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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - rivergate slave clutch adjustment???

I noticed my clutch pedal had a little extra play this past weekend...I have the rivergate 5speed conversion with adjustable slave push rod....

So I gave it an extra 5 complete turns on the push rod adjusting nut,,,,and that took all the slack out of it, and know even shifts better then it ever has.....there is NO locking screw on the adjuster....so I am wondering did the rivergate clutch disk really wear that much in under 2000 miles, or is the adjusting nut just slowly backing off


anybody with rivergate conversion experiance ever had this situation...not a problem right now, but if the disk is wearing this fast....I might be doing a new clutch in the next 10-15,000 miles...cause thats one full complete turn of the adjusting nut ever 1000 miles.

But for now, it purs like a kitten...easy to shift, and no noises, thumps, or bumps.

prop
Prop

Prop, when I first did the Rivergate thing more than
10 years ago, I was overdriving the clutch and had
to readjust the pushrod. Since then it has stayed
stable for all these years. No changes! Have never
adjusted it since.

chuck in nc
c c

On my rivergate clutch works absolutely fine except the pedal travels halfway before it engages. It's the way it's always been, even with the adjustable slave cylinder fully adjusted.
It's as if the first half of my pedals movement is superfluous.
Any ideas?
G Lazarus

thaanks CC.

I wasnt sure what to think....hopefully I got it dialed in and wont have any further problems....it sure runs alot smootherand shifts much nicer, esp. in and out of 5th gear, now that I have adjusted it, this past weekend.

thanks
prop
Prop

G Lazarus,

yeah I know exactly what you mean, as mine is the same way...it engages around midway....put I devoloped alot of slop play for the 1st 1/3 of travel but after the adjustment it took it back out, but still dosnt engage untill about 1/2 way...the reason mostlikely is the clutch master cly. is to small...I have a tilton set-up at 1st it would only engage at the bottom of the pedal, but after I got a bigger Clutch Mc it engaged at the 1/2 point...which is fine...Im guessing an 1(1/8- 1/4) inch tilton MC would but it up to the top....currently running an 1 inch tilton master clyinder...but the 3/4inch MC was way to small.

prop
Prop

Does the clutch need a 'bedding in' period?
I'd like you to take a drive with mine Prop when I get down there, I'm not 100% satisfied with it, and wondered how others felt.
Barry Lacy

Prop,
I took a while before I actually stopped for some RTFM. According to the instructions that came with my Rivergate kit, there should be 1/4" to 1/2" of play at the clutch fork. It works great for me that way. You should NOT have all the play adjusted out or you will wear out that throwout bearing AND the $89 clutch disk. I also sprung for the Rivergate CNC cylinder, but mine has a locknut on the pushrod; how hard would it be to add one to yours?

Gary,
Have you checked the pivots in the pedal and the master cylinder pushrod? these typically oval out and add a lot of slop, which adds a lot of travel.
David "clutching at straws" Lieb
David Lieb

hey david,

on the 1/4" to 1/2" of play at the clutch fork, I and rivergate had several discussions on that topic....and figured out that because I used the rubber fork grummet from the rib case instead of the brittle rock gromet of the datsun...there wanst going to be any play....other wise it shifted like trash....it appears as I havee it know...its not engauging the spring or roller thrust bearing.....

what is "RTFM"

prop
Prop

Read The Fine Manual. Other people tend to use other 4-letter F-words rather than "Fine", but YMMV.
I happen to have a spare Datsun fork grommet here.. interested?
David "one of the rebuild parts I did not need" Lieb
David Lieb

Thanks for the offer david, But mine is fine...

hey barry,

Id love to give your ride a spin, I to am hoping some of the others like david can give my car a couple of runs around the block as well for there honest opinions.

prop
Prop

I had difficulty adjusting the adjustable rod till I went for the new CNCed version Rivergate provides.

With the old one first I got overtravel then I got little travel but with the rivergate thingy its jus fine with the menioned play of 1/4 - 1/2.

Bas

And yess there is some play before engagement but no travel in the engagement point after the switch.

Bas Timmermans

This thread was discussed between 11/06/2008 and 13/06/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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