Can anyone tell me how to adjust the clutch on a FL70? The freightliner garage wants $50, and don't know when they will have time to do it. I don't think it could be that hard to do, and I'm sure someone here has done it before. Any help would be appreciated.
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clutch adjustment
- Thread starter doe.mouse
- Start date
If your truck is still under warranty, have a shop do it. Check truck stops prices. We've had our adjusted for much less than $50! Drive Happy, Chris
FIFTY BUCKS IS ABOUT THE GOING RATE FOR A CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT. BUT ONCE YOU KNOW HOW TO ADJUST IT YOURSELF YOU'LL FIND THAT FOR THE LITTLE BIT OF LABOR INVOLVED IT IS A RIP OFF. BUT IN ANYTHING IF YOU LACK THE KNOW HOW OR THE TOOLS YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE. BUT ANYWAY IF YOU ARE MECHANICALLY INCLINED IT ISN'T THAT DIFFICULT. THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT CAN VARY IN THE CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE FOR YOUR FL70. THEY ARE NOT ALL THE SAME. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THE TYPE OF TRANSMISSION YOUR TRUCK HAS IN IT. A FULLY SYNCHRONIZED TRANS OR A NON SYNCHRONIZED TRANS WILL USE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CLUTCH. A SYNCHRONIZED TRANS WILL TYPICALLY USE A SINGLE DISC CLUTCH AND A NON SYNCHRONIZED TRANS WILL USED A DOULBLE DISC CLUTCH WHICH ALSO INCORPORATES A CLUTCH BRAKE. BUT TO KEEP THINGS SIMPLE AND NOT GET TO HIGH TECH. WE WILL ASSUME YOUR TRUCK HAS THE TYPICAL 6 OR 7 SPEED TRANSMISSION. THAT TRANS IS FULLY SYNCHRONIZED AND USES A SINGLE DISC CLUTCH. TO ADJUST THE CLUTCH IT WILL BE HELPFUL IF YOU HAVE A SECOND BODY TO ASSIST YOU. THE FIRST THING YOU WILL WANT TO DO IS. ENSURE THE ENGINE IS NOT RUNNING AND REMOVE THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION AND PARK BRAKE IS ON AND WHEELS ARE CHOCKED.(JUST SAFETY PRECAUTIONS) NEXT YOU WILL WANT TO REMOVE THE CLUTCH INSPECTION COVER LOCATED ON THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE BELL HOUSING ON THE TRANS. YOU WILL NEED A FLASHLIGHT TO SHINE UP INTO THE HOLE IN THE BELLHOUSING. YOU MUST LOCATE THE ADJUSTER ON THE CLUTCH PRESSURE PLATE. THIS IS WHERE YOUR HELPER WILL COME IN TO PLAY. TYPICALLY THE ADJUSTER WILL NOT BE VISABLE TO YOU. AND WILL REQUIRE TURNING OVER THE ENGINE UNTIL THE ADJUSTER ON THE PRESSURE PLATE IS POSTIONED TO WHERE YOU CAN ACCESS IT THREW THE INSPECTION HOLE. IN ORDER TO DO THIS YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE YOUR HELPER HOLD IN THE CLUTCH AND BUMP OVER THE ENGINE WITH OUT STARTING THE ENGINE UNTILL THE ADJUSTER IS LOCATED TO WHERE YOU CAN ACCESS IT THREW THE HOLE. YOU WILL HAVE TO WATCH THE CLUTCH AS YOUR HELPER BUMPS OVER THE ENGINE. WATCH WITH THE LIGHT UNTILL THE ADJUSTER IS LOCATED TO WHERE YOU CAN ACCESS IT THREW THE HOLE. MAKE SURE YOUR HANDS AND FINGERS ARE NO WHERE IN OR NEAR THE HOLE WHILE THE ENGINE IS BEING TURNED OVER. YOU SIMPLY JUST WANT TO SHINE THE LIGHT IN SO YOU CAN SEE THE ADJUSTER WHILE THE ENGINE IS BEING BUMPED OVER. THIS MAY TAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET THE ADJUSTER TO WHERE YOU CAN ACCESS IT. WHICH YOU WILL HAVE TO SIGNAL YOUR HELPER TO STOP WHEN IT REACHES THAT POINT. THEN AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION REMOVE THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION. THE ADJUSTERS ARE USUALLY ONE OF TO TYPES DEPENDING ON THE BRAND OF CLUTCH IN YOUR TRUCK. THE FIRST TYPE WILL LOOK LIKE THE LARGE HEX HEAD BOLT, THE OTHER TYPE WILL HAVE A RETAINER WITH A BOLT HOLDING THE RETAINER IN PLACE AND IN SOME CASES THE RETAINER WILL HAVE TWO BOLTS HOLDING THE RETAINER IN PLACE. ONCE YOU IDENTIFY THE TYPE OF ADJUSTER YOUR CLUTCH HAS THIS IS HOW YOU WILL ADJUST IT. THE TYPE WITH THE HEX HEX HEAD BOLT. YOU WILL NEED A WRENCH , TYPICALLY IT IS A 5/8 WRENCH. HAVE YOUR HELPER DEPRESS THE CLUTCH AND HOLD IT DOWN WHILE YOU PLACE THE THE BOX END OF THE WRENCH ON THE ADJUSTER. YOU WILL HAVE TO PUSH IN ON THE ADJUSTER WITH THE WRENCH FOR IT IS SPRING LOADED. YOU WILL NEED TO TURN THE ADJUSTER CLOCKWISE TO GAIN FREE TRAVEL IN THE CLUTCH PEDAL. TO ACHIEVE THE PROPER FREE TRAVEL YOU WILL HAVE TO TURN THE ADJUSTER SEVERAL FLATS AT A TIME. THEN HAVE YOUR HELPER RELEASE THE CLUTCH. THEN YOU WILL CHECK TO SEE THAT YOU HAVE A 1/8" CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE CLUTCH RELEASE FORKS AND THE CLUTCH THROW OUT BEARING. THIS WILL IN TURN GIVE YOU THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FREE TRAVEL IN YOUR CLUTCH PEDAL. THAT IS THE CORRECT WAY TO ADJUST IT. IF THAT IS OVER YOUR HEAD YOU CAN SIMPLY TRY TO ACHIEVE A INCH TO A INCH AND A HALF FREE TRAVEL IN THE PEDAL. HOWEVER THE 1/8" IS THE PROPER WAY. ONCE YOU GET THE ADJUSTMENT RIGHT, PUT THE COVER BACK ON AND YOU ARE DONE. THE OTHER TYPE OF ADJUSTER WITH THE RETAINER IS ADJUSTED THE SAME WAY. BUT REQUIRES YOU TO REMOVE THE RETAINER BOLT AND THE RETAINER. `AND INSTALLING A SPECIAL TOOL THAT THREADS INTO THE RETAINER BOLT HOLE AND THE TOOL IS USED TO TURN THE ADJUSTMENT RING ON THE CLUTCH UNTILL YOU ACHIEVE THE CORRECT ADJUSTMENT. THE TOOL IS AVAILABLE THREW SNAP-ON TOOLS/ MAC TOOLS OR ANY TOOL DEALER. THOUGH I DON'T ENDORSE IT. IT CAN ALSO BE DONE BY THREADING A BOLT INTO THE RETAINER BOLT HOLE AND USING A LARGE FLAT SCREWDRIVER TO TURN THE ADJUSTING RING. ONCE YOU GET IT ADJUSTED, REMOVE THE TOOL, REINSTALL THE THE RETAINER AND RETAINER BOLT AND THE INSPECTION COVER. IT ISN'T AS DIFFICULT AS IT SOUNDS. IT IS REALLY QUITE EASY TO ADJUST A CLUTCH. IF YOU COULD SEE SOMEONE DO IT FIRST YOU WOULD SEE HOW EASY IT IS. I COULD SHOW YOU ALOT EASIER THEN IT IS TO TRY AND EXPLAIN. I HOPE THIS INFO IS USEFUL TO YOU.