Quote:
Originally Posted by aristo
Just to make sure - what exactly is free play?
When you mean free play at the bottom is it the gap before the clutch begins to slip and engage the gear?
Likewise what would free play at the top be? The travel that occurs before the clutch disengages?
Thanks
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Top freeplay = "Clutch Disengaged" section - in this section, the clutch plate is completely pressed against the flywheel with enough force to prevent any slippage, therefore the engine and tranny are spinning together
Bottom freeplay = "Clutch Engaged" section 0 in this section, the clutch plate is completely disconnected from the flywheel, so regardless of how much the clutch plate is forced to move, the engine is spinning independently from the transmission
Think of the freeplay as safeties. Those areas are put in to ensure that all clutch pedals can be set to the same height regardless of manufacturing tolerances on the clutch plate itself. By lowering the pedal, you're effectively removing some of that safety margin, which is okay, as long as you leave a little bit. You just don't have to leave as much as the stock car comes with.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that over time, due to the clutch wearing, the section between "clutch starts engaging" and "Clutch fully engaged" will move downward towards the floor, requiring you to adjust the pedal upwards as needed to maintain your "Clutch Engaged" safety region.