Jeep Wrangler Forum banner

Adjusting clutch pedal

89K views 20 replies 15 participants last post by  jeepinit 
#1 ·
Hey everyone,

I have a 2013 wrangler sport and the clutch pedal has to be depressed about 80% of the way before it engages. Is there anyway to adjust the pedal to where the clutch engages about half way. Im new to the wrangler and manual transmissions so I apologize if i sound like an idiot. :surrender:
 
#4 ·
On my 2012 it engages about half way. I'm not a mechanic, but will try to help you take a stab at your issue. Its my understanding that the clutch is run off the hydraulic "master cylinder" along with the breaks. My guess is that you need to bleed your clutches slave cylinder (that gets its fluid from the master cylinder) to get any air out that would cause it to engage further down. Here are the parts involved.

MASTER CYLINDER
The master cylinder is just under the master cylinder reserve. Its on the driver side under the hood.

(image from HowStuffWorks "How Master Cylinders and Combination Valves Work" )
You fill the reserve with DOT 3 break fluid (or what ever the cap says). It's important that this doesn't go dry during the process and allow any air into the master cylinder it feeds. Here is a picture of the reserve being filed (from> MAINTENANCE : Bleeding the Brakes on a Jeep JK Wrangler )


SLAVE CYLINDER

The slave cylinder is on the driver side of the transmissions bell housing. Bottom of the Jeep under the driver door.

This is the part slave cylinder your looking to bleed.
(image from How do you bleed the clutch?? - JeepForum.com)


This is a new slave cylinder

(image from >
Centerforce Clutch Install This thread shows what the slave cylinder looks like and says it was hard to bleed but not much else.)


(Image from slave cylinder - JKowners.com : Jeep Wrangler JK Forum
This thread doesn't tell much about bleeding the slave cylinder but does show it attached.)

STEP BY STEP
So that's the basic parts involved in tightening up the clutch pedal if my hunch is correct, and it is air in the system. There are links that go over the step by step of the bleeding process.
LINK> How To Bleed A Hydraulic Clutch On A Jeep Wrangler
LINK> 6 Speed Owners!
 
#5 ·
I am a mechanic (retired) and I'll tell you not to touch that system on your 13. If there is a problem it is still under warranty. In all likelihood there is no air in your system. Every clutch is a little bit different and will have different release points. If there is air, something in the system is defective and will be replaced under your warranty. If you touch it and break something its your baby. Its very easy to turn something the wrong way bleeding if you are not accustomed to it.
 
#9 ·
Parts are available individually.


the high biting point is completely normal on the JK. That doesn't indicate whether it's worn or not. As the friction material wears, it will adjust so the bite point doesn't change.

I believe the warranty only covers the clutch for 1year/12k miles.
Yup. 12mo/12K miles.
 
#7 ·
I thought my clutch was wearing prematurely because it was activating up top too. Took it to the dealer they said its fine... Don't know if I believe them or not but its got 5 years warranty and if that clutch dies earlier than it should I will be pissed. There's no way to inspect without removal they just drove it a few blocks. Maybe I'm just paranoid it could be just breaking in.
 
#8 ·
the high biting point is completely normal on the JK. That doesn't indicate whether it's worn or not. As the friction material wears, it will adjust so the bite point doesn't change.

I believe the warranty only covers the clutch for 1year/12k miles.
 
#11 ·
Really? I find that I've got to put mine way down. I know it's not a sports car or anything, but it's really crunchy and I've even heard a little gear grind in the past couple of weeks if I don't have the clutch depress almost all the way. Thinking about swinging by the stealership and having them drive it. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.
 
#12 ·
As mentioned all clutches are a little bit different. Drive it for a few months and your driving style will adapt to the clutch.

If you are getting a grinding sound when you shift, slow your shifts down. This a heavy duty truck transmission, not a race car. Shift in two distinct phases, phase one disengages the clutch from its current a gear, now pause for about half a heart beat, phase two moves it into the new gear. The pause is short, but important. It allows the synchros time to align.

Mike
 
#13 ·
I had my clutch and throwout bearing replaced at the dealer under warranty recently. Throwout bearing failed at 40K.

Picked it up and promptly killed it twice in a row before I even left the dealer lot!

Grabbed so high in the travel and so suddenly I could barely drive it.
After a couple thousand miles it broke in and feels normal now.
Starts to engange a couple inches off the floor and doesn't grab suddenly anymore.

My assumption is your 13' clutch plate is just new, thick and sticky.
It will soften up over time and become predictable. Give it a couple months.

+1 on the quick shift grind, especially 1st to 2nd. I've learned to just slow it down and give the syncros time to mesh.
 
#16 ·
My '13 engages pretty high up as well. Very different than anything I've had before, but I'm getting used to it. Take it in and have it checked. Drive another one while you are there. I bet it's about the same...
 
#18 ·
Please excuse my ignorance on this topic, but I always thought you 'should' put the clutch all the way down to the floor regardless. I always thought if you didn't you might damage something. But if all you need to do is hit the engagement point, then shift, that is cool. lol
 
#19 ·
On a hydraulic clutch the clutch is disengaged before it hits the floor so all you have to go is get past the engagement point and shift. I get it almost to the floor if not all the way just because I've always done it and on my other cars its more important
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top