Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/183630
the clutch pedal had sunk to the floor. Not a good sign. The slave cylinder had obviously leaked out all the fluid; I had no clutch. Wonky slave cylinders on YJ Wranglers are a fairly common problem. In fact, I had replaced this one just three years ago. Now it had failed again and I was stranded. Well, not quite. As an old Jeeper, I knew a few tricks. I could hike across town about three miles to the auto parts store and buy some clutch fluid but I knew that would only be temporary and besides it was 90 Degrees outside and this Old Codger just didn't feel like walking. So I put Old Red into Neutral, pushed it back out of the nose-in parking stall and then put the transmission into 4-wheel low and the main shifter into First. Then I simply turned the starter key and the Jeep rolled forward on the starter gear, the engine fired up and I was in business. I could drive the Jeep home but I would be shifting without a clutch, so I would have to match my revs closely. I would also have to take the back way home to avoid stop lights. Piece of proverbial cake. The aging Jeep and its aging owner made home without further incident. Of course, I now have some mechanical repairs to make, but that really shouldn't be much of a problem. Replacing a slave cylinder is difficult only because access to it is limited, but the procedure is straight forward... that is, if I can remember what I did with my socket set! OCTOBER 2013 // WWW.CHANGINGLANESDIGITAL.COm bloody knuckles 1013 cl.indd 3 CHANGING LANES Bloody Knuckles 35 9/5/13 3:08 PM