whats so great about hydro clutch ?

[R77K10]

ok im just curious lol

really, whats the big deal on hydro clutches ?

they didnt start til 85 and before then everyone drove these trucks jut fine with mechanical clutch, and they are not that hard to depress, ive owned a billion mechnical clutch trucks, and actually zero C/K series hydro ones, from the 60's on up to 83 so far, and ive never had any trouble daily driving them, my leg never fell off or got uncomfortable or anything,

why does everyone have to have a hydro clutch ? i dont see the big deal ?

if i were building a rig and it wasnt an 85-up i would definitely not go out of my way to find hydro for it

i dont see how it would be worth the time and $ and trouble

are ppl just wusses ? or ?

what am i missing here?

lol


just wondering


thanks

 

[noahrob]

I don't know that I can help. I AM a wuss, and I run a mechanical clutch. Just added a spring to it last night to make sure it doesn't pop out again, but even when it poped out...no big deal, just pop it back in...

 

[Burt4x4]

I can't tell you why others would do it but I can tell you why I did it.
I swaped out my 350 fer a 454. Now the Z bar on my 72 connected to the frame and the engine block. So when I took out the 350 it was easier to mount the slave and master then run a hose, than it would have been to try and get the linkage to work with a 454 & Thorleys in my 72. So for the sake of keeping thing simple I whent for hydro. The 454 fit with the Thorleys and my clutch works great too.
.02c

 

[Russell]

I've got bad knees, and yes, the mechanical clutch on my 74 made my knee throb after half an hour of stop and go traffic in the city. New hydro clutch is very easy to push down, and doen't make my knee throb.

Also, most of the hardcore guys love them, cause the hydro system doesn't get all bound up when you are flexed out offroad like the z-bar setup, nor do you have the z-bar which is famous for breaking (I broke one in my 74!)

 

[RootBreaker]

Incedent #1
years ago when I started wheeling I went from auto to manual and right off the bat.. will never wheel an auto again...
however being my first manual where i got a rolling chassis cheap..
350/smc465/np203/d44/14boltff/4.56's factory
anyhow.. I was driving and made a left turn.. seems that the tranny bolts werent in that goto the xmember... my tranny/xfer slid to the right and when I pushed the clutch in.. the clutch rod popped right off the fork.. I had to pull over and at least I had my big screwdriver with me... put it in the holes, pried and put the clutch rod back in place



incedent #2
i dont have any leg problems but can tell you that I was climbing a hill.... steep and turned right.. when my drivers side tire drooped down.. my frame flexed and I had the clutch pedal pressed all the way in and the truck was still moving!!!!!!!!!!


incedent #3
not sure if this matters due to could happen on both... so this would be a bad thing for any manual.... but maybe less on the hydro due to what seems to be less tension... to me the more rods and angles and all acts like pulleys....makes it easier for you to do but still alot of tension...
my clutch rod went through the clutch fork socket.... so I pulled over and the only thing I could do to fix it was put a socket on the end to fit back in there so the clutch rod would go through the clutch fork... now I was 19 at this time and tell you what.... I only realized this was still like this when I did the hydro setup swap!!!!!!

so from about 1993 to 2004/5 I had a socket on the end of my clutch rod!!!!!!

 

[dyeager535]

You stating you have never driven one, I think I'm safe saying go out and drive one of the hydraulic clutch trucks, and come back and tell us which is more enjoyable.

I know the answer to that, which is why I've got hydraulic.

 

[zeroz400]

I hate my mechanical clutch. If my truck was all factory and not hacked together the way it is i prolly wouldnt mind it so much. But im gonna make 3rd attempt at making a proper length rod to go from the pedal assembly to the z-bar. I've had the little adjustable stud to goes to the fork pop out twice and ive only driven my truck about 5times....And a few weeks ago i flexed out my truck on a woodchip pile, i couldnt get off cuz my pdeal was already on the floor, so i had a friend push my foward with her jeep so i could get out of gear and roll down

If i stumble upon a hydro setup i wouldnt hesitate to buy it and put it in. But ive also been eyeballing my S10s hydro setup thinking maybe i can it in and make it work with my truck.

 

[thatK30guy]

Makes it easier to install a body lift, too.
There is no mechanical bracketry to remove and cut and lengthen to compensate for the lift. Just hydro lines and lift the body and you're done. Makes for much easier and quicker body lift installs.
Along with the others, hydro clutches are much, much smoother operating. Your knees will love you.