I just finished putting a new clutch in with a resurfaced flywheel. Everything's bolted up and the car drives and shifts smooth (thank you Mobil 1). My only issue is the clutch adjustment.

I have the Stack Racing adjustable cable, double hook quadrant, and firewall adjuster. I can't get the adjustment perfect or even to the point where I can tolerate it. Right now it grabs right at about the brake pedal. I'm guessing it's too tight, but it feels like it will be too loose if I loosen it anymore. I put the adjustable cable on the clutch arm snug. Then I just clicked the firewall adjuster out a few rotations. I tried using the stock cable with the aftermarket clutch quadrant, but it was way too tight. It's really frustrating because I have to let the clutch pedal so far out in order for it to grab. Would it be alright if the clutch cable is relatively loose? Not like so much slack it's just hanging there, but just snug?

I spent so much time messing with the car trying to adjust it on jack stands yesterday....Only to realize that it needs to be on the ground to work properly. I want to go back to the stock mechanism!

 

You should have 1-1/4" to a max of 1-5/8" to 1-3/4" of free play in the pedal--that is, that much motion when you press on the pedal with your hand, from "up" to where you feel the throw out bearing start the press on the clutch spring.

After that "where" the clutch engages and disengages is pretty much where it will engage and disengage. There's a little bit of further personal sort of tweaking that can be done; but not a whole lot without having the adjustment too loose (the clutch may not fully disengage) or too tight (the clutch may not fully engage, or the TOB will be continuously loaded)...

 

In other words it should grab about half way down/up?

Right now it grabs a little higher up. I'm guessing it needs to be loosened just a bit?

 

To very large extent where it "grabs" is where it grabs, and is a function of the Belleville spring's finger length and fulcrum placement. This can be tweaked a little bit but only within a narrow range if the TOB position at rest is properly set up.

Clutch makers can specify the finger length and fulcrum relationship to alter the clutch action and provide for a shorter or longer engagement/disengagement "ramp", or to make make the required actuation force more or less--unfortunately like many things in life like most other things you compromise one to optimise the other (it's like the decision to buy an 18-pack of Miller High Life, or a six pack of Guinness--quantity vs. quality).

The most important thing is to not have the TOB loaded up against the spring fingers with the pedal released (which will wear out the TOB in short order), nor to have it so far from the the clutch spring fingers that the clutch does not throw out--this is generally achieved with 1-1/4" to 1-5/8" free play in the pedal--as stated above once this adjustment is made where the clutch grabs will be where it grabs; you will then need to get used to it.

Too many people think the clutch adjustment is there to let them place the engagement point--it's not. It's there to properly position the TOB, again as described above...

 

I'm glad I read this thread. I'm installing the Steeda set this weekend or next. Now I know what to watch for.

 

This makes complete sense. Right now if I tap or touch the clutch I can sort of feel something coming through the pedal (the throwout bearing must be resting on the pressure plate fingers). I just need to loosen the cable a tad bit so it's not constantly riding the fingers. Makes sense. I'm doing it tonight. Hopefully one more day of driving doesn't kill the throwout bearing!