Endurance

I have a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 that I recently purchased and had a question in regards to the clutch pedal.

The clutch pedal is very stiff and gets tiresome after some spirited driving.
Everything on the car is original, minus a front disc conversion.
I have seen that many people have done/showed interest in a hydraulic throw-out bearing conversion, but would that make my pedal less stiff and easier to press down?

If not, are there any recommendations on making the pedal less stiff?

I appreciate anyone's input!

RandyS

I would first check that there are no obstructions, and that the Z-bar is secure, (as in not loose in it's mounting) however, most often the stiffness of a clutch is related to the pressure plate. I would bet that your car does not have the stock pressure plate any longer.

oldcutlass

X2 on the pressure plate. I would think that the hydraulic setups would help. I have a bad knee and cannot drive the older 4 spds, however the newer hydraulic setups that are in my wifes Mustang and all the newer p'ups I've had I can operate with ease.

Endurance

I was told everything was original or OE spec replacements.
But I will definitely look into getting the pressure plate checked.

I guess I will a.) check the pressure plate b.) if the pressure plate seems to be original/OE, go with a hydraulic setup

Has anyone on here have any feed back of how it is to drive after a hydraulic conversion on their 442?

Thank you for your guys' help!

RandyS

Unless you have bad knees, or other medical issues, a stock 442 diaphragm clutch should not be hard to push in at all.

RetroRanger

what about pivot points ive read that they wear and i think it was gearheads78 that installed an oilite bushing(s) to make for smoother easier engagements.

oldcutlass

The linkage is not usually the cause of a stiff clutch pedal. Its definitely the rating of the pressure plate. When I was a kid some of the performance plates almost took both feet to push down.

RandyS

BTDT. My first car was a 57 Chevy Belaire, 2 Dr. Ht. Blew the clutch racing, so I put in a 3000 lb blow proof clutch. It was all I could do to hold the clutch pedal to the floor. Ended up breaking a weld on the Z-bar and had to have it welded back up. But it didn't slip.......

MDchanic

As others have said, there really is no place in the linkage for there to be increased resistance: pedal hanging from two pivots, rod through hole in pedal shaft, then through hole in Z-bar, Z-bar on two pivots, rod through hole in Z-bar ear, pressing on cup of clutch lever, which pivots on its own ball.

"Back in the day" nobody else could drive my Chevelle, because the clutch pedal required such a heavy foot (and such delicate modulation). I didn't have an expensive racing clutch in it, but the stock (or stock-ish — who knows?) 11 inch unit definitely required some getting used to. Even now, decades later, in every other car I drive, the clutch just feels unnaturally light.

I know nothing about hydraulic clutches in American cars, so my only advice would be to take up bicycling, or head for the quad machine at the gym.

- Eric