Excessive play in clutch, tried everything.

[SILV BLT]

I've got a 98 Spyder GS that I installed an aftermarket clutch in. The clutch has always caught realllllly low (to the point where it would barely even disengage) even before the new clutch assembly went in. After the new clutch didn't fix it, I pulled the tranny back out to shim the shift fork ball. The shift fork sits right in the middle of the window but I still had play, so I put on a new slave cylinder, still no improvement. After driving around that way for a while, the low disengagement caused the master cylinder rod attachment point to fail, so in went a new master cylinder. After installing that and bleeding it, still not much better. (and yes, it is adjusted correctly). Then I bought a stainless steel line to replace the old rubber line. I've replaced every hydraulic component and I still have 2 inches of soft pedal before the clutch starts to move. It's not loose where the slave touches the fork and I've bled the hell out of it. What am I missing?

 

[bryanwheat]

Flywheel step height.

 

[SILV BLT]

Flywheel was machined and by a reputable shop (not to say that it's not possible). The first couple inches of travel are very light. If it was step height, wouldn't the excessive travel be with resistance from the pressure plate? This feels more like air in the system or something. Are the clutch systems in our cars known to be hard to bleed? Would it be worth taking it somewhere to power bleed it?

 

[mercaholik]

You may have to buy try it your self first. How's your actual clutch pedal assembly? Can you feel play when you pull up on the pedal? There are bushings in there that wear over time. Also I believe luvtoralley made the point, that the clutch fork itself wears, not so much the pivot ball. That's why people still have trouble after replacing and shiming the pivot ball.