Itinerant Air-Cooled

Upon depressing the clutch pedal, there is an interference gritty sounding SHLUNNNK, minor but noticeable. I replaced the cable recently, as it was broken up near the front. I also notice that the cable is rubbing on the frame structure at the most forward hole (what would cause this?). I greased the hell out of the cable in that area, and doesn't really account for the grindy-ness of the sound. Could the clutch pedal assembly account for it? It JUST started tonight out of the blue. I did nothing to the pedal assembly, it seemed fine.
Thank you, I don't need the cable to break way the hell out of town or getting Eva to school.

These guys have taken the assembly apart. Maybe I need to do that...
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewto ... utch+pedal

hambone wrote:Upon depressing the clutch pedal, there is an interference gritty sounding SHLUNNNK, minor but noticeable. I replaced the cable recently, as it was broken up near the front. I also notice that the cable is rubbing on the frame structure at the most forward hole (what would cause this?). I greased the hell out of the cable in that area, and doesn't really account for the grindy-ness of the sound. Could the clutch pedal assembly account for it? It JUST started tonight out of the blue. I did nothing to the pedal assembly, it seemed fine.
Thank you, I don't need the cable to break way the hell out of town or getting Eva to school.

Did this sound just start?
Colin

Yes. Morning drive to school, all OK. Evening drive, it started.
I'm thinking I need to brave the cold wind and take everything apart, maybe replace the bowden tube too. It was hard and unflexible when I removed it before.

hambone wrote:Yes. Morning drive to school, all OK. Evening drive, it started.
I'm thinking I need to brave the cold wind and take everything apart, maybe replace the bowden tube too. It was hard and unflexible when I removed it before.

Be alert to a failure of some part when a symptom springs up suddenly.
The contact between the cable and any part of the chassis is not allowed. You can *bend* the cable guide tube in some cases, but only after you have exhausted all other possible causes of misalignment.
ColinWhatDoIKnowIDontHaveACar

Just got back from the parts store, new bowden tube and clevis pin. Bus ran and shifted well, but still gritty. I'm pretty sure the sound is coming from the pedal assembly, but we'll see...
Not too cold out there today, sunny and windy. It will be easier to work outside.
I am not in the mood for this!

All fixed, knock on my wooden head. It's funny how your mule really communicates to you when sick.

Bowden tube was shot, rigid and coming apart slightly. The (longer) plastic end cap was bent.
Took apart the pedal assembly. It hasn't been lubricated in a long time. What was I thinking? Bentley made no mention of it so I didn't think twice. The bearings each had a linear scuff/gouge, probably from ingested mountain dust and lack of lubricant. Luckily the damage was minor and an emery cloth took care of it. The shaft was fine. Lots of Mt. Hood was down in there.
My old clevis (sounds like an oldtime song) pin was stepped from wear. Without a new one for comparison, I thought it was part of the design...

Replacing and/or lubricating these parts is essential during a clutch cable replacement. It cost $8 with good Italian parts.

I am having a hell of a week. The clutch cable just broke again, thankfully just blocks from home. It broke up near the pedal.
What is going on here? I am about to lose my mind. Could the pedal assembly be faulty?
Yesterday it was smooth. Today it snapped out of nowhere.

After I replaced the arm on Bertha's clutch pedal assembly, effort to depress the pedal was greatly reduced. The hole the clevis pin fits through had ovalled to the point I only had a sixteenth of an inch or so of metal left before the pin would have worn it completely through.

Sorry to hear.


neal

How did you know it was bad?
The cable is splayed at the end, like it was rubbing, but not sure. It seems like it is happening in the front-most body/frame tube up near the pedal. It is difficult to see what is going on in there. It is not an adjustable situation, so I'm not clear how to resolve this.
Tomorrow I will pull it into the garage and see if I can find anything. As usual any advice would greatly help my sanity.

The cable broke, and I noticed how worn the pedal arm was where the clevis pin attached. Picked up a used one from Trafton. All I know is that replacing it took a ton of stress out of the effort, and I'm sure on the entire system. I had never lubed it. That was the first time I've had to replace a clutch cable. The second time the cable frayed at the transmission.


neal

How did it look worn? And how much did you pay Trafton? Although I now have no ride...

Oh come now. You can get about without a clutch. Just don't stop. If you do, you have to turn off the engine and start up while in first gear. Power shift matching your rpms. That's where efforts to double clutch when down shifting pay off. Nerve wracking? Yes. But it can be done if need be.

The part itself was inexpensive. Seems like it was under ten dollars. Look at the hole in the arm the clevis pin slides through. It should be circular. It ovals as it wears.

I don't know if that's the issue, but that little bit of misaligned geometry sure seemed to work against efforts to depress the pedal. It took much more foot effort when that hole was wallered out.


neal

Thanks Neal. I will be brave and tackle it tomorrow.

hambone wrote:I am having a hell of a week. The clutch cable just broke again, thankfully just blocks from home. It broke up near the pedal.
What is going on here? I am about to lose my mind. Could the pedal assembly be faulty?
Yesterday it was smooth. Today it snapped out of nowhere.

Something is not put together right. This is completely out of the ordinary. If your cable is Chinese 2 for 99 cents , well maybe it is the cable.
I don't think so. I think you might have the lever installed exactly backward on the clutch pedal pivot. I think you have the "hook" facing forward, because you thought it was a hook, when in fact, it is a cut-out to allow the cable to not contact as the lever moves forward. That's what I think. I think you are jamming the clutch cable when it binds as push down on the clutch pedal.
Colin

Oooooh. I like this path.... I would have thought hook too considering the bug set up.

Just for my own edumacation...
Does the cable make any turns after leaving the bowden tube? (i.e. forward from the bowden tube to up to the pedal connection), I am trying to imagine the transfer of power from the pushing of the pedal to pulling the cable...