travis and keisur,

i've driving my 4runner w/ this spring 2 times since last night. the tension as i said is about 40% less than the brake return spring. there's no way i'd go back to the BRS. i'd definitely get the clutch return spring from the 2nd gen.

and yes, everything i've done to improve the shifting (clutch bushing, this spring and MT-90) has made driving a little more enjoyable. now the only two more things that i'm looking to replace are the shift lever seat and the master/slave cylinders (for that squeaking sound).

bob

 

the shift lever seat and bushing is easy, you'll notice it if the lever is sloppy. mine wasn't really sloppy but the new stuff tightened it up a bit. I was sort of dissappointed that the original seat and bushing wasn't in bad shape when I pulled it out. basically I really didn't need to do it.

 

I will have to look into doing the 2nd gen spring then
Thanks for the info

You will have to take the transmission out to get rid of the crickets. Those tranny's & T-case's are heavy!

 

Travis,

I like the crickets. That one I can live with. Its not really loud anymore. The last off roading trip may have shaken something back in its place

AZRain theorizes that its my clutch MC/SC from prior experience. I'm guessing he's right. That's next month's project.

Bob

 

Oh this must be another problem. :pat:

 

Thats a good idea, Bob! The bprs is a bit stiff....It is nice and quiet though, and it seems to hold the pedal against the clutch button pretty well(I believe the button is for disengaging cruise control when the clutch is depressed).

Do you think either of these things would be a problem with this new spring?

Does the new one have the same rubber shock absorber for quieting spring action?

I assume it clears everything under there ok?

I love to see this kind of innovation and refinement of a good idea!

 

Sucellus,

Yeah, innovation and refinement of the original mod is what's so damn cool about this forum.

I don't think the 2nd gen spring will have any problems at all. It would be great if someone could measure the distance from the L-shaped bracket hole to the clutch roll pin in a 2nd gen 4runner so i can compare. If the same or relatively same distance, i think this is a viable solution.

Yes, this 2nd gen spring has the rubber thing in it. But wait...the rubber thing is supposed to quiet the spring action? !!!!! Crap, I think its in my garage garbage can! To me, i don't think it makes a difference but if it does, I gotta do some fishing when i get home.

Yes, it does clear any of the parts with no problem. However, since i cut the bottom of the lever arm off w/ my dremel, its hard to say. I think there might be some contact even with this spring. However, since this spring is smaller in circumference, it presumably would contact it less. But we're talking a millimeter or two.

And if i didn't mention it before, it looks *very* similiar to the #70 spring that Unhappy posted in his first original post in this thread. I'd say its a little smaller in circumference and less coils in length. Its a pleasant tension. I'm going to buy another one as a spare soon too.

Bob

 

I am another "Happy" new spring on my clutch guy, and I can barely tell the difference.

You da man!

10 minutes, tops! I didn't even take the lower dash panel down, I just pryed the spring off and stuck the new one on.

 

Which spring did you use?

Thanks,
Mike

 

I used the #70 from True Value Hardware, it was the last one they had in stock. I got lucky.

 

Did toyota only use the spring/bushing thing on the 4runners? Because i just went out and looked on my '99 taco and it doesnt have one, it does have a factory return spring just like whats on the brake pedal

 

I decided to play with my clutch today to try and lighten the clutch pedal pressure. (98 taco)I remembered this post about the squeaking spring/broken bushing fix. The tortion spring that everyone talks about being a return spring i found out ISNT a return spring. The spring is there to give assistance in pushing in the clutch pedal rather than returning the clutch pedal. So you actually can remove the torsion spring and leave the clutch as is. Adding the #70 spring will make the pedal harder to depress.
So just to recap. The torsion spring is an assist spring to make the clutch pedal easier to depress. Its not a clutch pedal return spring. I wished i had known this because putting the torsion spring back in wasnt nearly as fun as taking it out.

 

that makes sense....since putting in a spring it is a bit harder to press.. i was down there the other day and took off my spring...the pedal still returns to the top.....what happens when the cluth wears down? will the pedal still return to the top?

 

Yes. The torsion spring is actually forcing the clutch pedal to the floor. Its counteracting the clutch return spring so removing the torsion will let the pedal return harder than if its installed. I will be calling Toyota today to get the exact specs on torsion srings through the various years. My taco is difficult to drive the way it is and i have been suffering with the excessive pedal pressure. I had to make a special tool to get that torsion spring back in so now i will be looking for a heavier torsion spring replacement.

 

Yes, the clutch pedal will always return, regardless of clutch wear. Just like your brake pedal returns, regardless of pad wear.

The torsion spring works in a compound manner, as a helper when pushed in, and as a final pedal return when let off. If you look at the lever arm and its rotation around the pedal axis, you will see it serves both purposes.

There is a piston return spring inside the clutch master cylinder as well. A few weeks ago, I removed my #70 linear pedal return spring to see if the pedal would stay up using only the master cylinder sping....It does. The cruise control switch hasn't tripped yet, and pedal pressure is a bit lighter without the linear return spring.

So, those of you who have done this mod, feel free to remove the linear return spring as well and test. Pedal feel is a bit sloppy until the clutch diaphram spring is engaged, but it works just fine.

 

So, what might be happening if the clutch pedal is not fully returning to it's top position. It doesn't hang down far, but it does fail to return enough so that clutch pedal button is not pushed thus the cruise control does not engage.

Just curious if anyone else out there has dealt with this sort of issue...

Thanks
-Mike

 

Just for the record, another '00 converted to the "ace hardware" spring. Though I got mine at Tacoma Screw...generic automotive spring 7/16" diameter, .047 wire...had to cut and bend the end to length...$0.98 and about 1.5 hours, including rerouting the CB wires so I don't kick them anymore (yeah..real professional installation). The clutch is a little firmer now but not bad and definately easier to drive.

 

Just ordered me a Taco spring, should pick it up on Friday along with a CV boot kit.

 

I did the spring conversion a while ago. Mine still squeeked after it was done. I had to take the whole assembly apart and clean it. I lubed it up with antisieze and put it all back together. No more squeek now.

Gadget

 

For the sake of keeping the thread alive:

I did the spring swap this past weekend. Mine still squeeks too, but I'm willing to put up with that. The plastic bushings were already fragged and close to falling out altogether. So at least I won't have to worry about that anymore.

I might just hack out the little spring perch thingie so it doesn't interfere with my new spring. Not a high priority though.