Freightliner M2 Clutch Adjustment Problems

[mekanik]

I installed a clutch in a 2006 Freightliner M2 earlier this week. The truck has a C7 Cat and a Eaton 6 speed. The new clutch was ordered from the VIN. When I took the new clutch out of the box it was a 14" Eaton SOLO clutch. The one that came out was a regular clutch and was not original. The flywheel was resurfaced a new pilot bearing and release fork installed, the cross shaft bushings and shafts had no wear. The clutch linkage and related components were all in good condition with no wear. The motor mounts were good. I installed the clutch and transmission and followed the setup procedure for the clutch. When I cycled the clutch pedal a few times there was way too much free play. About 6" of free play. I adjusted the linkage to reduce the free play and cycled the pedal a few times and the clutch adjusted to have 6" of free play again. I kept adjusting and cycling the pedal until I ran out of adjustment on the linkage.
I never measured the release bearing travel but looking up at it with an assistant pushing the pedal I would say just over 3/4". A bit more that the .490" to .560" the instructions that came with the clutch call for.
There is a linkage on the firewall with one end connected to the clutch pedal and the other connects to the rod that goes to the lever on the bell-housing. I drilled a couple new holes in the lever on the firewall that connects to the rod from the bell-housing lever effectively shortening it and reducing the release bearing travel. It took me a couple tries but after drilling a hole for the linkage about 3" in from the factory one the clutch would adjust to 1 1/2" inches of free play.
I took the truck for a test drive and the clutch worked properly and stayed at 1 1/2" free play.
I'm puzzled why I would have to modify the linkage to make the clutch work. Considering it came from the factory with a SOLO clutch. I have installed a lot of clutches over the years but this was the first SOLO clutch.

 

[Truck Shop]

What does the wear indicator read on the new clutch?

 

[funwithfuel]

You got a single or double disk solo? Is there a chance there's a disk flipped? How about flywheel thickness, I've been burned by that once or twice

 

[Truck Shop]

If that flywheel has been surfaced twice-was the outer lip/clutch cover bolt up area surfaced twice also?
That's pretty drastic linkage adjustment.

 

[mekanik]

Its a double disk and it was resurfaced but had very little wear. The disks are in the right way, I made sure of that.
The outer area was resurfaced as well. the wear indicator is about an inch from the new end of the slot now.
The indicator was about 3 1/2 inches from the new end when it had 6 inches of free play.

 

[Truck Shop]

Ok-it was resetting adjustment. I had a 15.5 do that, never had to mess with linkage though.
When it finally adjusted it was about a inch on new indicator. I'm not a fan of solo's.

 

[Tenwheeler]

Also not a fan. Self adjusting clutches have an advantage with hydraulic operated clutches. For a while anyway.

 

[56wrench]

Also not a fan of solo clutches. Changed out one and put a regular one back in my ‘07 Star. That being said, i changed out the original regular clutch in my F/L n14 with a Lite Pedal clutch as i thought it would be easier on my knee but found that i couldn’t feather it under heavy load start-up off-road in soft ground. If it wasn’t so much work i would change it back to the original configuration

 

[Tenwheeler]

Also not a fan of solo clutches. Changed out one and put a regular one back in my ‘07 Star. That being said, i changed out the original regular clutch in my F/L n14 with a Lite Pedal clutch as i thought it would be easier on my knee but found that i couldn’t feather it under heavy load start-up off-road in soft ground. If it wasn’t so much work i would change it back to the original configuration

I was going to put an easy pedal in place of a Solo with a hydraulic clutch. Clutch sales place was also turning the flywheel and called me. Said they had some issues doing that. The Mid America remans had some improvements and strongly recommended that. That truck is still running, no touch and 300,000 miles later.
An education to me from other people was about installing higher rated clutches at replacement. How long did the last one last? 500,000 - 750,000 miles? That is pretty good. Why not put the same thing back in it instead of a 2050 behind an M11? My left knee would have appreciated that. We always put in the heaviest thing that would fit. Hydraulic clutches do not have the same pedal feel as mechanical linkage. If you have a manual adjusting clutch gap at the clutch brake should be checked at every service.
I wonder about that feathering thing. Is it the clutch? Hot spots on the flywheel even if it was turned? Engine mounts and everything you can imagine good. Those old Mack company trucks were bad about that. Early 80's models. Hated to do it but had to give them some RPM and slip the clutch.

 

[Truck Shop]

I always install/installed a higher torque rated clutch-if engine rated at 1750 I installed a 1850 easy pedal.
Hydraulic systems will work fine with manual adjust. In 2006 we had 14 new Freightliners with a clutch
specification of 1650 behind a 1700 torque engine all were Solo's. All were replaced by dealer, most didn't
100K miles. Plus I would only install genuine Eaton. It's a job you only want to do once.

 

[mekanik]

The truck came to the shop yesterday and the clutch is still properly adjusted and working as it should.
Yesterdays complaint was the engine kept shutting down. I opened the hood and the coolant was below
the sensor so I added 4 liters and sent him on his way. Must have missed that on his pre-trip.