Clutch Master?

Pattracy

Daily Driver
So I bought a 76 X1/9, I was told the slave was bad. I changed that today, and it turns out the master is bad. How do you get your body under the dash and change it?
 
Hi,

It's also possible you haven't bled it properly yet - and it's not easy to get it bled. But take a look visually, if it looks like it's leaking or very rusty, change it.

Easiest way is to remove the driver's seat, and drop the pedal box - the master is attached to the pedal box - disconnect the feed lines and the rest of the lines and replace.

You'll need to drop or remove the steering column, but best to mark where it came off from the splined shaft at the U-joints. I remove the column as I don't want it in the way.


I hope that helps!
 
First buy both the brace master cylinder and the clutch master cylinder. Buy new hoses from the reservoirs to the MC. Buy any other bits of the brakes you wish to replace now such as the hoses to the calipers, calipers or what have you.

I remove the drivers seat. Lay down a thick shipping blanket. Lie down on it with my feet on the rear deck below the windows. Some like to lean into the car from the side but it requires more contortions than I like.

Drop the steering column. Some like to remove it entirely. You can then access the pedal box and remove the hard lines from the MC. Once that is done you can drop the entire pedal box and replace the masters. I clean up the pedal assembly as needed.

Reinstall all the bits and pieces, bleed the mess and you are done. One of the most enjoyable jobs on the whole car. Really :)
 
So I bought a 76 X1/9, I was told the slave was bad. I changed that today, and it turns out the master is bad. How do you get your body under the dash and change it?

Get everything you can out of the way so you will have plenty of room. Also place a piece of corrugated cardboard on the floorboard and have lots of rags on hand to wipe up any spills. The important part is have your favorite beverage chilling to give yourself a goal to work toward. A caution though. It best not to drink much while you are working under the dash because certain favorite beverages may impair coordination but mostly because you will be upside down most of the time.
 
Thanks for the advise Myron. So far I have changed the slave, then tried to bleed. There is no pedal, all the way to the floor. When I pump it by hand I can hear fluid/air in the master. When I open the bleeder and have a friend pump the clutch, the is nothing. The master doesn't look rusty and it isn't leaking.
 
Sliding seat out is easy (once you get the silly spring off), moving steering column also pretty easy, letting the box loose to get better access as hard lines, use the right flare nut wrenches on those and clamping a vise grips over top of them is also wise, stripping them is a disaster! It is smart to do the brake master too but I'm not smart, been in after the clutch master twice now but the brake master I haven't touched, sleeping dogs and all that :mallet:
 
Seat removal.

Slide the seat forward until it comes off of the rails.

TonyK.

Grimsby Ontario Canada
 
Thanks for the advise Myron. So far I have changed the slave, then tried to bleed. There is no pedal, all the way to the floor. When I pump it by hand I can hear fluid/air in the master. When I open the bleeder and have a friend pump the clutch, the is nothing. The master doesn't look rusty and it isn't leaking.

Before you perform the required ritual of master cylinder replacement (all X-1/9 owners must do this :p) I would exhaust all methods described in this forum (do a search) for bleeding. Leaking is the common failure of the master and sometimes it will not leak until the proper pressure is applied.

Good Luck.
 
ONE LAST TIP... for the early cars...

After trashing the springs, turn the seat over and open up, or "spread apart" the "female" tracks a bit on the back-end, giving you somewhat of a "funnel" effect to more easily start, and then slide the seats on the "rails" again.

(Clean and lightly grease the tracks & rails should go without saying...)

And... The later model cars tend to have a problem starting on their rails because the center console interferes a bit. Pushing the seat and squishing it against the console is then needed to align the seat straight, and to eventually start the track on its rails.

HTH...
 
One more tip...

If you do choose to go to the trouble of replacing the brake master while it's all apart (probably worth considering if you don't want to do this again soon), think about replacing the long bolts that hold both the clutch and brake masters in place with all thread rod.

Because the bolts are so long, it's impossible to remove one of those masters - without completely removing the steering wheel support. One can be removed, one can't - don't remember which one (may depend if someone's been in there before). The bolts are too long to slide out, you'll see. If you have to remove the support assembly consider replacing the long bolts with all thread. That will allow you to remove both of the masters without removing the support in the future.
 
Hmmmmm! Good idea, Mike! (I think?)

It is USUALLY the Slave Master on the left that can be removed and the Brake Master on the right, that can't... if the bolts were installed "properly" from right to left. (I understand a few folks here found them installed the other way and hadta remove the entire assembly just to replace the Slave Master. Don't know if that was done at the factory or PO!)

I would guess that there would be enough strength in a typical threaded rod, and if bolted up tightly, there would be no need for anything hardened to a grade 5 or 8 value.

My only negative thought would be the ability to access all the plumbing on the Brake Master while still on the pedestal under the dash. If this is NOT an issue... then this idea has a lot of merit.

Have you actually done this mod?
 
As you can see there are two schools of thought at work here:

A: Just replace the clutch master, assuming it's not a case of more bleeding needed and is a case of a bad clutch master.

B: Do a total refurb of both hydraulic systems and spruce up the pedal box since it's been removed.

Assuming A, if the pedal box has not been disturbed since new or was reinstalled per original factory installation, then you can loosen the nuts on the two long bolts that secure both masters to the pedal box, push the bolts to the center, and free the clutch master from its mount.

If any other conditions exist, and your plans for the car are long-term possession, then I'd recommend the total refurb approach.
 
Oi, Tony........!

.....It is USUALLY the Slave Master on the left that can be removed
........just to replace the Slave Master. Don't know if that was done at the factory or PO
!).....

......wot are these SLAVE MASTER'S that you are talking about, buddy?
Is this some kinda "nu-fangle Sth Cal" terminology that you guys have dreamed up by yerselves?? :wacko:
Methinks you are talking about CLUTCH masters!! :happy:

cheers, Ian - NZ
 
Have tried A LOT to bleed the new slave? I hate to have you replace a perfectly good master (especially since the replacement ones these days may not be as good) for nothing.
 
Well... I see your point Ian...

What I was trying to describe was the Master Cylinder that controlled the Slave Cylinder... and it just came out as Slave Master, instead of Clutch Master.

At least we don't call the tin work that was installed to FEND OFF Horse **** and mud, WINGS! (Maybe FENDERS should be called DEFENDERS...)

Anyway... Same goes for Bonnets and Boots!

HA!
 
Yep... Sooooo Jeff...

Have you loosened the 10mm fitting AT the Clutch Master and purged the air out there... FIRST?

If that can't be done, I suspect a bad Master.

If so... then go NEXT to the 13mm (I think...) Banjo bolt on the Slave and purge the air there. Lastly, the Slave nipple.

Have someone pump 3 times and hold... and insure the reservoir does not run out of fluid also.

I have had the MOST success using this method.

Lastly, if you can purge air out at the Master, and are still having some trouble... put a pan under the slave and loosen the banjo fitting so it drips. Come back the NEXT morning and try again. I THINK this might "gravity" bleed the system and it will only take a few pumps to clear the remaining air out.

HTH...
 
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