Lightening clutch pedal effort

I’m about at my wits end with tendinitis in my left knee, and I am really beginning to think the clutch in my truck is causing it. Is there a way to lighten the effort needed to depress the clutch? If it makes a difference, my truck is a 98 with the V6.

Someone mentioned a different clutch return spring could be installed, but is the resistance in the pedal mostly caused by this spring, or the hydraulic mechanism (or something else) inside the clutch assembly?

It’s getting to the point I may actually have to look at purchasing a second car. The truck appears to be outlasting my body in this case.

 

When is the last time the clutch hydraulics were bled? Might want to do that if it's been a while. New fluid will help. Also grease the clutch fork pivot ball, that should help smooth it out as well.

Easy method to grease the clutch fork ball

 

Most of the resistance comes from the pressure plate in the clutch, and that can’t really be changed. Well you could make it stiffer, but I’m pretty sure you can’t go lighter. Some of the resistance does come from the return spring, and on the v6 it’s a weird coil spring setup. It’s actually designed to make it easier to hold the petal down. You could try just taking the return spring out. You can pop it out pretty easy with a screwdriver. It will work without it, the clutch pedal just won’t come the last inch up. Try it that way, and if it’s better, get a linear return spring that is just strong enough to bring the petal all the way up. I don’t know if you can actually lessen the force it takes to push the petal down by doing this, but it’s the only thing I can think of to try.

I guess if your master and slave cylinders are not 100% it could make it harder to press the petal, maybe. Or if your clutch fluid is really bad.

 

Stiffer clutch pedal issues originate directly from the clutch springs tempering over time due to heat from friction build up.

The only way to remedy a stiff pedal is to replace the clutch itself, but since you are in there it is wise to do the job properly and replace the pressure plate and either resurface or replace the flywheel depending on whether or not hotspots exist.

The only other solution if you are suffering from bad knee issues is to get an automatic. Seriously, it's been that much of an issue to me in the past that I refuse to drive a manual at this juncture, and my knees thank me each and every day for it.

 

As mentioned above , everything is true .
As the clutch disc wears over time , your clutch clamping force becomes stronger making it more difficult to depress the clutch pedal . This is a design charecteristic of a diaphram style clutch as it ages . An early warning sign you will be needing a clutch shortly .
If my knees were to the point I was having greif trying to shift on a day to day basis , even a new clutch with fresh hydraulic components will help a little , but why not consider an automatic to alleviate the problem completely .

 

I guess it also comes down to where you drive !

My left knee is so far gone walking is interesting if I can`t use a clutch my driving is done

 

That sucks. All my vehicles are manual trans. My GF thinks it's funny how I refuse to get an automatic. lol More on topic I have the marlin crawler clutch kit and my Tacoma has the easiest clutch throw out of the vehicles I have. I adjusted the pedal as well so it releases lower to the floor and not high up. You can see how to do this in the FSM and it's not that hard to do. I also have OEM hydraulic parts that are new. My return spring is next to get replaced. I assume you have tried wearing a knee brace while you drive?

 

Inspect the bearings the pedal - the Ace Hardware Part #70 spring does reduce the amount of effort needed to push the pedal vs the stock torsion spring.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/clutch-squeak-linear-spring-swap-tw-how-to.159429/

That's what your leg is interacting on 1st gens more than the weight of the pressure plate - they made a lot better pedal activation system in the 2nd gens for the same trans.

 

Thanks guys for all the suggestions. I could be mistaken, but I really don’t think that the clutch is going bad, or that the effort required to depress the clutch has increased. Everything seems to be working just fine...except my knee.

If it’s not too difficult of a job, I think I’ll try replacing the spring with the Ace Hardware one. I was also thinking of buying a new rubber OEM clutch pedal cover/pad and increasing its thickness by gluing something to it. That would at least decrease how far down it needs to be pushed.

You guys are a great resource!

 

Here's another thought, stop using the clutch for gear changes. Just use it for stops and starts. Your knee will take less abuse. It's pretty easy to change gears without the clutch, give it a try.

 

Is there any free play at the top of your pedal ? Grab the pedal with your hands and lift it up and down . Any play ?
If memory serves me correctly , you need 1/4 inch of free pedal travel when the pedal is released .
If there is no free play in the pedal , you have clutch disc wear and will have to re-adjust the threaded rod under the dash

 

This!
Simply go through the same throttle motion, but skip pushing the clutch pedal between gears. You’re going to be surprised at how easy it is, even down shifts with the tap of your throttle first. I’ve driven lots of manual transmission vehicles, and I gotta say that our trucks have one of the lightest clutch pedals that I’ve ever felt. Once you get used to not using the clutch, it will become second nature. If you don’t want to downshift, just slip the trans in neutral, and brake when coming to stops.

 

That's not true. Once I got rental corolla manual and when I first time stepped on the clutch my foot almost went through the floor. After driving that corolla for two weeks I was so surprised how heavy Tacoma clutch is. Same thing when I was commuting with Mazda 5 with MT. Comparing to that Tacoma felt like pumping the iron. Of course 20 years of driving my Tacoma I don't see any problem with the clutch (unless I get into some other car).

For real lightening the clutch pedal you would need something like iBooster or electrical servo instead of hydraulic setup.

 

I swapped the torsion spring on the clutch pedal for a smaller one from the brake pedal, worked like a champ. Pedal is easier by 15-20% if I had to guess. Most of the effort is from the pressure plate

 

Toyota clutch ain't got nothin on a TR4. If this is an ongoing issue you might be better served with an auto. Even then, traffic can make you susceptible to shinsplints. Not for long though since sensors are making possible a stop and go traffic creep.

 

Reread my post... ONE of the lightest, and I was speaking of trucks. Anything with a hydraulic clutch system is going to be much easier than a manual linkage, or cable set up. All I was saying is that it could be a lot worse. I got rid of my last Tacoma just because it had a manual. I love my “automagic”

 

This what I read:

Sorry I missunderstend "vehicles" vs trucks .

By the way in stop and go traffic I'm trying to drive it slow and go. Saves me clutch, brakes and frustration. As a side benefit I'm saving my rear bumper as the guy behind me does not need to slam on brakes every few seconds so he can text warry free.

 

No worries! Lol I had a fox body mustang with an upgraded clutch in it. I’ve literally driven dump trucks with a lighter clutch pedal than that car. Sitting at a stoplight my left leg would be trembling, so I had no choice but to stay in neutral with the clutch engaged until the last second.
This thread reminds me of a funny near deadly story that happened to me when I was 16 years old. I got a used 89 Toyota 4x4 standard cab manual transmission for my 16th birthday. I knew how to drive manual transmission vehicles just fine growing up on a farm. For some reason this particular 22re engine would need the idle adjusted twice a year, in cold weather it wanted to idle fast. Anyway back to the story, there I was 16 years old cruising the local turn around with all my other friends, like we used to do. A traffic light turns red and I stopped. It was getting late and most people had gone home for the night thank goodness, but unbelievably I was about to learn that my truck was equipped with a hydraulic clutch system. (At the time I didn’t know how much of anything in a transmission worked) I was the first one to stop at the intersection and was just sitting there with my foot on the clutch in first gear, waiting for the light to change. All of a sudden the seal in the slave cylinder blew and it easily released the clutch, and thanks to my incorrect idle at the time, there I go right through the red light with the clutch on the floor. Freaking out wasn’t a way of describing my reaction! Haha I thought, how is this possible, and nobody is going to believe this! I made it safely through the intersection, but my underwear didn’t. Lol. The clutch would still work just fine, then I stopped to tell my friends why I decided to run the red light, and was then able to replicate the problem several times over in a parking lot. The slave cylinder had a slow internal leak, and sure enough would release the clutch like a champion stick shift driver if you held it for more than a few seconds. That was a crazy night that I’ll never forget!