Clutch Cable Noise and Slack

elise111 · Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 9:12 am Post subject: Clutch Cable Noise and Slack

First, let me start by saying that I do not have a throw out bearing noise!

Background- new german cable, new german bowden tube, new clevis, old style throw out bearing, sachs clutch has about 20k miles.

Issue- after about 1200 miles of driving with the new parts I suddenly had a clunk when depressing the clutch pedal. It sounded like it was just at the pedal, not the back of the car. A short while later, two more clunks during shifting and the pedal became light and was pretty much all freeplay.

I tightened up the cable and it is now working normally. No strange noises. One thought was that the bowden tube may have seated itself over time, giving me the freeplay, but after looking at it, I don't see how I could have installed it wrong to make that happen. Is this sudden freeplay a sign that something inside the bellhousing is about to let go?

Pete

Eric&Barb · Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 9:24 am Post subject:

Does sound like something in the clutch cable loosened up. Does the boden tube have proper amount of bend in it??

If it was the clutch parts in the transaxle it would probably not adjust out at the cable. Except maybe if your clutch throw out arm is breaking.....
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elise111 · Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 9:43 am Post subject:

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I have the bow specified in the Bentley manual- needed 1 thick washer to achieve it too. Washer is properly seated on the Bowden tube ferrule.

Eric&Barb · Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 10:54 am Post subject:

Well hopefully it was the boden tube, but still could the TO arm is giving away. We only use ones with full bead of weld around each arm base where the shaft is.
Read up on how to shift without a clutch in the Idiot's Manual just in case.....
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mintonman · Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 11:15 am Post subject:

Just for the hell of it, you may want to check the hole in the lever attached to the clutch pedal arm. This hole I speak of it the one where your cable attaches and the clivis pin/clip goes into. Mine just popped on me, but went all the way through.

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hsosa1 · Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 4:48 pm Post subject:

can anyone post the page for proper clutch adjustment from the bentley?
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mintonman · Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 5:01 pm Post subject:

Not from bentley but it will work

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Hoockd on fonicks werkt for mee?
under the influance "DUH"

SCZ9-1-1 · Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 9:52 pm Post subject:

check the clutch cable tube where it connects to the bowden tube. Sometimes the weld that holds that end in place breaks and causes it to flex and puts slack in the clutch cable. Another cause may be that several strands of the clutch cable had broken but the cable did not break all the way.

mightymouse · Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 11:46 pm Post subject:

SCZ9-1-1 · Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 3:38 pm Post subject:

I haven't cleaned off the dirt and grease to confirm my suspicions but I'm pretty certain the hose clamp I see going around my torsion bar housing is holding my clutch cable housing in place. It's worked for the past 15 years so I'm leaving it for now cuz I know the welding is a beeeatch.

elise111

After further investigation, it appears that the clutch cable tube weld to the torsion tube housing has failed. Sounds like this is challenging to repair based on the comments of others. Any advice? Has anyone been able to access this area without having to remove the trans? How about removing the right rear brakeline? Is there a small enough MIG welder to fit in this area?

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Clara · Samba Member Joined: June 14, 2003 Posts: 12401

I "fixed" that problem by using two big hose clamps fed end to end around the torsion tube.
It was the big ones you use on the axle boot. This was an emergency fix done on a road trip, and it lasted for years. I had forgotten about it when I sold the bus.
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elise111 · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 7:13 pm Post subject:

Thanks Clara. I've got a hose clamp on their now. The more I dug the more I found. My recently replaced clutch cable was also frayed. I must have kinked the cable when I installed the new bowden tube. This explains the popping noise I heard, one strand of cable must have broken each time I heard the pop. I was down to two strands. The broken weld of the clutch tube was notable, but not the root cause of the clutch freeplay increase.

I've now learned the correct installation of a clutch cable. Put the bowden tube on the clutch cable tube, feed the clutch cable through until it just pokes through the end of the bowden tube, then carefully bend the bowden tube through the trans bracket. Pull the nub of exposed cable. I had the engine out so I could get good leverage without kinking the cable or tube.

Eric&Barb · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 10:00 pm Post subject:

Fixed same problem on our 1960 walk thru panel camper conversion with a mig hobart handler welder with no problem.
Just make sure to remove the clutch cable FIRST or risk welding it to the interior of the tube.
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In Stereo, Where Available!

BarryL · Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 8:09 am Post subject:

One indicator of the symptom of a cracked tube weld is when you go to put it in reverse (and all is adjusted and working properly normally) there is a grind so you let up and push the pedal again. This time the reverse goes in fine.

angus_hanger · Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 8:28 pm Post subject:

Anyone in the SF Bay Area available to do these welds on my '64 Westy ... put the engine back in a few days ago and could not get a decent clutch adjustment ... when I went to go put the bowden tube back on ... IT DIDN'T FIT ... IT WAS TOO SHORT.
Now I know that everynow and then I have a brain fart, but screw me if it didn't fit ... it was then discovered, the tube running from front to back had busted all the factory welds, I can still see three of them easily ...

I have money, beer and can come to you or you can come here ... doesn't matter ... I just don't want to drive like this ... the clutch is chattering and it's hard to get in gear ... no sense driving it except to get it repaired. I tried the hose clamps route and they're just not tight enough to maintain the bend in the bowden tube.

Thanks all ... Cheers!
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Hers - '66 Beetle
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SurfCityRacing · Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 10:08 pm Post subject:

I just welded my clutch tube back to the torsion housing with the engine in. Came out like shit, and you should see the shirt I was wearing. Laughing

It held for the Shasta Snow Trip, but I just pulled the engine and trans so that I can get in there and do it right.

I don't think you could get a good bead on that sucker without a little room to work. I'd clamp it until I could do it right.

One thing that just happened to me that has never happened before re a clutch.

The cable got snagged around the frame up forward. Adjusted the clutch, but noticed that the adjustment was way off. Eased adjustment and un-snagged cable and it was good to go.
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Riding with Surf City had me thinking "F'n Piercy" was your real name.

SCZ9-1-1 · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 4:49 pm Post subject:

I've had my bus for the past 14 years and the PO fixed it before that with a hose/axle boot clamp and this had done fine.


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