Hey y'all. We drive (mostly on roads without towing anything) our '94 4-Runner and have had no problems till this past Spring. The Toy had 250,000+ miles on her. Noticed that the clutch was starting to slip so came on the boards here and elsewhere to ask for recommendations for a clutch replacement.

Got the LUK heavy duty clutch. Installed and was good but there was one issue we could not get around. When you step your foot on the pedal to disengage the clutch, well, you had very little clearance between the pedal at the bottom of its depression and the floor. Maybe 1/4 inch at most. The clutch adjustment is fully out for maximum slave cylinder travel. And that wheel well on the left did not help the problem any, either, but got in the way of compressing all the way to the floor to release the clutch. Flywheel was resurfaced during install (actually twice but that is a long story).

This past week was a killer. Wife stopped at the mailbox on her way in home and the Toy refused to go into gear. Only would with engine stopped. Had to stop engine to change gears. I replaced the bolt and nut on the clutch pedal with a pin to help the problem and adjusted the clutch pedal push rod out to the max., but last night found that the clutch is dragging so much during normal idle that I'm down to very low idle speed. Almost impossible to get into gear now. Don't want to ruin the tranny because of this lousy clutch.

Any suggestions beside getting new clutch? Again...what kind? Right now, I'm prime to go OEM. Any other parts to replace while I'm at it?

Thanks in advance for the wisdom.

 

all the brackets are broken under the dash where the clutch pedal pivots.

 

No. They are all solid. Sorry....

 

Did you take the bracket out and inspect it? This stupid bracket cracks on a lot of runners, and most of the time you cant see a crack until you take the bracket all the way out. I just replaced mine the other day after I was unable to get out of the car wash for because my truck wouldnt go into gear. It is amazing the difference. Before i was lucky if i was getting 1/2-3/4 inch of movement, now ive got inches (okay that sounded dirty) I would say take the bracket out and visually inspect the ENTIRE thing. Its a pain in the arse, and expensive if you buy the toyota replacement ($190).

It could be something else im sure, but i would make sure to check this out first, since it sounds a lot like the same problem.

 

Sorry to do a lil Hi Jack here, but do you have any words of wisdon for taken the bracket off and out. My constantly squeaks (No its not the bushings they're fine) mine kind of coincides with my brake a little bit, if I just push the clutch I don't get much creaking noise, but when I press the brake, or brake/clutch I get some creaking. It kind of seems like that bracket is squeaking/creeking against the firewall.

I've checked it several times and there doesn't appear to be any cracks in it anywhere. My clutch pedal feels great and I can adjust it either way plenty.

 

I have looked under the dash at the bracket while pushing the clutch by hand. Everthing is moving that should and not anything like pivot points is moving. This clutch has been a disaster since I had it installed. It is heavier duty than the stock clutch and the 0.020" step on the flywheel had to be machined off to get it to disengage at all (the instructions with the clutch neglected to mention this).

**Just in case anyone was wondering, I highly do NOT recommend a LUK Pro Gold clutch for a TOY.**

This seems a lot like the clutch disk has glazed and now drags significantly. OR the other possibility that occurs to me is that the marcel spring in the disk has actually warped more an now can't disengage all the way.

SO....we should get an OEM clutch for this paved road sweetie, right?

 

Is the clutch hard to press? I know sounds stupid but it is probably the slave cylinder, master cylinder, or a bent clutch fork! Heavy duty clutch usually means heavy duty pressure plate with stronger than factory springs and fingers on the pressure plate. Which means more pressure to engage the pressure plate adding stress to the factory master, slave cylinders and the clutch fork. This added stress bends the fork or blows out the seals in the cylinders. Usually you need somekind of upgrade for a heavy duty clutch! Just my .02!

 

This may be too little too late!!! But it sounds like you didn't install a shim kit when you replaced your clutch. The more you machine the FLYWHEEL, the bigger SHIM you have to add!! If you machined it TWICE on this last one you should have put in a 0.050 or 50 thousandths shim at the very least. Once you put it in the clutch will return to where it was before!!

 

I was having the same problem with my 4runner and it did turn out that the bracket that the clutch pivot mounts to is cracked. Now I am attempting to remove the bracket, but I cannot find a parts diaram that shows that bracket anywhere. Is there a website I can go to that has a diagram that shows the bracket?

 

Fyi.... the new disk is thick and that seems to put the pedal release near the floor. I would suggest a couple of burnouts to mate the surfaces. I got a Chinese disk the was over spec, it took a couple of weeks for it to get thinner and work properly.

 

I don't have a solution but I have the same clutch as the OP. It is very stiff, and initially the pedal was very close to the floor. After 3500 miles it seems about normal.

 

Hey Guys,

Im not ure if this is the correct place to post my issue or not, please delete if it is in the wrong spot or please provide some direction as to where I should post it. thank you

Ok, i have a 1993 toyota 4runner, and just recently the from a stand still, in Neutral, I press in the clutch pedal and go to put it into first, but it shifter wont go into first.
I either have to really force it in, or put it into 4th then 2nd and then it goes into 1st.

This is really concerning!!!

can anyone please help or provide some different solutions?

thank you
james

 

Check clutch master cylinder fluid level and bleed system first.

Check for clutch pedal bracket fatigue.

 

I appreciate the advice,
On my lunch break i will check the fluid,

what would i be looking for if the pedal is fatigued? any obvious indicators?

how difficult is it to bleed the fluid?

cheers

 

There are two surfaces on the flywheel,


1) Clutch disk friction surface.
2) Clutch pressure plate surface. (Where it bolts to flywheel)


There is a small difference between them. If they are resurfaced to the same level, you will have the problem described.


I learned this from experience. I was too cheap to buy a new flywheel which in 1996 was about $300 aftermarket. Now you can get them for low $.


BTW, when I did the clutch in 1996, I used a HD and regretted since. A few years ago I bought a ASIN kit on Ebay. Plate, Disk, TO Bearing, Pilot bearing, alignment tool. I also bought a new flywheel and it works absolutely perfect and easy on the leg/foot.