Had a customer tell me my clutch adjustments were way off after 12 years

I've been doing manual transmissions since I started in the shop back in 2011. Always set the free play to what the manual said, never had complaints. Then last spring a guy brought in his old F150 and told me I was leaving no room for heat expansion and that my technique was outdated. He was right. I had to re-learn the whole adjustment process using actual road feel instead of just spec numbers. Has anyone else had an old timer call them out on something they thought they had down perfect?

3 comments

3 Comments

abbyp611d ago

Number one thing I learned from an old timer was on hydraulic clutches. He had me adjust them with the engine running to feel the actual engagement point. Spec numbers are just a starting point, real feel tells you way more.

the_sean1d ago

@abbyp61 you do that running adjustment on a cable clutch too or just hydraulic?

scott.olivia1d ago

The old F150 guys are a different breed. Had a similar thing happen with a 90s model where the clutch release bearing was chattering. Spec said half inch free play, but the truck needed a hair more to let the bearing breathe. Told me to crack the locknut, adjust by ear until the chatter stopped, then road test for engagement. Felt like I was guessing at first, but that truck shifted smooth for years after. Trust the manual for a baseline, but let the vehicle tell you where it actually wants to be.