Clutch Feel - Comments Please.

[vf34 Member Find all posts View Profile Close vf34]

Hey Guys

I have a '08 D4D 6sp manual. Recently I had an emergency stop experience with a young girl cutting in in front of me with the car ahead hitting the skids. Anyway after this incident my clutch feel has changed, it feels dead, when pushing the pedal it's not uniform there is a slight heaviness mid way down and also the take up has dropped. I suspect when I did the emergency brake I didn't push the clutch in at the same time, the car slowed but not to a dead stop maybe the clutch is out of adjustment now causing my problem. What does everyone else think or is it a sign of pending doom?

I'm thinking of changing out the clutch fluid?

My D4D has just covered 20,000km's and it was reported to Toyota Servicing at the 20k service, the mechanic said it was fine however I think otherwise.

Thanks for your comments in advance.

Cheers

Nick

[05oiler Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 05oiler]

Re: Clutch Feel - Comments Please.

I had a similar problem with mine. It just developed over a period of time and felt pretty much like yours. I reported it at the 20,000km service and was told it was normal. It got a little worse and I wanted it to be right for my Simpson Desert trip. So I took it back and managed to get the mechanic to check it whilst I was there. He agreed and they fixed it at the 30,000 km service. They re-bled the system and adjusted it and it has been good ever since. Completed the trip and now passed 40,000 km without any further problems. All work done by the local Toyota dealer.

Regards

Garry

[vf34 Member Find all posts View Profile Close vf34]

Re: Clutch Feel - Comments Please.

Thanks Garry, I'll try the bleed and see what happens.

I read on the "Clutch Slippage" thread that there is no adjustment for the hydraulic clutch??? Can anyone confirm this?

[samo Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close samo]

Re: Clutch Feel - Comments Please.

yep no adjustment what so ever, so if ya pedal feels funny all ya can do is bleed it and hope for the best, when you have a new clutch installed it will take up just off the floor and when the clutch is buggered it will take up when the clutch pedal is almost all the way out, if it doesnt slip, which mine did. cheers samo

[vf34 Member Find all posts View Profile Close vf34]

Re: Clutch Feel - Comments Please.

Thanks Samo, bleed it is.

[05oiler Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 05oiler]

Re: Clutch Feel - Comments Please.

Hello Nick, I went to the dealer today to check my service record. They bled the clutch line and adjusted the pushrod. Whilst there is no adjustment down on the clutch end, there is adjustment at the clutch pedal end. This adjustment ensures that there is not too much play or that the travel is correct.

Regards

Garry

[vf34 Member Find all posts View Profile Close vf34]

Re: Clutch Feel - Comments Please.

Thanks Garry.

I've been reading this http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/mainte...chmaintenance/

It does display a left hand toyota however the components are similar, but like you said the only adjustment is for pedal play.

Nick

[Ben Thair Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Ben Thair]

Re: Clutch Feel - Comments Please.

Hey 05oiler,

When they bled the clutch did that change the way the clutch pedal felt.

I have just bought a second hand 07 D4D Manual that has a very heavy clutch and was wondering if there was anyone else out there with a heavy clutch??

[dereki Member Find all posts View Profile Close dereki]

Re: Clutch Feel - Comments Please.

Depends on what you mean by heavy.. I have a standard duty clutch in mine, (quite new) and yes, it is a lot harder to push than say a Suzuki swift.. ie when I drove a swift recently I was scared the clutch actuation mechanism had broke it was that light in comparison. :shock: If the prado has a heavy duty clutch, even heavier to press I guess.

[05oiler Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 05oiler]

Re: Clutch Feel - Comments Please.

Hello Ben Thair, the issue with the clutch was that it was not smooth and even in the pressure as it was depressed. The bleed and adjust made it feel smooth again. I have driven many vehicles, some are heavier and some are lighter. I don't particularly find it heavy but I wouldn't call it light.

Regards

Garry

[Davros Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Davros]

Re: Clutch Feel - Comments Please.

I don't particularly find it heavy but I wouldn't call it light.

I think that describes the 6 speed clutch very accurately.

[Ben Thair Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Ben Thair]

Re: Clutch Feel - Comments Please.

My clutch is quite a lot heavier than my V6 Triton, so much so that after driving in town for 10 minutes my leg gets sore. I took it to Toyota and asked them about it and 1 guy said it felt the same as his and then his boss said that it was not normal and that they need to pull the gearbox out and check it out.

My concern is that if they pull the clutch out and say that the problem is because the clutch is worn (they have already hinted this) then I will be up for a new clutch prematurely ( 44k on the clock) and from reading other discussions on clutch replacement it is probably unlikely that it will be covered under warranty.

I am trying to find out if the heaviness of the clutch is in the range of normal (for Prado's) or not. If it is normal I will not take it in to get looked at. To me it feels like I am driving a truck not a modern 4WD.

[ronson Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close ronson]

Re: Clutch Feel - Comments Please.

Hi Ben. I have purchased an 07 prado diesel 6 speed manual recently after having driven a 100series diesel manual for the last 10 years and a diesel hilux before that. I cant believe how heavy the clutch is to operate on the prado and have spoken to the toyota dealer who say that it feels a bit heavier than normal but wont give a decision on any warranty claim unless they firstly remove the clutch and then submit it for a claim analysis as the vehicle has 130000km on clock. In warranty by age but out by km,s. Problem is that if not given any warranty I will be up for$2,000 and not gaurenteed that the clutch will be any easier to operate. I drive a nissan diesel wagon at work and the prado clutch feels heavier to operate than the nissan without the motor going and no vacuum assist operating. Even if I bite the bullet and install an aftermarket standard clutch kit I am still not sure that the pedal operation will be any easier. Its as if the prado needs vacuum assist on the clutch to overcome our problem. If there was an after market vacuum kit available for the prado I would look seriously at installing it on my vehicle. I,am like you, my leg aches after just driving a short gear changing distance.Looking for thoughts on this. Cheers. Ronson.

[NZKIWIS Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close NZKIWIS]

Re: Clutch Feel - Comments Please.

Hi
I posted this web site http://www.pdmtsk.com/home.html in regards to the thrust bearing maybe worth checking out I will be doing this mod when the transmission and clutch get changed out shortly. This appears to solve two problems the feel of the clutch and the wearing out of the thrust bearing.

NZKIWIS