Looking for a permanent fix for clutch pedal squeak

[Pyral]

My clutch pedal squeaks, when I looked under I saw that the plastic spring bushing is missing. I had the bushings replaced less than a year ago and they already wore out. I tried white lithium grease but it only lasted a month before coming back.

The issues is a poor design that relies on cheap plastic bushings to isolate commonly moving parts. I saw a post on yotatech forum about swapping in a linear spring, the post is almost 20 years old and likely out of date.

Has anyone done this fix, if so what spring did you use?

If there is a way to use something more durable as a clutch bushing I would be fine with that too

 

[JZiggy]

My clutch pedal squeaks, when I looked under I saw that the plastic spring bushing is missing. I had the bushings replaced less than a year ago and they already wore out. I tried white lithium grease but it only lasted a month before coming back.

The issues is a poor design that relies on cheap plastic bushings to isolate commonly moving parts. I saw a post on yotatech forum about swapping in a linear spring, the post is almost 20 years old and likely out of date.

Has anyone done this fix, if so what spring did you use?

If there is a way to use something more durable as a clutch bushing I would be fine with that too

Click the link to my build thread and check the first couple of pages. Fixing the clutch pedal was my first project.

 

[RandyBobandy]

I have a linear spring on mine, I used a brake pedal spring I got at the junkyard, I also think some vehicles like the 4cylinder Tacoma used a linear spring of the same type but I might be wrong. I can’t remember if the squeak was completely eliminated but it was definitely reduced

 

[frank_socal]

I don't know the purpose of the spring but I removed it a couple of years ago and I haven't missed it. maybe 3-5 times since I removed I had to pull up the pedal with my foot during "winter", around 40 degree nighttime temps. in Los Angeles, I had to pull up the pedal with my foot. after a couple of pumps it works normal.

 

[St Runner]

I also have a linear brake spring on my 4runner. Works fine. I pulled the squeaky clutch spring out of my tacoma and never even bothered to put one back in. That works fine too. I think toyota overthought the clutch spring design, trying to get less spring pressure at the point of engagement. If you are not strong enough to push a linear spring clutch lever get an automatic

 

[Pyral]

I'll try using the brake return spring (pn 47101A), it costs 5$ new from Toyota and I'm sure I could find it for cheaper from a junk yard but the nearest one is an hour away.

Hopefully it feels similar to the original setup. A squeaky third pedal is better than any transmission with two pedals imo

 

[Devbot]

A squeaky third pedal is better than any transmission with two pedals imo

Agreed, I'd give my third nut for a third pedal! :sad:

 

[pluton]

The plastic pedal bushing was long gone when I acquired my '97 in 2013. It had a creaky-groaning type squeak which I suspected might be coming from the slave cylinder as opposed to the pedal assembly...but I was unable to definitively assign blame for the squeak. Not wanting to change the spring to a linear type if avoidable, I greased the bare original spring end in the now bushing-free hole with Molybdenum Disulfide CV bearing grease. It stopped squeaking after a while (approx 1 year) and also: Surprisingly, the grinding metal-to-metal contact of the bare spring with the hole where the bushing was hasn't caused the hole to bore out and destroy itself, as some have reported. I credit the Moly grease.

 

[rglsr]

Here's a link to info on the linear spring. This was stock on 1st Gen 4cyl Tacomas. Now on a 4Runner I don't think you'll have the tab for the spring, but can anchor it on something else. It works/feels very similar to the torsion spring, I've got this in my 2004 Tacoma. (and have a manual 3rd gen 4Runner for reference)

Linear clutch pedal return spring pictures? | Tacoma World

There have been some other approaches on this issue, some people have installed bronze bushings to the outer pivots (instead of nylon). On the center bushing saddle on the pedal, often the hook on pedal is ground out, so even a new bushing fails quickly. I went over this with Tim on a complete clutch pedal assembly rebuild video.

 

[Kanoe]

I'll try using the brake return spring (pn 47101A), it costs 5$ new from Toyota and I'm sure I could find it for cheaper from a junk yard but the nearest one is an hour away.

Hopefully it feels similar to the original setup. A squeaky third pedal is better than any transmission with two pedals imo

Brake return spring is going to be way too stiff. The spring needs to be very light. It has to extend quite a long way with the pedal travel and a brake spring won’t do that.

I used a spring from a 80s 2wd Toyota pickup from a junkyard. Wish I had a part number but I don’t, sorry. It’s a perfect fit and the attachment points are still the same on the 4Runner.

There are numerous threads on here where people have given the correct spring that you can get from the hardware store. See if you can dig them up. There was a member who went into great detail digging into this mod, pages and pages.

You will find the clutch push to be stiffer. The original coil spring helps push the pedal down after a certain point. After a few days I got used to it.

 

[Kanoe]

Here’s a pic. Pencil for reference. Quite thin wire.

If you look up a 87ish 2wd pickup you should find the Toyota part number for this spring.

 

[rglsr]

Here's the part number/info on the Tacoma linear clutch spring.

90507-14030 Genuine Toyota Spring

 

[davidch]

More info on the 2WD, 2.4 Gen1 Tacoma linear spring here:

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/2542448-post79.html

I have installed, on at least six Gen3 4Runners (both 2.7 and 3.4) and two Gen1 Tacomas, a #70 spring purchased at an Ace or True Value hardware store. Something like $2.

No complaints, no failures, just well-pleased friends.

 

[slomatt]

I battled the clutch pedal squeak for years and tried most of the common fixes. Replacements for the stock bushings failed because the clutch pedal fork was worn and didn't properly support them. The linear spring worked, but it definitely increased pedal effort and I didn't like it. Bronze bushings worked for a while, until they cracked in half and failed.

I ended up replacing the side bushings with factory pieces, reinforcing the clutch pedal fork, and made a custom bushing out of nylon. This arrangement has held up great for 5+ years with zero squeaks.

Blank Photos :: Clutch Bushings :: IMG_1842_001

 

[Pyral]

I got the clutch spring. What is the best way to remove the old one?

Edit:
Okay I got it removed using a pry tool. The spring feels nice, though it does introduce some horizontal play but it isn't enough to matter.

I still have another squeak that seems to be coming from where the clutch goes into the transmission. Don't know if it is a dry grease zerk but there is still a squeak coming from the other side of the fire wall where the clutch linkage comes out. Any idea what is causing the squeak?

 

[JZiggy]

I got the clutch spring. What is the best way to remove the old one?

Edit:
Okay I got it removed using a pry tool. The spring feels nice, though it does introduce some horizontal play but it isn't enough to matter.

I still have another squeak that seems to be coming from where the clutch goes into the transmission. Don't know if it is a dry grease zerk but there is still a squeak coming from the other side of the fire wall where the clutch linkage comes out. Any idea what is causing the squeak?

Check a few pictures down on this thread: https://www.toyota-4runner.org/2524321-post7.html

Put some bearing grease on the clutch arm pivot. Easy to do this with a grease needle. Should fix your issue. I find I have to reapply grease about once a year.

 

[timoboy]

Absolutely do not recommend going back to stock.

I have all the service records for my '00 5MT since new. Repeatedly had to go back to the dealer under warranty for squeaky clutch. Each time the dealer dutifully replaced everything from the entire pedal itself to the spring, bushings, clips etc. Then the issue would just reappear again after a year or so. This started under 15k miles and went on for years of invoices.

Finally it was fixed again after warranty customer pay and with 231k doesn't make any noise, go figure.