mmcpeck

Got a '92 Pickup 5spd a couple of months ago, and I find shifting it to be kind of a pain.

The tranny shifts fine, it's just that you have to have the clutch pedal all the way to the floor, basically crushed into the carpet, for it to shift smooth, otherwise it's nothcy and 1st is a pain unless you get that pedal down.

The problem is that right to the left of the pedal is the edge of the wheel well and it's really close to the pedal, so everytime I push the clutch down my foot bottoms out on the wheel well and I don't quite get the clutch all the way to the floor.

I have to consciously think on every shift, to kind of twist my foot and almost use the toe of my shoe to push the clutch all the way down into the carpet, especially going into 1st.

Anyone else have this problem? I don't have huge feet, but I guess maybe these things weren't designed to be the most comfortable trucks or were just designed for the people in the country that made them.

Anyway just wondering. Seems like maybe my clutch shouldn't have to go that far down to disengage.

Thanks.

Magnusian

According to my Haynes manual (a good, but definitely not exhaustive reference) the clutch pedal's "free play" or distance you must depress the pedal before it has any affect on the clutch is between 13/64 and 39/64ths of an inch. As well, for your model it states that the height of the pedal (with your foot not on it) should be 6 and 13/64ths inches from the centre of the rubber pad to the floor. Check to see if it's at the right height, if not there is a locknut on the pedal you can loosen to adjust the height (make sure to re-tighten it). If that doesn't help, you may have to bleed the clutch master cylinder (does it feel "mushy" when you press down?) as there could be air in the lines which would definitely require you to push the pedal down all the way.

Hope this helps, I'm still a "newb" at this myself, though I did help my dad replace the clutch in his old pickup a couple times as a kid.

blueyota38

yea i agree with you Magnusian. sounds like the clutch is just out of adjustment. Just get a little play in the top of the pedal then you wont have to press it all the way to the floor. I have the easiest clutch ever to push in my pickup.

yoterr

yup mine too, should only have to be depressed about half to 3/4 of the way down

mmcpeck

Yeah I always thought it shouldn't have to go to the floor to fully disengage, maybe like 3/4 of the way.

I never understood why freeplay is neccesary or what it had to do with disengaging the clutch.

I am gonna check all of the measurements though.

camo31_10.50

lmfao i got like 1.5" of free play in my pedal..hahaha..i have to push it about a little more than 3/4ths the way down before it disengages..but i have to let ALMOST all the way off before it really catches?? lol

im gonna adjust mine sometime and bleed the clutch master cylinder and see what happens then

mmcpeck

So more freeplay would make it harder to disengage the clutch?

I took a quick look at mine this morning, didn't measure it, just a quick look and it didn't seem to have excessive freeplay, but I guess I will have to measure it to be sure.

Magnusian

More freeplay would mean you have to move the peddle more before the clutch disengages, not necessarily "harder" but more overall movement, if it's excessive, then you might not have enough space to move the pedal to full disengage the clutch. The freeplay is kinda the "loose" movement, where it's easy to move the pedal before you start to really feel anything. Just try it with your hand, it's about the distance you can readily move the pedal without having to really push.

If your freeplay is off there's a locknut on the clutch master cylinder pushrod. Just loosen it and rotate the rod until you have the right amount of freeplay, and then re-tighten.

If the freeplay isn't excessive then the height of the pedal overall could be off, so check that too. If it isn't that then you likely have some air in there somewhere, try bleeding the master cylinder. If you don't know how to do the bleed, there's service manual links around here somewhere, it's a relatively simple process though you'll need an extra pair of hands.

TNRabbit

MAKE SURE you're clutch pedal bracket under the dash isn't cracked before you go adjusting it... But my foot is too HEAVY for the gas pedal~

mmcpeck

Yeah I pretty much thought that was what the freeplay was, just don't understand what it's purpose is, or how it would get out of adjustment.

mmcpeck

TN....I checked the bracket while I was under there, and it is all set, no cracks.

Jay351

Somebody else adjusting it when they shouldnt have?

How old is your clutch??

I always press my clutch down to the floor... always have

mmcpeck

Yeah it's not a matter of having to just go to the floor, it's that when it gets down there you have to really cram it into the floor or else you get a real notchy shift and it's tough to get into 1st.

Monochrome

I have the exact same problem, and my clutch measurements are fine according to factory standards. I'm going to bleed the clutch as my next step. I don't think I have very large feet either, only size 12, but I feel like I have to push super hard otherwise it will be notchy or I'll grind gears. It's fine when it gets into gear.

Jay351

Have you inspected the shifter seat and bushing in the shifter?

Monochrome

No, I didn't think of that (maybe the OP did?). I assume that process is in the FSM, lest we discuss searchable/FSM'able instructions...

TORTIS

iTrader: (1)

I have some nerve damage in my left foot so I built a wider pedal that bolted on to the orinial pedal to relieve the pressure off the ball of my foot. Yes, I am a .....

mmcpeck

Yeah I was actually just reading another post about the shifter seat and bushing, and was thinking I should replace them. The truck just turned to 99K and it's a '92, so I assume it the original seat and bushing in there.

How hard is it to do on a '92? I helped my friend do it on his '89 4Runner and it was a pain having to push down on that spring and turn it to get it out, but I have seen people saying it's not too bad. What all does it involve?

isaac338

I replaced my shifter bushing because of notchy shifting and it didn't do a damn thing. I've just come to the conclusion that my transmission clicks and clunks between gears and there's little I can do (I've changed the fluid, ran extra fluid, changed the clutch and all clutch hydraulics, adjusted the pedal, no change).

As a stupid question, are you running (potentially thick) rubber floor mats that might get in the way of the pedal? Try taking them out and driving around for a day - you might be surprised?

mmcpeck

No, I don't have any floor mats in it.

I think I will bleed the system and put the shifter seat and busing in, provided it's not as much of a pain as that '89 I did.