I don't think so Sam, but as Lou said, i think you just get used to it over time.
I drive a Western Star truck, Detroit 60 series, for work. Noisy as all hell, you get used to the drone all day long. But as soon as a "new" noise comes along, I find myself focusing on it so much that it gives me the sts, and I'm not happy until I've tracked it down. Plus it doesn't help that my AM/FM radio is cactus, and I can't turn up the tunes to drown it out.
I'm definitely going to try to fix this, I've just run out of ideas for the moment. I might have a go at trying to tap a thread on the opposite side for another nipple, just haven't got the motivation to pull the box out yet again. I'll be watching with interest.
Problem is i can feel it, not hear it... was doing 110kph with mud tryes, 6 passengers, full roof rack and the stereo on... that damn clutch pedal was grating away!
This problem needs solving and then a kit of modified parts made available by some enterprising soul
FINALLY got round to having a dedicated look at this bl**dy creak, armed with dad, who loves a pointless battle with inanimate objects
He agreed that the creak was definitely coming from the top end of the pedal box (not the main pedal pivot as many suspect) but more from the master cylinder side of things.
We drained the clutch fluid, disconnected everything and removed the pedal box:
Removed the master cylinder from the box, removed the washer, circlip, pulled out the rod and inspected. It was interesting to note that there was not much grease, if any, inside the master cylinder:
The rod has a ball and cup type fitting into the master cylinder piston. Because of the arc-motion of the clutch pedal, the rod does not have a true forwards/backwards stroke into the piston. It must pivot slightly. The two mating surfaces are the suspects:
The end of the rod has wear/ corrosion in the form of hard ridges that can be felt with a thumbnail:
With some 1200 grit the end of the rod was buffed until no surface imperfections were present:
The master cylinder piston (the 'cup') seems to be made of harder material and looked in good nick:
We re-assembled the rod into the master cylinder with a generous helping of rubber grease (do not use any old grease here):
Whilst I had the thing on the workbench I was interested to look at the other pivoting surfaces seeing as much blame has been laid on the main clutch pedal pivot bushes as the culprit of creaks. As you can see i previously carried out the mod to fit a grease niplle into the thread on the end of the main pivot:
The pivot is nicely made, heavy duty, with a grease galley down the middle which lubes at the centre of the pivot, not just at one end as has previously been supposed in this thread:
I simply cleaned, re-greased and re-assembled.
The connection from the pedal to the master cylinder rod is less nice, and my pivot and spacer piece had a few nicks and scrapes in the mating surfaces which i didnt like. LR wanted $67 for a new spacer so i cleaned up my current one, radiusing every sharp edge through which the rod passes - my other area of suspicion discussed previously:
I'd squashed the spacer piece slightly in my previous efforts to eradicate squeaks. I straightened it owed and decided not to nip it up too tight in future - i think the problem is elsewhere...
Et Voila. No squeaks... but i'll report back in the coming weeks/ months to see if it stays away.
I think I'll be needing to look at mine sooner that later. Mine feels a bit strange at the moment. Not sure but it feels a bit like something's let go, feels quite "rough" as you push through the first part of the stroke.
However, first things first,, the girls car needs a new radiator
My clutch doesn't squeak yet but given the ease and speed with which it can be prevented, I'm off for a 6mm grease nip myself!
Yesterday (a beautiful day on which SWMNOBOBAFAR insisted we go to the beach in heavy traffic), the clutch did start making some noise but it was more of a creaking, cracking, croaking sound when I pushed it in. Initially there was a 'crack' which made my heart skip a beat but then the clutch worked fine, it's just that the noise was worrying.
I figured the spring wasn't seated correctly and lo and behold, when I had a look under there, out dropped the wee collar that sits between the spring and the 'foot' end of the pedal.
Sweeeeet, after Land Rover failed to fix it at every service from 50K and 100K. Then enduring another 50K of it jerking its way in and out sneaking all the way; I finally chucked $130 at it for MR Auto to have a go. Shazam, fix it first time!
I had forgotten what a smooth quiet clutch feels like, what it felt like back when it was new. It's a shame LR do this to their customers but anyway such is Defender ownership.
Apparently MR removed the clutch pedal cover and lubricated the push rod and pivot pin. Best money I have spent in a while really, and best of all I didn't touch the bloody thing.
They did mine 4 times over the first 3 years and now out of warranty it started again. I am not taking it back to them now, I will give it a go myself.
Master
ts, and I'm not happy until I've tracked it down. Plus it doesn't help that my AM/FM radio is cactus, and I can't turn up the tunes to drown it out.
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