<VV> Loadside Nightmare

[Dan & Synde]

Hi Ron,

Let me encourage you NOT to increase the load on the cable by use of a
lever.  One common way of doing this is back at the clutch end where the
clevis pin attaches the cable to the clutch rod.  You could put a lever
there that muliplies the action of the cable on the clutch rod but this
greatly increases the wear on the cable and delrin liner and exacerbates
cable stretch.  I did it and wore out two cable pronto.  It also makes it
more difficult to apply and release the clutch smoothly.  The cable housing
curve gently under the FC.  At rest, the cable is more or less centered in
the cable housing but as you apply force the cable tries to straighten out.
What happens is that at every bend, the internal cable presses against the
inside of the curve.  This shift of the internal cable and straightening is
why the amount of throw up front is more than what appears at the rear.  The
cable may also be stretching because it has broken strand but you'd know
this because the cable would be rough and hard to move  

First check/replace the clevis pins on the clutch rod, rear cable
attachment, front cable attachment.  Second, flip the rectangular rubber
bumper over that is located on the bottom of the clutch pedal rod under the
front of the FC.  The adjustment at the clutch end when everything is
perfect mechanically is literally the difference between one turn of the
adjustment clevis.  One turn is too tight and the throw out bearing rubs the
pressure plate.  One turn loose from that is just right if the pedal is
fully depressed.  One turn loose from that is too loose and the clutch won't
release.  

As I said before, I got sick of it.  Even the weather affected it.  I
finally unbolted the upper pedal shaft, took it to the vice, sawed off the
pedal, welded in a 3/4-1" piece of round stock and welded the pedal pad back
on.  Worked perfectly and don't have to fuss with it anymore.  The pedal as
you would expect sits about 3/4" higher than the brake pedal but it fixed
it.  GM didn't design it right, the adjustment was just too sensitive in my
opinion.

Dan Kling

1961 Greenbrier Deluxe, 4spd, 3.89  On the Road Again,  yeehaw :)
1963 Spyder, restored   4spd Saginaw
1967 Ultravan #299  Newest of the herd!! Almost killed me already!!


http://www.flickr.com/photos/81412237@N00/sets/
A few pictures of the Greenbrier, UltraVan, engine and tranny tear down with
more to come! 

Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:10:28 EDT
From: BobHelt at aol.com
Subject: Re: <VV> Loadside Nightmare
To: Corvkid50 at aol.com, VirtualVairs at corvair.org
Message-ID: <c9f.15738cc6.342457e4 at aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

 
In a message dated 9/20/2007 2:43:06 PM US Mountain Standard Time,  
Corvkid50 at aol.com writes:

I am  about at the end of my rope. I'm still trying to figure out  the
clutch 
 
problem in this loadside.

Bob Helt said:

>Maybe some new holes you might drill will give  
>your cable movement greater leverage.
>regards,