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I went to start my Vette a while ago, and I heard a pop and the clutch pedal went to the floor. After looking at the linkage its obvious what happened. My question is, does it look like I can just put the special lock washer and nut back on and be good to go? To my novice eye, I don't see anything wrong. Im thinking the nut just backed off because I didn't stake the lock washer as stated in the AIM (which of course I will be sure to do now). Of course the lock washer and nut are nowhere to be found. I guessing they flew somewhere in the garage, but they're not on the floor under the car.
You need one of these "lock" type washers for that end: I just picked the first vendor I saw. Follow the link and you can see some illustrations of how it is installed.
I went to start my Vette a while ago, and I heard a pop and the clutch pedal went to the floor. After looking at the linkage its obvious what happened. My question is, does it look like I can just put the special lock washer and nut back on and be good to go? To my novice eye, I don't see anything wrong. Im thinking the nut just backed off because I didn't stake the lock washer as stated in the AIM (which of course I will be sure to do now). Of course the lock washer and nut are nowhere to be found. I guessing they flew somewhere in the garage, but they're not on the floor under the car.
You need one of these "lock" type washers for that end: I just picked the first vendor I saw. Follow the link and you can see some illustrations of how it is installed.
You need one of these "lock" type washers for that end: I just picked the first vendor I saw. Follow the link and you can see some illustrations of how it is installed.
I just went out and looked at my car and this "lock washer" is not there. Where it went I don't know as I am usually pretty careful about this stuff. What I also noticed is that there is nothing that seems to retain the felt washer and nothing seems to be indicated. It seems to be poking out of the shaft a bit. Shouldn't there be something there? Have a few things to take care of under the hood and will add this to the list.
From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
Originally Posted by ignatz
I just went out and looked at my car and this "lock washer" is not there. Where it went I don't know as I am usually pretty careful about this stuff. What I also noticed is that there is nothing that seems to retain the felt washer and nothing seems to be indicated. It seems to be poking out of the shaft a bit. Shouldn't there be something there? Have a few things to take care of under the hood and will add this to the list.
Thanks for posting this.
Looking at a spare C2 shaft I have sitting on the shelf, I believe the felt washer is just a dust shield. The item labeled spring is an internal snap ring that keeps the inner and outer seats (and ball stud) inside the tube. This setup, once the nut is tightened, then keeps the cross shaft from moving laterally.
I went to start my Vette a while ago, and I heard a pop and the clutch pedal went to the floor. After looking at the linkage its obvious what happened. My question is, does it look like I can just put the special lock washer and nut back on and be good to go? To my novice eye, I don't see anything wrong. Im thinking the nut just backed off because I didn't stake the lock washer as stated in the AIM (which of course I will be sure to do now). Of course the lock washer and nut are nowhere to be found. I guessing they flew somewhere in the garage, but they're not on the floor under the car.
Thanks for the timely post. I've been meaning to have a look at my squeaky clutch. When I finally got the z-bar off it was bone-dry and with none of the soft parts were anywhere to be found. The frame bracket was bent inward toward the engine to the point where I had to drive a wedge in-between the z-bar and frame bracket to bend it outward. Don't know how it got in that state. Ordered my missing parts from corvetteparts.com. Thanks again.
Don't forget to "stake" the tabs.
Actually on mine I thought they were broken off so I put it off till "later" since I'd have to order that "special" staked lock-washer. I remained like that for at least 10 years till (mostly because I spaced it) I went back in last year to replace my pilot bearing. Amazingly enough everything was still tight (better lucky than good) and yet I was able to remove the old lockwasher and the tabs were actually still there... just had to tweak the part to make it usable again and then "restake" them to lock the nut with the support.
Don't forget to "stake" the tabs.
Actually on mine I thought they were broken off so I put it off till "later" since I'd have to order that "special" staked lock-washer. I remained like that for at least 10 years till (mostly because I spaced it) I went back in last year to replace my pilot bearing. Amazingly enough everything was still tight (better lucky than good) and yet I was able to remove the old lockwasher and the tabs were actually still there... just had to tweak the part to make it usable again and then "restake" them to lock the nut with the support.
I tried to get something down from above to stake the washer but couldn't get any leverage to bend the tabs. Can you tell me how you were able to do yours?
I just use a long flat blade screwdriver inserted between the front of the brake booster and fender then give it a tap with a hammer to knock the tab flat against the nut face.
I don't think I have a long enough flat blade to do that, but I'll give it a try. For now, I went back and backed the nut off and added loctite blue to the stud.
I just use a long flat blade screwdriver inserted between the front of the brake booster and fender then give it a tap with a hammer to knock the tab flat against the nut face.
Geez..... I didn't encounter much of an issue. I used either a long flat blade screwdriver, or a really short one. Lined it up with the tabs that needed bending/folding over and tapped them down with a hammer. I'm sorry I do not have more detail, but it was such a non-problem that I didn't ponder it very long.
Last edited by carriljc; Mar 10, 2019 at 11:21 PM.
Just went and checked mine and yes lock washer is there but is on upside down ,the bottom right angle part is on the top . Put that on the list of things to do this weekend.
I'd like to add a few pix from my reinstallation that might be helpful to others. '67 L79 4-speed...
#1. Engine side seal, ball stud and bushing went in easily. Engine side ball stud with rubber bushing mounted to block. No pic.
#2. Frame side first seal went in easily.
#3. Frame side second seal and ball stud went in easily.
#4. Frame side spring went in easily, but, it seemed odd that there was no channel for it to lock into. Only held by friction?
#5. Frame side stud, fully seated, seemed too low in the z-bar. Less than 3/8". Maybe it's just my z-bar.
#6. Frame side felt made it obvious something was not right. Again, maybe just my z-bar.
#6. Frame side of my z-bar pre-grinder. 11 1/8" down to 10 7/8". And, it seemed kinda odd, the chamfer at the end. Almost to a point.
I'm guessing my 11 1/8" z-bar was the right length at some point. Maybe the engine shifted the extra 1/4" over the decades? And, I'm sure the right answer would have been to lift the engine, replace motor mounts, etc. I went with the 10 minute grinder path. With the 1/4" shortened z-bar everything fit and the frame side nut could be tightened. If this is a bubba fix, I can live with it.
clutch Z bar question
Put that on the list of things to do this weekend. 
