clutch adjustment

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Gunslinger1$
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clutch adjustment

Post by Gunslinger1$ » Sun Apr 24, 2016 5:13 pm

Is there another way to adjust the clutch, other than the one on the foot basket?


Chuck W.
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Re: clutch adjustment

Post by Chuck W. » Sun Apr 24, 2016 7:16 pm

No. BUT.... I have used a Dorman parking brake cable adjuster on a few mules that had the clutch cable badly stretched and I didn't want to pull the engine to install a new cable.
You might also want to take a look at TM 5-2805-213-14, Section III on pressure plate measurement and adjustment.
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Gunslinger1$
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Re: clutch adjustment

Post by Gunslinger1$ » Mon May 09, 2016 3:04 pm

OK, I have adjusted the clutch cable at the foot basket in and out. When I get where I like when its engaging, the cultch acts like it doesn't want to engage all the way. When I get to where it feels like its engaging all the way, the pedal is almost all the way out. Before the one went bad the clutch would engage about 2 to 3 inches from the bottom. Hope this make since. Any suggestions?

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Re: clutch adjustment

Post by Chuck W. » Mon May 09, 2016 4:32 pm

Dave, did you read TM 5-2805-213-14, Section III on pressure plate measurement and adjustment? Only other thing I can think is to adjust it so that you know for sure that it is completely engaged and then run it that way for a while until the clutch disc "wears in" and then try re-adjusting it.

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Re: clutch adjustment

Post by Auto Shop teacher » Mon May 09, 2016 6:57 pm

Chuck, doesn't Dave need a little free play on the clutch to assure his throw out bearing isn't spinning all the time. From the photos of his clutch fingers, I would think it was spinning all of the time till the bearing failed taking out the pressure plate fingers.

Gunslinger1$
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Re: clutch adjustment

Post by Gunslinger1$ » Tue May 10, 2016 3:26 pm

What I have a hard time understanding is, it cant be that complicated. You pull the door open, you let it go and it closes. Either the cable is too long or too short. What am I missing here?

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Re: clutch adjustment

Post by muleman7 » Wed May 11, 2016 3:40 am

Not that difficult I will Post a reply to my suggestion with pics of my remedy for a Stubborn Mule Clutch Adjustment.
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Re: clutch adjustment

Post by muleman7 » Wed May 11, 2016 1:42 pm

Check your clutch disk and verify the the metal fingers have not warped and caused the clutch material to become wider.

New and Old Rejected Clutch Discs. If your clutch fingers are warped and the disc is too wide you will not have enough Pressure Plate finger movement to either fully release or engage the clutch.

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New Clutch Disc Width

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If the Disc is not the Problem then check the Pressure Plate Finger Height adjust if necessary.

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Clutch and Disc are OK then:

If your cable is short or Long and you are not able to tighten or loosen the cable threaded connector to obtain the correct clutch pedal adjustment use the following process to change the location of the clutch pedal bracket that the brake clevis attaches to.

Cable Short

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Remove the Clutch Bracket and pull the Clutch Pedal towards the side of the Foot Basket.

If the Cable is too long then you will need to heat the shaft and bend the Clutch Pedal to the rear this will move the Bracket further away from the Mule. Use Vise Grip pliers to hold the shaft and rotate the Pedal end.

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Pedal ready to move back

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Pedal moved back

The shaft tends to bend out of position so while it is still hot push it into the tubing and bend if necessary to allow smooth action.

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Do the opposite if the Cable is too Short

Ready to bend Forward

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I hope this helps those having Clutch adjustment problems.

Post, PM or e-mail if you need further help

Charles
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Gunslinger1$
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Re: clutch adjustment

Post by Gunslinger1$ » Wed May 11, 2016 3:19 pm

Thanks for the info. Some good ideas there!! Everything worked fine before the TO bearing froze up. The clutch disc was fine. The cable was fine, the adjustment was fine. I switched out the pressure plate and TO bearing. It seems the plate needs to checked for proper adjustment. Looks like I'll be pulling the engine back out again.

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Re: clutch adjustment

Post by Chuck W. » Wed May 11, 2016 3:29 pm

Dave, I'm sure you checked, but were both return springs intact? There's a large one around the cable behind the fork, and a small one attached to the TO bearing carrier. It's not unusual to find the large one broken.

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Re: clutch adjustment

Post by Gunslinger1$ » Wed May 11, 2016 6:17 pm

They both looked fine. But I'll recheck them when I pull the engine. Thanks Chuck

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Re: clutch adjustment

Post by Auto Shop teacher » Wed May 11, 2016 6:32 pm

Thanks Dave for asking the question, responses and photos from Charles and Chuck have been very informative. I am learning ALOT, thanks guys!

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Parking brake adjustment

Post by dketron » Sun Oct 20, 2019 5:34 pm

Chuck W. wrote:
Mon May 09, 2016 4:32 pm
Dave, did you read TM 5-2805-213-14, Section III on pressure plate measurement and adjustment? Only other thing I can think is to adjust it so that you know for sure that it is completely engaged and then run it that way for a while until the clutch disc "wears in" and then try re-adjusting it.


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