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Sun Jan 11, 2015 10:44 am

New master and slave cylinders arrived from VC this week and I began the process yesterday of replacing them. On closer inspection, the slave cylinder bracket is broken in two. Also, the stabilising bar that that angles back toward the front of the transmission and attaches to the side has fatigued and cracked at the end that attaches to the cylinder bracket.

Because of the fracture in the metal, there is quite a bit of side to side play in the cylinder bracket as it rocks on the clutch lever (where Bentley 30.2 notes to grease the ball). Is this to be expected since it looks like there is only a circlip to hold it in place?

I've sourced replacement brackets (used) but want to R&R what else is needed while I wait for the brackets to arrive.

Thanks for the help.

Sun Jan 11, 2015 10:48 am

There is a bolt that goes through the bellhousing at the top that secures it.

Sun Jan 11, 2015 10:50 am

"Because of the fracture in the metal, there is quite a bit of side to side play in the cylinder bracket as it rocks on the clutch lever (where Bentley 30.2 notes to grease the ball). Is this to be expected since it looks like there is only a circlip to hold it in place? "

I need some clarification here. This sounds like you are concerned the broken bracket you are replacing has some play. And I'm not sure why you care. It goes into the trash when your new (used) one arrives.

DougM

Sun Jan 11, 2015 11:00 am

IdahoDoug wrote: "

I need some clarification here. This sounds like you are concerned the broken bracket you are replacing has some play. And I'm not sure why you care. It goes into the trash when your new (used) one arrives.

DougM

IdahoDoug, you are correct. I will trash the current bracket. But I want to make sure there aren't complications beyond the broken bracket. As in maybe something worn or broken in the release shaft or something. I'm not totally familiar with this mechanism beyond what I can see in Bentley and underneath the van.

I'll check that the bolt isn't missing but only after the Green Bay game.

Thanks for the responses guys. Very much appreciated.

Sun Jan 11, 2015 11:14 am

I've been welding all the seams on my brackets. There are only a couple of resistance welds and small welds holding the original parts together.

Sun Jan 11, 2015 11:37 am

There was some discussion a couple years back about making a replacement bracket that didn't flex, especially when a stronger clutch pressure plate is installed. Did anyone follow through on this?

Sun Jan 11, 2015 11:40 am

Ah, I see. You are concerned that the release shaft has been worn a bit because of the forces on it. Makes sense and a valid concern. Steel has a very high cycle rate, meaning it can be flexed thousands and thousands of times before it fatigue cracks like you describe. That tells me it has been in use for a very long time, so you should be concerned.

However, the only way to address that concern is to pull and replace the shaft - a serious pain. In your shoes, I'd simply replace the bracket and move on. If you can reach, you might put a drop of thin oil in the suspect shaft's seal/bushing crack in hopes of providing fresh lube to a stressed item.

There is also a mod to this bracket that myself and others have done to avoid the fiddling with the nuts n bolts. Do a search. It involves securing a bolt so you don't have to hold it to attach/detach it later for another replacement. I had mine welded, but feel it could be JB Welded with epoxy as well for simplicity.

Enjoy the game. Go Packers!

Sun Jan 11, 2015 11:53 am

singler3360 wrote: of the fracture in the metal, there is quite a bit of side to side play in the cylinder bracket as it rocks on the clutch lever (where Bentley 30.2 notes to grease the ball). Is this to be expected since it looks like there is only a circlip to hold it in place?
The circlip holds the clutch lever in place not the bracket behind it although it does use the tranny case for some support. The Bellhousing bolt and the reinforcement bar are what hold the bracket.

Sun Jan 11, 2015 9:41 pm

gears wrote: There was some discussion a couple years back about making a replacement bracket that didn't flex, especially when a stronger clutch pressure plate is installed. Did anyone follow through on this?

I have seen a mock up including dual slaves, pretty rad.

Mon Jan 12, 2015 5:27 am

Last summer i discovered broken bracket where it makes the 90degree bend down. The rest was ok & NOT wanting to mess withe banjo fitting of hose connector i formed up a heat shield over bracket & welded it back. Took a slow , good tack then cool dn bracket in order not heat up slave cyl but did get it all welded, this on my syncro which was a major decision to weld. Been doing fine.

Mon Jan 19, 2015 6:59 pm

I finally got time to work on getting the bracket off today. Like others have reported in other threads, I had a hard time getting the clutch lever off the end of the shaft. Eventually I checked out a three point jaw puller from Auto Zone's free tool rental program and got the job done, but not before a little wrangling from below. At least I wasn't reduced to cutting it off.

I don't have access to a welder, so I'm waiting for JB Weld to cure tonight on mending the bracket back together. In the next few days, I'll evaluate the JB Weld weld and decide whether to wait for a replacement bracket to arrive from SleepyJoe.

I also replaced the SS bolts with regular automotive bolts. Thanks for setting me straight on this.

Sat Jan 24, 2015 11:21 pm

singler3360 wrote:
I don't have access to a welder, so I'm waiting for JB Weld to cure tonight on mending the bracket back together.

For the next person to come along, the JB Weld seam cracked as I was tightening down the last bolt. I'm glad it broke when it did, if it had to fail. Don't bother shortcutting a proper weld. Lesson learned.

Sat Jan 24, 2015 11:34 pm

I am a fan of JB Weld, but I was indeed wondering how that would fare. Quite the high stress situation, since solid steel in fact failed. Hope it is cake to get back off for ya!

Sun Jan 25, 2015 12:17 am

IdahoDoug wrote: I am a fan of JB Weld, but I was indeed wondering how that would fare. Quite the high stress situation, since solid steel in fact failed. Hope it is cake to get back off for ya!

Me too. Probably will have to checkout the puller from AutoZone again for that pesky clutch lever. :roll: