This Spring Makes Gear Shifts Easier & Clutch Pedal Wear After 10 Years of Learners

Summary

This video explores the intricate design and functionality of a clutch pedal, particularly one that has endured extensive use in a learner car. The host demonstrates how the pedal assists in smooth gear changes, explains the hydraulic system, and reveals the wear and tear on the pedal after 208,000 miles. The video concludes with a discussion on the decision to replace the entire pedal due to its worn components, highlighting the improved driving experience.

Takeaways

• 🚗 The clutch pedal discussed is from a learner car that has been used extensively, covering over 208,000 miles or about 330,000 km.
• 🔧 The pedal has been used more frequently than in a typical town-driven car due to its use in teaching driving, potentially equivalent to 1 million miles.
• 📚 Understanding the hydraulic system is crucial for grasping how the clutch pedal functions, involving the master and slave cylinders and the clutch release bearing.
• 🔧 Pressing the clutch pedal forces hydraulic fluid from the master cylinder, which then pushes on the slave cylinder, releasing the clutch.
• 🔄 The clutch pedal's design includes an over-center spring, which changes the pedal's weight at different points of travel for better control and feel.
• 🔍 The pedal's weight changes as you approach the clutch bite point, making it easier to determine when the clutch is engaged or disengaged.
• 🛠️ After years of use, the clutch pedal shows signs of wear, particularly in the pivot pin and bush of the master cylinder, affecting the pedal's smoothness.
• 🧐 The nylon bearings in the pedal show minimal wear despite extensive use, indicating a durable design.
• 🔧 Replacing worn parts like the master cylinder, pivot pin, and bush can restore the pedal's performance, but sometimes it's more practical to replace the entire pedal.
• 💰 The decision to replace the entire pedal was influenced by the difficulty of sourcing individual parts and the potential for improved performance and ease of installation.
• 👍 The video concludes with a recommendation for viewers to check out links for car insurance options, highlighting the benefits for learner drivers and car owners.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the clutch pedal discussed in the video?

The clutch pedal is a crucial part of a manual transmission vehicle that helps the driver change gears smoothly by disengaging and re-engaging the clutch.

How long has the clutch pedal in the video been in use?

The clutch pedal has been in use for 10 years and has covered over 208,000 miles, which is approximately 330,000 kilometers.

What is unique about the clutch pedal's design in the video?

The clutch pedal is designed to change its weight as the driver approaches the bite point, making it easier to tell when the clutch is fully engaged.

How does the clutch pedal's hydraulic system work?

The hydraulic system works by forcing hydraulic fluid out of the master cylinder when the clutch pedal is pressed, which then pushes on the slave cylinder to release the clutch.

What is the 'over center spring' mentioned in the video?

The over center spring is a part of the clutch pedal that provides a different feel to the pedal at different points of its travel, making it easier for the driver to locate the bite point.

Why was the clutch pedal in the video replaced?

The clutch pedal was replaced due to signs of wear and tear, such as the worn bush in the master cylinder and the play in the pivot pin, which affected the pedal's feel and smooth operation.

What is the significance of the clutch pedal's pivot pin and bush in the video?

The pivot pin and bush are critical components that connect the clutch pedal to the master cylinder. Wear on these parts can affect the smoothness and feel of the clutch pedal.

What did the narrator do to diagnose the wear on the clutch pedal?

The narrator stripped down the clutch pedal, examined the pivot pin, bush, and bearings for wear, and explained how these parts contribute to the pedal's performance.

Why did the narrator decide to replace the entire clutch pedal instead of just the worn parts?

The narrator decided to replace the entire clutch pedal because the individual parts were not available for purchase separately, and it was more efficient to replace the whole pedal in one go.

What was the outcome of replacing the clutch pedal?

After replacing the clutch pedal, the narrator found it to be much smoother and quieter than before, with a lighter feel, which improved the overall driving experience.

What additional information is provided in the video for those learning to drive or looking for car insurance?

The video provides information about Conwood and Confused.com for car insurance, offering discounts and the ability to compare multiple insurance quotes easily.

Outlines

00:00

🚗 Clutch Pedal Design and Usage

The video script begins by highlighting the unique design and durability of a clutch pedal that has been in use for a learner car for ten years, covering over 208,000 miles. The narrator explains how the pedal assists in smooth gear changes by changing its weight near the bite point, making it easier for drivers to identify when to engage the clutch. The script also delves into the basic hydraulics of how the clutch pedal operates, detailing the interaction between the master and slave cylinders, and the role of the diaphragm spring in re-engaging the clutch. The narrator emphasizes the importance of the clutch pedal's feel and the role of the over-center spring in providing a lighter touch at the bite point, enhancing the driving experience.

05:02

🔧 Clutch Pedal Disassembly and Wear Analysis

In this section, the narrator proceeds to disassemble the clutch pedal to assess its wear and tear after extensive use. The main pivot point and the nylon bearing are examined, revealing minimal play and a significant amount of white dust, indicating wear. The pivot pin for the master cylinder is identified as a significant point of wear, with the bush around it having turned to dust. The narrator demonstrates how the excessive play in the pin affects the pedal's feel, leading to a less smooth operation. The decision to remove the master cylinder to inspect the bush further is discussed, with the narrator noting the extensive wear and the need for replacement parts to restore the pedal to its optimal condition.

10:05

🛠️ Replacing Worn Components of the Clutch Pedal

The narrator continues by discussing the replacement of worn components in the clutch pedal assembly. After removing the cotter pins and pivot pin, the master cylinder is extracted, revealing significant wear on the pivot pin and the bush. The narrator observes that the nylon bush has worn away, causing the pedal to feel less smooth. The decision to replace not just the master cylinder and pivot pin but also the bearings is considered, given their wear. The narrator also mentions having a spare master cylinder from a previous incident, which influenced the decision to replace the entire pedal assembly. The script concludes with a discussion on the availability of replacement parts and the narrator's choice to replace the entire pedal for convenience and long-term reliability.

15:07

🏁 Final Thoughts on Clutch Pedal Replacement and Car Insurance

In the final paragraph, the narrator reflects on the decision to replace the entire clutch pedal and the benefits observed post-replacement, such as a smoother and quieter operation. The narrator also notes the unexpected reduction in the weight of the clutch pedal after the replacement. The video concludes with a recommendation for viewers to consider car insurance options, specifically mentioning Conwood and Confused as providers for learner drivers and those looking to insure their own vehicles. The narrator encourages viewers to use the provided links for insurance quotes, emphasizing the ease of comparison and the potential savings available.

Keywords

💡Clutch Pedal

The clutch pedal is a key component in manual transmission vehicles, allowing the driver to disengage and re-engage the clutch. In the video, the clutch pedal is highlighted for its special design and durability, having been used extensively in a learner car for 10 years and over 330,000 km without failure. The script describes how the pedal changes its weight near the 'bite point' to assist in smooth gear changes.

💡Bite Point

The bite point refers to the position of the clutch pedal where the clutch starts to engage, connecting the engine to the transmission. The video emphasizes the pedal's ingenious design that changes weight near the bite point, providing a tactile cue to the driver. This feature is crucial for smooth gear shifting and is a central theme in the video's demonstration.

💡Hydraulics

Hydraulics in the context of the video pertains to the system that uses brake fluid to operate the clutch mechanism. The script explains the basic hydraulic operation, where pressing the clutch pedal forces hydraulic fluid from the master cylinder to the slave cylinder, which in turn engages the clutch. Understanding hydraulics is essential for grasping how the clutch pedal functions.

💡Master Cylinder

The master cylinder is part of the hydraulic system and is responsible for converting the mechanical force applied to the clutch pedal into hydraulic pressure. The video script describes how the master cylinder pushes the slave cylinder when the clutch pedal is pressed, illustrating the role of the master cylinder in the clutch engagement process.

💡Slave Cylinder

The slave cylinder is the component that responds to the hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder and pushes the clutch release bearing, which in turn disengages the clutch. The video script mentions the slave cylinder as part of the hydraulic system that facilitates the clutch pedal's function.

💡Clutch Diaphragm

The clutch diaphragm is a spring-loaded component that, when pushed by the slave cylinder, disengages the clutch. The script uses the analogy of pressing fingers to explain how the clutch diaphragm works, emphasizing its role in the clutch's disengagement and re-engagement.

💡Over Center Spring

The over center spring is a part of the clutch pedal mechanism that provides 'feel' to the pedal, making it heavier at the top and lighter near the bite point. The video script describes how this spring changes the pedal's weight distribution, aiding the driver in identifying the clutch's bite point and facilitating smoother gear changes.

💡Wear and Tear

Wear and tear refer to the damage or deterioration that occurs due to use or age. The video script discusses the wear on the clutch pedal's pivot pin and bush, which affects the pedal's smooth operation. The concept of wear and tear is central to the video's exploration of the pedal's durability and the need for maintenance.

💡Nylon Bearing

Nylon bearings are used in the clutch pedal mechanism to reduce friction and ensure smooth operation. The video script mentions the nylon bearing as part of the wear and tear analysis, noting the presence of white bearing dust as evidence of the pedal's extensive use.

💡Pivot Pin

The pivot pin is a crucial part of the clutch pedal's pivot mechanism. The video script describes the wear on the pivot pin and its bush, which affects the pedal's feel and smoothness. The pivot pin's condition is an example of the wear and tear discussed in the video.

💡Maintenance

Maintenance in the video refers to the process of inspecting, repairing, or replacing worn parts to ensure the proper functioning of the clutch pedal. The script details the decision to replace the entire clutch pedal instead of individual parts due to the extent of wear and the unavailability of certain components, highlighting the importance of maintenance for vehicle performance.

Highlights

The clutch pedal is a special piece of design that helps the driver change gears smoothly.

The clutch pedal has been used extensively in a learner car for 10 years, covering over 208,000 miles.

The clutch pedal is used four to five times more per mile than a typical town-driven car.

The clutch pedal's design changes its weight when near the bite point, making it easier to identify the clutch bite point.

The clutch pedal's hydraulic system uses brake fluid and involves a master and slave cylinder.

The clutch pedal's diaphragm spring helps return the pedal to the top without needing a separate spring.

The over-center spring in the clutch pedal adjusts the pedal's weight, making it lighter at the bite point and heavier above it.

The clutch pedal's pivot point shows minimal wear, indicating potential for many more years of use.

The pivot pin for the master cylinder shows significant wear, affecting the smoothness of the clutch pedal.

The master cylinder's bush has worn away, causing a noticeable play in the pedal's movement.

The clutch pedal's bearings show minimal wear, suggesting they could last as long as the pedal itself.

The clutch pedal's nylon materials are prone to wear but provide a quieter operation compared to metal.

Replacing the clutch pedal and master cylinder can make the clutch feel lighter and smoother.

The decision to replace the entire clutch pedal was influenced by the difficulty of sourcing individual parts.

The new clutch pedal installation resulted in a smoother and quieter clutch operation.

The clutch pedal's design and wear analysis provides insights into its functionality and longevity.

The video concludes with a demonstration of the improved clutch pedal's performance after replacement.

Transcripts

there is more to this than meets the eye

yes it's a clutch pedal but it's quite

special for one just how much use this

one has had yet it's still in one piece

and it works well albeit not quite as

well as it did when it was new and also

it's an ingenious piece of design to try

and help the driver change gear smoothly

it changes its weight when you get near

the bite point so it's easier for you to

tell when you're at the clutch bite

point so in this video I'm going to

strip it down this manle it show you

what has survived and what hasn't and

I'm going to let you know how it works

firstly I need to clarify just how much

use this clutch pedal has had it's been

in this learner car for 10 years and

it's covered over 208,000 miles or about

330,000 km now you may be thinking lots

of cars do that these days and you're

right it's not the norm most cars are

scrapped long before that mileage in

Great Britain at least but it is very

possible for a car to go that far or

much further but this car has not done

mostly Motorway miles not much of the

miles have actually been on the motorway

neither has it been driven around town

normally it's been used by people who

are learning to drive people get in this

car and use this clutch pedal to

practice how to use it and I would

estimate that per mile driven this

clutch pedal has been used four to five

times more than than a typical Town

driven car not Motorway car but town car

so really this pedal was done the

equivalent of around about 800 to1

million miles or

1.6 million kilm I'm surprised it hasn't

turned to dust I was expecting it to a

long time ago in fact bits of it have

I'll get to that soon firstly I'm going

to show you how this clutch pedal can

help you change gear smoothly but before

I do that you need a basic understanding

of how the Hydraulics work only a basic

understanding though so this won't take

long this is the clutch pedal when you

press it down which is that way it

forces hydraulic fluid out of this

master cylinder they actually use the

brake fluid as the hydraulic fluid that

hydraulic fluid goes through this pipe

and pushes on the slave cylinder so the

master cylinder pushes the slave

cylinder the slave cylinder pushes the

clutch release bearing which pushes the

clutch diaphragm fingers that way on the

pressure plate which then brings the

pressure plate back this way so how does

pressing on the diaphragm fingers that

way bring the pressure plate back this

way well look at my

fingers if you push the top of my finger

this way it brings my Thum back you see

how that works and that is how pushing

on the clutch can actually bring the

clutch pressure plate back and release

the clutch the clutch is now disengaged

but these fingers are strong the moment

you let off the clutch pedal they want

to return to their rest position so I'll

demonstrate that now when you let off

the clutch pedal you are no longer

providing Force to the pressure plate so

the pressure plate Springs back to

normal pushes back into the clutch that

re-engages the clutch to the engine the

fingers also press the release bearing

back which pushes the slave cylinder

back and the fluid goes back down the

pipe into the master cylinder and pushes

the pedal back up to the top so you

don't actually need a spring on your

clutch pedal to get it to return to the

top when you let off the pedal the

diaphragm spring will do that for you on

the clutch pressure plate the spring on

this clutch pedal is there for clutch

feel this is the over Center spring and

watch how it compresses when I press the

clutch in a little bit and if I let go

of the clutch pedal the clutch pedal

Springs back up to the top but also

notice how it's pivoting now if I press

it down enough so it's about halfway

down so the clutch is near the bite

point now you can see the clutch isn't

springing back up to the top or the

bottom it's staying still and that's

because the spring is only acting on the

pivot point of the pedal it's not

pushing this up or down and you need to

push this bit up or down to move the

pedal if I was to lift the pedal up

slightly you can see this bit goes down

and when this is able and got enough

angle and it push that down it's going

to bring the pedal up quite quickly and

if I was to go halfway again it's going

to stay still so halfway is about there

and if I go slightly Beyond halfway it's

going to push this up forcing the pedal

down like so and I nearly traed my thumb

there keep my thumb on the outside of

that that was

close so you don't want your pedal to

fly down like that but it won't if this

was attached to the car you would always

have an upward force on this pedal from

the clutch pressure plate this is how it

will behave if it's attached to the car

what the over Center spring does is it

makes the clutch pedal heavier at the

top when I get to the bite point it's

noticeably lighter and when I press the

clut all the way down it's lighter still

this makes it easy for me to push the

clutch down the change gears but also it

makes it easy for me to hold the clutch

down for a few seconds if I'm waiting to

pull out of a junction because it's not

very heavy down here as I lift the

clutch up when I get to the bite point

it gets noticeably heavier that confirms

to me that I'm at the bite Point not

just the vibrations of the engine or the

fact we're moving but I got a difference

in the weight of the pedal to make it

easier for me to judge where that bite

point is and then when I'm above the

clutch bite point the pedal is heavier

yet confirming that the clutch is now

done don't rest on it not all clutch

pedals have a system like this some are

linear so they're the same weight at the

top of the pedal as they are at the

bottom some are heavy all the way

throughout some are light all the way

throughout some are in between some are

super light at the bottom and really

heavy at the top so as you get near the

bik point the pedal wants to throw you

off I haven't driven a car like that for

a while but I did drive some '90s Rena

that were like that I like a clutch

pedal to have a little bit of feel just

a little bit firmer near the bite point

just to communicate to me that I'm there

I don't need it but it's nice and it

certainly makes it easier for people who

are learning to drive now it's time to

strip this thing down to see how worn it

is after so much time this is the main

pivot point of the clutch as you can see

it's where it pivots and you can see

quite a lot of white dust in here from

the nylon bearing if I put my finger on

it you can see there look white bearing

dust there isn't actually a huge amount

of play there is a little bit but I

think there's years of life left in that

yet where this is really worn is this

pin here this pin is the pivot pin for

the master cylinder I don't think the

pin is warm very much but the bush that

goes around it I think that's turned to

dust there's quite a lot of white dust

down there you probably can't see that

so I'm going to take it out to show you

but the problem is when I push the

clutch down I can press it that much

before it actually starts to press the

master cylinder in doesn't affect how

the car drives it just means the clutch

pedal doesn't feel very nice because

when you press the clutch pedal down

it's not really smooth there's like a

little step of dead travel before it

then actually starts to work to take the

master cylinder out so we can see how

worn it is or how worn that bush is I

need to squeeze these two cotter pins in

and push them out and squeeze these two

tabs of the pivot pin in and push that

out too and then hopefully the master

cylinder will come out the back and

we'll see how much of that bush is

remaining so I've removed these two

cotter pins and this pivot pin and you

can see there's a lot of wear on this

pivot pin and in fact there's a lot of

black plastic on it as well which

suggests that the bush here is worn away

and the black plastic of the master

cylinder is pushing against this and

there's a lot of white dust about from

the bush I believe that bush has turned

to dust let's take this out and have a

look at the bush

oh yeah look at that can you see that

how worn away that bush is there's Bush

at the top but not really much at the

bottom in fact I can see some black

plastic there and some black plastic in

there as well which explains why there's

black plastic on this pin because it's

been pushing against the black plastic

instead of the Bush this should be snug

and it's not moves around this does

pivot as it should the um Bush but look

how much play there is in that pin I can

move the pedal a lot before it actually

starts to move the piston so this pin is

connected to the pedal when you move the

pedal this pin moves and it moves the

piston and there's a lot of play there

before the Piston moves which explains

why the pedal felt so bad now you could

say that this should be made out of

metal and well maybe you're right but

then it would squeak you could grease it

but that would dry out and you'd need to

regrease it again which means taking

this off the car to get to it CU you

can't regrease it when it's attached to

the car and taking it off and putting it

back on probably about 3 hours for

someone who knows what they're doing so

a lot of people aren't going to bother

that and you're just going to end up

with a squeaky pedal so I'm actually

quite glad it's made of nylon it does

mean it's going to wear out eventually

but most cars most clutch pedals in most

cars are never going to see that amount

of use before well they're scrapped for

some other reason so I think overall

it's quite a good design but I do an

abnormal amount of use now I'm going to

see how this has worn how the bearings

here have worn by taking that apart to

do that I think I need to twist this

this way which means I need to lift

these up at the same time as twisting

then pull it out and then we'll see what

they look like okay so I've Twisted this

which did break off one of these and it

did say in the workshop manual that that

may break and I'm going to pull it out

and oh white nylon bear ing dust a lot

of it let's see if I can get this pedal

out now it should just oh there we go

again very

easy dust is falling on the cardboard

these are the bearings and you can see

actually if you can see that there it's

quite clean here and this isn't worn at

all so this bearing does stay still this

bearing doesn't turn here it

turns here which is good it means it

only wears on one end it doesn't

actually wear this plastic pedal so if

you wanted to replace this you could

replace these bearings and this pin and

then it'll be back like new and on this

side as well yep again this bearing

hasn't spun round it's been fairly

stationary but looks things no wear on

it but a lot of wear on the inside

however as I said earlier there wasn't

much play in it it is worn but not badly

I think there's a lot of life in this

left yet a lot of life left in this yet

should I say you can see the bearing

there there is a bit of play but it

wasn't affecting the use of the pedal it

wasn't rocking from side to side maybe

not as good as new but it could probably

do as long as it's done again I would

guess so not a big problem there and we

got this part of the pedal here this bit

here which goes on this over Center

spring which has now come out nice and

that doesn't look very badly worn either

yeah there's no grooves worn in here a

little bit a little bit of a Groove a

little bit of GrooVe there considering

the force of the spring as well it's

quite a strong spring I'm surprised

they're not worn more and this isn't

worn away that still fits in there well

and pivots nicely and then on this bit

here you've got these little bushes

don't know how to take these out yet I

think I can I might just have to figure

this out and come back to you these

weren't too difficult at the end they

just took a little bit of a technique

squeeze at the back like that and then

they pushed out like so these sit in

here in these little holes there to

protect this bit of plastic whilst this

sits in there and pivots and of course

this bit's not worn because they're

there to protect it but then these

aren't worn either and neither is this

these little shafts on the end so I

didn't need to replace any of this in

fact all I was planning to place was my

master

cylinder and the pivot pin including the

bush inside the master cylinder and then

I was thinking actually whilst I'm

taking it out it's probably a good idea

to replace any bearings so any of these

bearings and any pins and maybe even

this spring assembly uh just in case it

is worn cuz I didn't know until I got it

out but I ended up buying a whole pedal

for £400 I was thinking all these bits

going to be too much and I actually had

one of these knocking around um so I

think I should probably explain why I

ended up replacing the whole pedal when

all I needed was a few plastic bits and

I already had the main bit as a spare

anyway so why is it then I have a spare

Master of the knocking around as you do

well it's because in 2017 my slave the

failed and I thought it'd be a good idea

to have one of these just in case this

fails it's ready to be fitted and there

won't be too much downtime in lessons

and my plan was actually to fit it when

I have a chance just to play it safe

truth is I had plenty of chances to fit

this but I don't like working down there

I always had better things to do when I

replaced the clutch pedal my back was

sore and stiff for 6 days I had

scratches all over my arms and putting

my arms up in places where I can't see

and the sharp things still got one scab

coming away now so yeah I really didn't

want to replace this and it was never

urgent but from the last winter we just

had it started to get a bit more urgent

because when the car was cold it started

to Creek

like clutch would Creek when the cabin

was cold once the cabin got warm the

creek went away so I was

thinking let's just pay someone to fit

it and then job done don't have to worry

about it but then I thought a bit more

and thought what if it's not this that's

at fault or obviously this is badly worn

it's been used so much what if there's

something else that's worn so I had a

look under there put a torch on the

pedal could see a lot of white dust and

I was thinking yeah that pedal does need

some work let's overhaul it completely

let's get all the bushes and pins and

the bearings and give it a re a refresh

to make sure it's going to be fine went

to say it ask for those parts no we

can't sell you those parts we can only

sell you this bush for2 but the rest of

the parts you can't get you have to buy

a whole new pedal if you want those

parts so I had two options one was to

replace this and hope that the pedal was

nice and smooth and quiet and risk

taking the pedal out twice which I did

not want to do or replace the whole

pedal brand new job done in one go so I

decided a bit of a compromise I thought

okay I'll buy the whole new pedal but

I'll fit it myself and the money I'll

save and paying someone to fit this I

know I could fit this myself as well but

the way I did it in my head is the money

I Sav in paying someone to fit this I'll

put towards the pedal and I know the

job's done in one go and I'm actually

quite pleased because the pedal is so

much smoother I don't remember it being

this smooth from new but also it's quiet

but it's lighter as well I didn't expect

replacing the pedal and the master

cylinder to make the clutch lighter but

it has and when I've been driving a new

petrol manual car and I've got back into

this one quite often I feel like they

don't really Drive much different they

kind of Drive the same cars petrol

manual cars haven't moved on much in the

last 10 years but what I did notice when

I got back into this car was how heavy

and rough my clutch was

now it's nice and smooth so I'm happy I

spent the money I'm happy I did the job

I just need to figure out what to do

with this thing but I hope you found the

video interesting and how the clutch

pedal can actually make it easier for

you to feel the bite point and change

gear and just how worn a clutch pedal is

after that much use I was certainly very

interested in that I'm glad I replaced

it looking at these bits of all this

dust yeah probably why this one feels so

much better now if you did find it

interesting give the video a thumbs up

and if you're looking for car insurance

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Confused in the description if you're

learning to drive and want to ensure

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owner's policy and that takes away a big

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