the end and a 1/2" bolt welded to the plate head cut off and rounded just a shade to fit the plastic sleeve over no more non disengage or ingaging on it own

edit: I forgot that after I welded the flat plate to the tube I used a c-clamp to hold them in place and marked where the bolt would be welded to then drilled a hole through the plate the bolt or rod as it is now is welded on the backside of the plate as well as the front side. To prevent it from just breaking off. Like the factory POS did in me. I didn't put the 3" BL on the Jeep it was there when, I became the owner wouldn't ever put a 3" on anything myself 2" maybe. It has totally and all but trashed the underside of the jeep as far as where it mounts to the body as I have little care for body damage the BL and where it mounts to the body takes the brunt of everything. Which is probably why the original clutch lever mount probably broke now that it's mounted to the frame no more problems .

[das_jeepinator]

pic 2

[Chief78CJ7]

OC: Thanks, I think that is what I'm going to do. I figured this would be the preferred step, but I know that sometimes ya gotta step back and make sure you aren't missing something.

das_jeepinator: I think I'm going to do something similar.. I'm going to build my own bracket and use a grade 8 bolt for the pivot arm. I'm tired of bending that fawker.. and bracing up the stock bracket results in breakage

Itsacj6: Common problem.. nah.. I didn't see anything about brackets being bent. I only found threads about body lifts effecting this. I have three issues going on.. the bracket bending, a body lift and a super stiff clutch. So why don't you get off of the "use the Search" button and actually engage your brain. If you don't care to engage your brain, please step away from the keyboard.

[oldjeep]

Swap out to a chain linkage. AA sells one for $$ or you can just build it yourself for about $15 worth of parts

[ItsaCJ6]

Originally posted by Chief78CJ7
OC: Thanks, I think that is what I'm going to do. I figured this would be the preferred step, but I know that sometimes ya gotta step back and make sure you aren't missing something.

das_jeepinator: I think I'm going to do something similar.. I'm going to build my own bracket and use a grade 8 bolt for the pivot arm. I'm tired of bending that fawker.. and bracing up the stock bracket results in breakage

Itsacj6: Common problem.. nah.. I didn't see anything about brackets being bent. I only found threads about body lifts effecting this. I have three issues going on.. the bracket bending, a body lift and a super stiff clutch. So why don't you get off of the "use the Search" button and actually engage your brain. If you don't care to engage your brain, please step away from the keyboard.

Listen lurker it is a common problem especialy if you are a tard and can't install shit so FAWK OFF.. It such a common problem there eleminator kits sold by AA since it has been a problem for 40 fawking years. the bell crank assembly sucks, so again had you done a search even on "WAIT google" about bell crank problems you would see there are people who bend and break the stud or the braket and there are those that just explode the damn bell crank so again FAWK OFF...