Mr.T

The plastic slave cylinder can make an intermittent squeak-creak. It's hard to tell for sure if the slave is making the sound, suggest having someone press the clutch slowly while holding onto the cylinder and listening under the Jeep. The fix was disassembly of the slave cylinder, cleaning, applying brake assembly lube, adding new fluid, bleeding the system and snapping off the plastic end of the slave push rod that pushes against the clutch fork and adding a dab of grease to the spherical bearing surface. This latter step can be tried first to see if this step alone stops the squeak with no bleeding necessary.



Plastic slave cylinders are used on lots of different cars now, and sometimes they squeak/creak. This may be from the fluid absorbing moisture and changing the friction properties of the fluid, and/or from the plastic-on-plastic spherical pivot rod-end. Here's some notes, more than the Chrysler manual remove/replace instructions for the slave:

Suck the old fluid out of the shared brake/clutch reservoir (with a small turkey baster or similar). There's a baffle in the reservoir to keep a leaking clutch from draining the fluid for the brakes, and vice-versa. Suggest sucking out all the fluid possible. If it's empty it won't leak as much on your face, and one might as well replace all you can with new/dry fluid.

Removal
Remove the two nuts holding the slave cylinder to the bell housing, then carefully remove the slave from the bell housing with the line attached. Avoid getting the push rod at an angle to the cylinder because it will leak fluid into the rubber boot.

Pull the wire retainer clip about 1/4" out the side to remove the hydraulic line -- There's an o-ring on the end of the line that should stay put, but be on the lookout in case it doesn't.

Drain the disconnected line into some rags or a container, then cap the line (vacuum line plug/cap assortment comes in handy) to stop the dripping brake fluid. Note that Brake Fluid can strip paint as well as makes a mess. Spray cleaners like windex or simple green work OK on spills.

Peel back the rubber boot at the end of the slave push rod and check that it's dry inside and not leaking past the piston seal.

Disassembly
Disassemble by pressing on the four tabs with a screw driver around the circumference of the retainer that hold the end cap and the rubber boot on. Remove the retainer with the plastic tabs, rubber boot, piston/push rod, and the spring.

Remove the spherical end cap on the push rod, it snaps off. Clean it, add some grease to the spherical rod end, and snap the cap back on it. Don't grease the outside of the push rod cap that is exposed inside the bell housing. Clean the indent in the clutch fork as well. The only grease should be on the concave surface inside the push rod cap, where it pivots on the spherical end of the push rod -- And all of this is inside the rubber boot.

Clean the parts, blow out with air, and assemble with some brake assembly lube (my preference, made by Raybestos) or clean brake fluid. To replace the retainer with the plastic tabs, press each tab with a thin screw driver in the tab. No pic, but pressing carefully from behind the tab will let it "click" into the slot.

Bleeding
Attach some 3/16 ID clear plastic tubing to the slave bleeder valve and route the other end to a waste container. Clear tubing lets you see the bubbles.

Insert the hydraulic line into the slave cylinder and press the retainer clip.

Hold the Slave Cylinder with the bleeder pointed up -- It will trap air in the normal position, so it must be tipped to bleed air.

Over-fill the brake/clutch reservoir, open the bleeder valve (1/2 turn CCW), and let it gravity bleed. Pump the slave push rod by hand (1/4" inch is all it takes) a few times as the fluid/air exits the bleeder hose, and keep re-filling the reservoir with brake fluid. After the reservoir level is below the baffle, the only part that will decrease level is on the driver's side of the reservoir. With this method there is no need for someone to pump the clutch and alternately open/close the bleeder valve. When there are no more bubbles seen when pumping the slave push rod, let the reservoir drain to the full level mark (at the height of the baffle) and close the bleeder valve.

Installation
Take off the bleeder hose, cap the bleeder, and mount the slave to the bell housing. Press the 4WD shift cable to move it out of the way to minimize side force on the push rod as it's slid in place.

Exercise the clutch pedal several times, it should feel firm. The squeak should be gone.

You're not done, time for a leak-check. Remove the slave one more time, leaving the hydraulic line on. Peel back the rubber boot at the push rod end cap, and check for leaking brake fluid. If all is dry, install the slave again.

karls

Do you have pics to go with all of the details? Some are better visual learners than others.

Is this the sound you're talking about??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXNtXLugQmU&feature=youtube_gdata_player Sent from my DROID4

mook8651

That's the same problem my slave does its annoying. But pics would do me alot better to go along with that description. It's easy to understand just hard to picture when reading

Mr.T

With mine it was fairly easy to identify the source by having someone operate the clutch while listening near the possible noise sources, crawling under the Jeep, listening where it loudest, and touching the slave cylinder. Can't tell the source from the video.

Mr.T

I hear you. Was going to take pics, but time was short, hands were dirty, you know the story. I think the text will help a lot as one looks under the Jeep, and at the slave cylinder. The Chrysler manual, nor anything else I saw, talks about taking the slave apart. It's not hard, but anytime plastic tabs hold something together it's best to be extra careful about how hard and where pressure is applied.

jeepmojo

is it just a annoyance or is it a critical issue that needs to be done to prevent a further problem 23 ,000 miles on it started doin this about 5000 miles ago thought it was just the spring under on the arm but turns out its coming from slave as in the guys video same exact creak I can feel it there in the slave where cable enters the black plastic tube

Mr.T

To me, it's just an annoyance. BTW - There's no cable in the tubing, it's hydraulic.

Mr.T

Pic added to first post. Five years later and the squeak is still gone. Only thing done while replacing the clutch was to slide back the rubber boot, check for leaks, and snap off the rod-end cap and add another dab of grease to the spherical bearing surface.

karls10jk

I need to pull my slave out then. It's literally done the squeak since it was new...within months of buying it. Dealer claims it's "normal" and yet none of my friends have it.

Mr.T

Suggest trying the dab of grease on the spherical rod-end that snaps off first. No need to bleed, a pretty quick job.