Frankie the Fink

This is the metal-encased rubber bushing that connects the clutch pedal push rod to the clutch Z-bar on the side of the engine. How do you change it ? Do you have to mess with the blasted 'gorilla' spring ?

devildog

Frank, I use a big cresent wrench. I losen and remove the small nut on the bushing. Then I use the big cresent fitted to the square end of the Z bar just behind the push rod. I rotate the Z bar end forward (enough leverage with the wrench) to take pressure off the bushing.

Use reverse to reattach the spring and push rod. Also some guys (two people team) stretch the spring and insert washers as spacers to releive pressure then reattach and push pedal to stretch spring and washers (spacers) drop out.

I like wrench best, one man.

Joe

1snake

The procedure is explained in the ST-12. I can't understand why people have such a problem with that spring. It takes less than 1 min. to remove or install it using that method.

Jim

Frankie the Fink

Haven't had to deal with that spring yet on my car but have heard horror stories.
I'll check out the ST-12 and what Joe has written...

Can't mess with it anyway until Corvette Central gets their power back and ships the part in any case...

AZDoug

I machined up a 7075 aluminum bushing to replace the rubber one. And I have a diaphragm pressure plate, so my pedal return spring has about the same tension as screen door spring.

Doug

L78racer

the new (repop) bushing will fail too. best to do what doug did. I also did it to mine.
the crescent wrench trick works well too.

Frankie the Fink

Well I can't really 'machine up' anything in my garage unless it can be done with a hand drill or leaf blower. I'll try the repro bushing then if it flakes out I'll take it to the next level....

62Jeff

I take it then, the cross shaft being connected to the clutch fork, etc. isn't enough to keep the cross shaft from going crazy if I remove the bolt from the bushing?

My 62 needs a new bushing as well.

L78racer

with the stock gonzo spring configuration; it is the pedal that is the up-stop for the clutch Z-bar/ cross-shaft. when the pedal is pushed, the gonzo spring goes 'over center' which eases clutch push action.
the crescent wrench acts like your leg pushing against the Z-bar and gonzo spring, thus enabling removal of the rod and bushing.

Steve59

Yep, you will have to play with the gorilla spring, but it's not really that bad. I used a heavy duty screw driver and wedged it in between the "Z" bar /clutch push rod (after I disconnected the rod) and it kinda slams back towards the rear. The hard part was trying to get the old bushing out and the new one in. There's a thread here from a guy who built his own device using a bolt, some washers and some nuts. I built it (cost about $5 in parts) and it worked great. Do A search, I think the thread is a couple of years old.

My own opinion is that this is a Pi__ poor design for a part that is almost in constant motion, too much torque and too small an area to spread the load.