Today we’ll be looking at how to adjust your clutch pedal, a very common question we receive here at Pro Street. And while there are many different ways to adjust your clutch, we will be taking a look at hydraulic clutch pedal systems in this review. Often times, either through wear and tear or installation of an aftermarket clutch, your clutch pedal may engage ( or bite ) higher or lower than your factory specs dictate.
If your clutch is grabbing right off the floor or your gears grind like mad trying to get into gear, it is possible your master cylinder clutch adjustment rod needs to be turned out a bit to maximize the engagement point for your clutch. In a hydraulic system, there must be a small amount of “free play” in your pedal to allow for the hydraulic fluid to return to the master cylinder reservoir.
The following problems and symptoms may indicate that a clutch adjustment is in order on your vehicle. This is where you can learn How To Adjust Your Clutch, eliminating any issues with your car.
- Inconsistent engagement
- Clutch engages higher and higher the hotter it gets
- Sloppy or slowly returning clutch pedal
- Grinding gears when shifting
- Clutch engages off the floor
Perfect clutch adjustment is paramount if you want your clutch to live longer, bite harder and provide maximum performance. However to adjust your pedal, you will have to get under the dash and locate the entire clutch pedal assembly. If you enjoy being upside down for long periods of time with you legs positioned higher than your head, you’ll love doing this part of our How To Adjust Your Clutch guide.
To fully grasp the work you are about to perform, take a look at the diagram above. Chances are your vehicle is slightly different from this diagram, but if your clutch system is hydraulic the operation of this assembly remains the same. Hydraulic pressure moves the slave cylinder, which in turn engages or disengages your clutch assembly.
Improper adjustment of your clutch pedal may prevent your clutch from fully engaging, or worse, prevent it from fully disengaging.
The main component of our adjustment will lie in the clutch rod, or the rod that leads out of the pedal assembly and into your clutch master cylinder. When this rod has been adjusted by turning into the master cylinder, the pedal and engagement are moved further up, while backing the rod out will allow for the pedal and engagement to go down.
We’ll be adjusting the clutch on this 1G (1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX).
Where is the rod?
This is where you have to look. This is looking straight up from your gas pedal. The clutch adjustment rod is behind that big spring in the picture, and basically connects the spring to the master cylinder. This rod is How To Adjust Your Clutch by adjusting the range in which the master cylinder operates.
If you can push your head almost through the firewall this is what you’ll see.
To adjust the rod, you have to loosen the locking nut first, turn the rod (Use locking pliers NOT on the threaded part!) out about 1/2 to 1 turn, then RELOCK the locking nut. By out, we mean turning it so the rod moves toward the master cylinder.
Test drive a bit. A small adjustment at the rod makes a BIG difference at the clutch pedal. If you forget to tighten the nut the rod will turn back on its own and you will have to do the adjustment all over again. Make sure you have the proper amount of freeplay at the top of the pedal, and ensure that your clutch is disengaging and engaging fully.
You have now completed our How To Adjust Your Clutch guide, if you have any questions or comments leave them below and let us know!
Happy Boosting!
- Pro Street Staff
- www.prostreetonline.com
