It's a factory part that deteriorates over time as it is just a rubber snubber to cushion the action of the rod and lever as the clutch is worked in and out.
AMC/Jeep called it a seal. Part# J3130998

You can see it at the end of the rod in the photos below.

Cut the end off a piece of rubber hose and you'll have the same piece again.

 

okay, so you just took some rubber hose, maybe a little extra fuel line, cut a section and then split it and spread it out over, or did you cut a section and feed it over the end there?

 

Just some heavy wall vacuum hose pushed over the end. Long time ago.

 

That rubber snubber deteriorated off my clutch linkage years ago, with no noticeable affect on clutch operation. I don't think it does much of anything at all.

 

I may just skip it and move on, all good, thanks for the experience.

 

Don’t split the rubber hose/piece. Just heat it with a heat gun and slide it over the ball. Use a rubber mallet.

 

This worn part should also be addressed while it's out. Chances are the other linkage part this goes into is wallowed out

 

Not only does that make it harder to push

But

One day you might be buying a Porsche!

You'll be sitting behind one at the traffic light, you'll

push in the clutch pedal and

Presto!!!

A bang and your foot suddenly hits the floor!

It gets better!

Your clutch just engaged and now maybe your bumper

climbed on the back of the car!

Even better!

You wanna push that clutch pedal SO BAD,

but it's on the floor!

Usually the Jeep has stalled on it's own by now!

Without smacking a car, this happened to me twice when I was learning too!

I solved this issue permanently making a modification with roller bearings,

other use heim joints

-----JEEPFELLER

 

I used a large sized vacuum cap on mine.