Heavy Clutch Pedal and Little Movement?

When I got my '95 Disco 1 the clutch pedal was quite low, it only has around 4" movement to the floor and is very heavy. It's so low it doesn't get to the point where the return spring pops the pedal right the way back out.

I got in a few days ago and the pedal was on the floor.

I've bled the clutch today and got it back to how it was but it doesn't feel right although it does work.

I don't think it is losing any fluid.

It almost feels like there is a lot of resistance, it feels more like your applying a lot of pressure and getting no movement (but there obviously is some).

Any ideas what this could be and how to test it? Could the slave cylinder be failing? I don't want to go down the clutch & lever route if it's not necessary. With the pedal working so low the bite point is good.

Also considering the system is hydralic, the first 2/3 of the pedal have no hydralic feel at all so when the pedal does pop fully back where is this movement coming from?

It maybe your clutch fork on it's way out, the pivot arm wears through the fork and then your knackered, it's either engine out or gearbox out to replace a £10 part!

I thought about that but it wouldn't explain how bleeding it could get some of the pedal back.

Is the pushrod connected to the slave cylinder, if I took the slave out is there a way to test it and is it possible to inspect the clutch fork in any way?

it sounds as though your pivot post is almost through the clutch fork to me, its giving you more pedal when you bleed it because the piston in the slave cylinder is almost coming out inside your bellhousing allowing fluid to escape in an attemt to reach your clutch fork. if your fork was normal your slave cylinder piston wouldn't have to travel that far. I repaired my own fork when mine went with a bit of 5mm plate i even welded a bit over the back of the pushrod pin end. Never go again!!! lol

barrow_matt said:

I thought about that but it wouldn't explain how bleeding it could get some of the pedal back.

Is the pushrod connected to the slave cylinder, if I took the slave out is there a way to test it and is it possible to inspect the clutch fork in any way?

Click to expand...

the pushrod is fixed into the gearbox with a clip inside.... unfortunatelly u cand inspect the clutch's mechanical components without removing the gearbox.

Take off slave and see how much push rod is sticking out of bell housing-if it is only proud by a few mm,I would suspect the fork is punching thru,if however you have around an inch or so(can't remember exactly ,but at least half a slave length)Then fork is ok.I would then look at master cylinder,when the bore gets cruddy,piston doesn't return fully.
But as your pedal seems very hard,sounds like fork to me-sorry mate

biolandy said:

Take off slave and see how much push rod is sticking out of bell housing

Click to expand...

I'll give that a try.

I was driving it without any problem, it was then parked up for a couple of days and when I got in again the pedal was on the floor so it didn't happen during use.

Making progress I hope, took the slave cylinder off tonight and the pushrod was protruding by around 1" which is promising. There was a lot of play in the pushrod, probably 1/4" back and forth, is this right? Looking in Haynes there isn't much info.

Another piece of useful info if anybody is able to help would be how much movement should there be in the slave cylinder, when I took mine out the pedal dropped to the floor so when refitting it was about 3/4 - 1" off, I didn't realise at first but when I looked and pulled the pedal up it fit again fine. Is this the correct amount of movement?

Thanks to all for your advice, learning a lot very quickly around here

ther is alot of movement in pushrod clip holding it ,it barely holds it in place ,pedal shouldnt drop unless pressed it should have spring holding it up ,if pushed down without resistance it can go over centre and stay down ,i would think about new slave and master especially if black deposit in bottom of revervoir

jamesmartin said:

pedal shouldnt drop unless pressed it should have spring holding it up

Click to expand...

The pedal is so low it doesn't come back beyond the point where the spring takes over. It will come up if lifted though which doesn't seem right for a hydralic system. Maybe this is pulling air into the system hence why it completely went on me

I think it's best to go with the master/slave cylinder replacement having tried all this.

i too have a similar problem with my defender but its still driveable

even if rods and arm are retreating into bellhousing a good hydraulic system would make up on next press of pedal upto the point piston popped out of slave cylinder

How difficult is it to fit a slave cylinder?

tomo-tdi said:

How difficult is it to fit a slave cylinder?

Click to expand...

Should be really simple, it's only held on with 2 bolts and the fluid pipe. Then it's just a case of re-bleeding.

I think the master cylinder is more likely to be at fault, i'm going to check the pedal linkages for anything silly before ordering replacements

Getting the clevis pin in and out is an absolute scream-long nosed pliers and half an hours yoga first to make yourself supple helps !!

biolandy said:

Getting the clevis pin in and out is an absolute scream-long nosed pliers and half an hours yoga first to make yourself supple helps !!

Click to expand...

Nah, do what my hubby does, get a small, skinny doris to do it while you have a beer and some sarnies.

Master and Slave Cylinder replaced, got both still connected off ebay for £20 in good clean condition. Seems to be sorted now, a bit spongy but i'll give them a bleed in the day or two.

Two points to not for anyone doing this job:

1. Getting the top bolt out the master cylinder is hard work for access, I probably should've removed the fuel filter but instead I used a big screwdriver to lever off the reservoir bottle clip, then easy with a socket. Refitted with a bent 13mm spanner.

2. Clevis pin into clutch pedal, wasted over half an hour trying before google. The tip is don't bolt the master cylinder to the bulkhead, with it unbolted and the pedal to the floor the pin goes in with relative ease although still a bit fiddly (I'm lucky to have girly computer fingers, might be harder if you work hard for a living )

barrow_matt said:

Master and Slave Cylinder replaced, got both still connected off ebay for £20 in good clean condition. Seems to be sorted now, a bit spongy but i'll give them a bleed in the day or two. Might sound stupid but do you bleed the clutch with the master cylinder reservior cap off? I have a non-return valve bleed kit.

Two points to not for anyone doing this job:

1. Getting the top bolt out the master cylinder is hard work for access, I probably should've removed the fuel filter but instead I used a big screwdriver to lever off the reservoir bottle clip, then easy with a socket. Refitted with a bent 13mm spanner.

2. Clevis pin into clutch pedal, wasted over half an hour trying before google. The tip is don't bolt the master cylinder to the bulkhead, with it unbolted and the pedal to the floor the pin goes in with relative ease although still a bit fiddly (I'm lucky to have girly computer fingers, might be harder if you work hard for a living )

Click to expand...

Clevis pin is even more funny when you drop it between bulkhead and carpet-then it magically disappears

biolandy said:

Clevis pin is even more funny when you drop it between bulkhead and carpet-then it magically disappears

Click to expand...

I dropped it on removal into the bit there the steering column bracket is, luckily my skinny fingers got it out.

Definitely though, master cylinder unbolted, pedal to the floor, no pliers required. You also get a bit of light through the bulkhead too which helps.

Glad you are sorted,looks like not the fork this time-probably waiting for the weather to get colder and darker before that happens-did my box out in the snow and frost-yum