TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue May 19, 2015 7:46 pm

I am fighting a clutch chatter and it points to the bowden tube that is most likely at fault (I replaced the clutch cable and it was all good, no visible damages).

The bowden tube looked okay when I changed the clutch cable. It also did have a slight sag which I think is proper.

I searched and read someone said a worn bowden tube could also give rise to clutch chatter. How does this occur? Could someone help explain this?

Thanks for your help.

Tue May 19, 2015 9:01 pm

Cheap test. Put three or four more washers at the clutch arm end to create more droop. It will push the droop into the tube,

My tube was split, worn through, as I recall and the cable was taught. Car went from undrivable to perfect. I had changed to kennedy stage2 and copperhead chasing the chatter. It was a fifteen dollar fix in the end, but am glad I did the clutch upgrade and pressure plate.

Tue May 19, 2015 9:09 pm

A new clutch = a new Bowden tube. You can't see the wear. 1" to 1 3/4" sag is perfect. Grease the cable before inserting it in the tube. A new Bowden tube costs $7.

Tue May 19, 2015 10:18 pm

When you replace the cable it is good practice to replace the bowden tube. It can wear from the inside. I have also seen it split where the smaller part goes into the tranny. Get some 15mm washer and shim up the sag as indicated earlier in the thread.

Wed May 20, 2015 12:40 am

what goes inside a bowden tube?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowden_cable

Wed May 20, 2015 2:45 am

Come to think of it. My bowden tube might have split when this problem occurred as this explain the fact that the friction point has gone low at the pedal (the split tube made a longer cable).

I was going to replace that today but it has been raining like cats and dogs since the morning. I will try to tackle that tomorrow.

Wed May 20, 2015 5:00 am

Suggestion - when you install the tube, insert the clutch cable before you bend it into position. I have damaged more than one before I started doing this by bending it and cracking the metal jacket inside. Also grease it well.

And when you pull the old one, look for wear on the ends. I have seen the cable literally saw through the end.

Droop is correct - Thinking its between an 1 and 1.5", but verify that spec.

Wed May 20, 2015 6:23 am

I've had it wear through the metal winding on the inside, but still look ok on the outside. It allowed the bowden tube to compress a bit, and we thought it was a clutch that kept needing readjustment. A lot of time trying to diagnose the need to replace a $10 part

Wed May 20, 2015 1:39 pm

I've had 2 new Bowden tubes in the last couple years, one broke at the sleeve end on the transmission, took a while to figure that one out. I couldn't see the break until someone was pushing on the clutch pedal. The other was a split cover right out of the package, it looked like it was damaged when they heat shrunk the cover on it.

Thu May 21, 2015 4:59 pm

I replaced the Bowden tube. I adjusted a decent sag, about 1.5", using 2 washers. However, the chatter did not go away.

I checked the old tube closely and it is still in pretty good shape.

What could that be?

Fri May 22, 2015 8:51 am

Trans mounts been checked? Give it a bit more bow. The tube coming loose somewhere can give chatter.

Fri May 22, 2015 10:38 am

No doubt-are the trans mounts cracked and causing wheel hop. What about the rear torsion bushings?

Could be oil on the clutch disc.

The clutch cable tube is welded in three places (one near the pedal cluster, one near the handbrake and one in the rear near the tranny coupler) You can take a long screw driver and pry on it or have someone operate the clutch while you check to see if it is loose from the inside tunnel welds).

Fri May 22, 2015 4:40 pm

74 Thing wrote: No doubt-are the trans mounts cracked and causing wheel hop. What about the rear torsion bushings?

Could be oil on the clutch disc.

The clutch cable tube is welded in three places (one near the pedal cluster, one near the handbrake and one in the rear near the tranny coupler) You can take a long screw driver and pry on it or have someone operate the clutch while you check to see if it is loose from the inside tunnel welds).

After these couple of days, I am seriously suspecting that the welding of the Berg 5 mid-mount has come off.

The coming loose of the mid-mount welding helps explain the sudden increase of the clutch pedal play, as the slight movement of the mid-mount, on the clutch cable side, effectively lengthened the clutch cable.

As the mid-mount is not holding the tranny firmly, the spinning of the engine when it was given gas at take off would throw the clutch disc on and off, as the clutch lever is being pulled by the cable. Hence the chatter.

Is this thinking logical?