I've reported about this problem before, but only recently I've done something to fix it. To summarize, I've had my clutch pedal break twice, and two clutch cables break. We thought the pressure plate was causing the problem, since everything was lubed and working as it should. So in the past 2 weeks we replaced the clutch disc, pressure plate, throwout bearing and pilot bearing, and greased everything that needed it. Everything that moved and grinds has grease.

I read over some other threads here on the forum, and I couldnt find a solution. I don't do any off roading, so it couldnt be mud or rust. We've pretty much replaced everything in the clutch portion of the car; the cable, the pedal, the discs and the bearings. It's so hard to press, it's to the point where my knee is hurting really bad. I'l a tall guy and I don't have a tilt wheel, so this is a big issue for me. I've been thinking about selling it for an automatic truck, but I really hate to let this awesome car go.

This is a bit odd. If you disconnect the cable do the pedals move freely? If you disconnect the cable at the gearbox does it all move freely?

ya  make  sure the  cable  is  not  bent  in to some kind of bind  and check the  rod that holds the fork for the  throw  out  bearing.  i have seen these seze up  steal  and alum !!!!!  i done the  same thing  here  just a  few days ago  and mine works great and the thing is very easy the push in.

Yeah, the pedal moved freely when the cable isn't attached to it. And since we reinstalled the new clutch stuff, while we had it all taken apart we checked out the shaft the cable arm attaches to and it was loose enough we could move it by hand. But arm strength is different than leg strength. But still, if we could move it with our arms, my leg should be no problem.

I'll check out the cable and see if it's binding on anything as soon as the weather clears up. Stupid colorado weather has it snowing in spring!

I also considered a hydraulic clutch conversaion. What would I need and how would I go about converting it? Would this help at all? Or would I be wasting my time like I did with the clutch kit installation?

man it has to be something binding on you some where because if alls working like it should the thing fills like it has no clutch mine is so easy really it is to easy to push in it is easy then most hyd con that i have drove. are you running a stock pressure plate? if not that maybe a problem i put a kenndy 2500lbs pressure plate in my rail buggy with a 4 puck disc clutch and it was a lot stiffer to work the the other pressure plate i had been running.
thanks rick

man it has to be something binding on you some where because if alls working like it should the thing fills like it has no clutch mine is so easy really it is to easy to push in it is easy then most hyd con that i have drove. are you running a stock pressure plate? if not that maybe a problem i put a kenndy 2500lbs pressure plate in my rail buggy with a 4 puck disc clutch and it was a lot stiffer to work the the other pressure plate i had been running.
thanks rick

It's not a stock pressure plate as of last weekend. My dad and I had installed a new pressure plate and clutch disc and bearings because we thought the pressure plate was wearing out.

After messing around internally with the cable, I've found that if i get it as straight as possible and remove all the slack it gets loose. So I got to wondering, if I shoot some grease into the cable housing, would that help at all? By cable housing, i mean the tube that the cable goes into so that the hooks that hold the cable up have something to grab onto.

hi,
I have the same problem with my sidekick '95. The clutch cable snaped on me and mechanic did the clutch job (all kit), but after all the pedal is still hard ! I'm running out of ideas???
there is no fun driving her anymore. My left knee is giving up !
any suggestions ?

 

I once had that problem on my kick also , finally it turned out to be a bad angle of the cable in the firewall. if the angle is not right the cable starts to "eat out" the aluminum tip in the cable housing. And perhaps you could try some lithium white grease in the cable housing.

and as zukigroundpounder said , "it has to be something binding on you some where" if it's not the firewall angle , it must be some other place. sometimes the cable get's weird below the radiator and stiff up , look at that and try to keep it as stright as posible. If you can move the shaft arm by hand there should be no problem using your leg.