Adjust clutch on '74 CJ5 T14

I went offroading a couple weeks ago and the clutch bracket that bolts to the bell housing started to loosen. Got to the point where I couldn't hardly shift because the clutch wouldn't disengage all the way with the clutch pedal pushed all the way down! Turns out my clutch rod that goes to the clutch fork was also bent.

Well when leaving to go home, I got to the first stop sign and the clutch pedal was sitting on the floor!!! Nothing like stopping in 3rd gear. Anyway, the rod that goes to the fork had come out due to the loose bracket. I made that rod longer to put some tension on the fork and keep it from falling out. Drove across the street and borrowed a wrench and got things tightened up to get home. When I extended the rod, the clutch engages with the clutch pedal FURTHER from the tub than before.

I finally installed a new rod last night (a certain online company kept sending me the wrong part instead, Dist. cap, Dash knob..) I tried to shorten that rod to where the old one was originally, but the pick-up point is still 4 inches or so from the floor. Before all this, it was closer to 1" or so. I prefer the 1" from the tub for the clutch to engage.

I tried shortening that rod so much that now when the pedal is all the way up, the rod isn't even touching the clutch fork. However, the engagement point of the clutch is still very close to the top of the pedal travel when I go to lift up on the pedal to engage the clutch in gear.

The only thing I can think of is that the clutch fork is not moving freely now for some reason and getting bound up? Maybe not travelling the full arc that it should? Throw-out bearing galled up? (although it was replaced with a new clutch about 2000 miles ago)

If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. I am not really looking forward to having to drop a tranny or anything like that.

Thanks,
Scott

 

There should only be about an inch of free play at the top of the pedal travel. Is that what you have? If you have the right parts and everything is installed correctly, that adjustment should be straightforward.

 

At the top of the pedal, I have about that.

My problem is that before all this, the clutch would engage with my foot ~1-2 inches from the tub. Now, the clutch engages with my foot almost all the way to the top of the pedal stroke.

How do I adjust the clutch to get it to engage with my foot closer to the tub (1-2")??

Thanks,
Scott

 

AFAIK there's no adjustment for that distance as such. The 1" play at the top of the pedal travel represents the clearance between the throwout bearing and the clutch cover fingers when the clutch is released. The resistance you feel is the cover springs compressing as you open the gap between the clutch disk and flywheel.

The rate at which the clutch releases is dependent on the geometry of the clutch pedal and bellcrank, and on the design of the clutch cover. When adjusted properly, typically the clutch is completely released after about 1/3-1/2 of the pedal travel. The rest of the travel is there so that the pedal continues to function after the clutch wears and goes out of adjustment.

If the clutch only releases when the pedal is near the floor, then there is something mechanically wrong with the linkage, clutch cover, and/or release arm and bearing.