Clutch adjustment: 102 D 3, Series 60, 7 speed manual

[lostagain]

Trying to adjust clutch on our Junior Hockey coach today and got stumped...
As per MCI manual, clutch pedal to the floor, then turn the adjusting bolt ( you push it in first like you would on slack adjusters), but nothing happens. The gap between the bearing and the clutch brake is 5/8", I'm trying to get it to 1/2 to 9/16". Is there something I'm missing? Would anybody out there be able to enlighten me? Thanks
JC

[lloyd]

Sounds like you are doing it correctly. When you push in the nut against the spring pressure you should turn the wrench clockwise to move the release bearing closer to the transmission. Of course you have to step on the clutch to adjust it and then release to check to see how much the clearance has changed.
Lloyd

[lostagain]

Thanks Lloyd, turning that bolt does not change the gap between the bearing and the trans. brake. I have turned it as far as it will go clockwise and still nothing. I've turned it counter clockwise to no avail either. Could it have run out of adjustment? Meaning we need a new clucth. I'm going back this afternoon. I will look at the parts book in hope of seeing an exploded view. I will also phone Brewster's head of maintenance Bill Mooney in Banff to pick his brain about it. I know him from my time there driving in the 70's. I'll post tonight on my progress. Why did I volunteer to do this?? Somebody has to do it I guess, plus see how much I'm learning!!..
JC

[lostagain]

Well, I could not fix it, but at least I know what's going on anyway. The bolt was very hard to turn. I took it off to find nothing wrong with its teeth or the teeth on the ring on the cluth. The whole thing is seized. Stuck together, it will not move. Probably caused by moisture and road salt because there was no cover plate on the inspection hole. The adjustment is only out (too big) by 1/16th so it is not too bad yet. I set the pedal free play to 2 inches from the top of travel. I was hoping to restore the clutch brake function, but could not because of the stuck adjusting mechanism. So it's all pretty good for now. In the long term off course, we (or someone else) will have to do a proper clutch job. We don't put a lot of miles on this bus, so it may be a long time hopefully...
I had it out for a test drive and it works well.

The cover plate is missing on my own bus, so I will check it out tomorrow to make sure the clutch is OK. Allthough it feels good shifting gears. I'll just have to check it once a year as an other maintenance item. Why do people throw that cover plate away? Are they too lazy to put it back on, or do they think it will trap dirt and sh.. in there and leave it out on purpose? Maybe they know something I don't...

[NJT 5573]

Lostagain, with the clutch depressed take a big hammer and anything you can hit the adjustment ring with, big center punch to crow bar. A couple good hits should free that ring. Also try holding the pedal down half way. Some open to far and that has the same effect as not pushing the pedal in. Hey, try the pedal deal first!

[lostagain]

Thanks for ideas NJT. I will try that.
JC