Heavy Clutch

Either I'm getting older and weaker, or my clutch is heavier than I think it ought to be.  Maybe both.  It seems like I'm pushing a log up a hill every time I push in the clutch.  Everything engages fine, I've checked the underside for obstructions and lubed everything that looks like it needs some.  I don't have another Willys nearby to compare it with, but don't recall my previous '46 CJ2a VEC having such a heavy clutch.  Any thoughts?

Hard to say.  The spring is what came with the pile of parts when I bought this.

Do you know what clutch pressure plate your jeep has? I know that my jeep has the clutch cover circled in red on the photo- it has six springs while the other covers have only three. I'm certainly no drivetrain expert, but it stands to reason that six springs would carry more pressure than three. Unless those are three impressive springs.

oldtime wrote: I guess I should clarify what I meant when I said that the cover plate is not an issue concerning stiffness. I meant it’s not going to increase in stiffness so long as it is not being changed for another style or make. In other words it certainly does not wear away and thereby increase in stiffness. But yes if you are changing cover plate assemblies around that can certainly have an effect on the feel or stiffness of operation. The six spring cover shown by otto is a genuine “Rockford” or at least a Rockford style clutch cover assembly. They technically should have different linkage than an “Auburn” type cover assembly. There were several mfgrs that had a design looking very similar to the Auburn clutches. Thelander, Spicer and Atwood clutches are all very similar to the Auburn.

You could also disconnect the cable and make sure the levers and stuff are moving freely. Just be careful not to drop the clutch fork. It should stay in position, but I somehow did that once and getting it back in place was a bugger.