Clutch Pedal Effort
04-21-2009, 04:03 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: FL
Posts: 11
Clutch Pedal Effort
Got a 93 GT - 5 spd. The clutch pedal feel is awful. The effort required to actuate the pedal makes it unsuable and therefore undrivable - but the clutch appears to function normally for the short drives I have taken it on. I have had other cabled Ford clutches and found those to be OK so I know something is wrong here. The fellow that I got the car from stated that he installed a Steeda cable and quadrant (although it looks stock to me) and replaced the entire clutch - and could never get it to work "as normal". I am thinking that it then has to be in the pedal box / pedal. Any advise on this?
I will disconnect the cable at the pedal and see what the pedal alone feels like and then work the issue forward... eventually I will get it but thought I would ask the experienced here on this fine board
Forgot to add that I cannot get my fat **** under that dash - a friend got stuck in there yesterday. Any step by steps on complete wheel / dash removal? How about a recommended shop manual? Thank you in advance for any help!
Regards,
Carl
I will disconnect the cable at the pedal and see what the pedal alone feels like and then work the issue forward... eventually I will get it but thought I would ask the experienced here on this fine board
Forgot to add that I cannot get my fat **** under that dash - a friend got stuck in there yesterday. Any step by steps on complete wheel / dash removal? How about a recommended shop manual? Thank you in advance for any help!
Regards,
Carl
Last edited by 74H1E; 04-21-2009 at 04:06 PM.
04-21-2009, 04:06 PM
#2
did he get a STOCK FACTORY type clutch?? i know the King Cobra clutches are stiff as hell to push in compared to stock. my buddy had one in his 349 and i couldnt hold it in at a light for more than like 15-20 seconds if that long. or does it only feel "different" at certain times. after the engine gets warm? only when its cold?
04-21-2009, 04:27 PM
#4
5th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 2,459
Take out the driver's side seat, it's alot easier and less risky(pinching wires, etc.) than taking out the dashboard.
My clutch was horrible when I got the car, but then again it had a stock clutch cable and stock slipping clutch. It required a ridiculous amount of effort to get the pedal disengaged.
After replacing the clutch with a HD ford clutch, and also machining the flywheel... We replaced the stock clutch cable with an OEM one, the lining tends to degrade over time and gunk up the inside of the clutch cable, causing the cable to not move as freely inside the sheath. Not to mention the cables can stretch. We also greased up the clutch pedal assembly, but that alone shouldn't cause that much trouble disengaging the clutch. But after the clutch, new cable, and a bit of grease on the pedal hardware... the first time I got back in the car, thinking it was just as tough, I almost slammed the clutch pedal on the firewall with barely any effort. It was that easy.
We just installed a Maximum Motorsports Quadrant and also firewall clutch adjuster... but I haven't had the car out yetto test, there's no reason that they should cause the pedal to require that much effort.
The quadrant has to be shimmed properly, he may not have known what he was doing when installing, or he may or may not have properly modified the Steeda clutch cable, if required. Im not familiar with the Steeda equipment. But my quadrant required the use of all the shims that MM gave me, it should not be loose and the cotter pin that holds it on should be next to a shim. The shims basically were washers, and there about 2 washers between my cotter pin and quadrant. My stock cable also required a bit of modification for the MM firewall adjuster(just cut off a few tabs).
My clutch was horrible when I got the car, but then again it had a stock clutch cable and stock slipping clutch. It required a ridiculous amount of effort to get the pedal disengaged.
After replacing the clutch with a HD ford clutch, and also machining the flywheel... We replaced the stock clutch cable with an OEM one, the lining tends to degrade over time and gunk up the inside of the clutch cable, causing the cable to not move as freely inside the sheath. Not to mention the cables can stretch. We also greased up the clutch pedal assembly, but that alone shouldn't cause that much trouble disengaging the clutch. But after the clutch, new cable, and a bit of grease on the pedal hardware... the first time I got back in the car, thinking it was just as tough, I almost slammed the clutch pedal on the firewall with barely any effort. It was that easy.
We just installed a Maximum Motorsports Quadrant and also firewall clutch adjuster... but I haven't had the car out yetto test, there's no reason that they should cause the pedal to require that much effort.
The quadrant has to be shimmed properly, he may not have known what he was doing when installing, or he may or may not have properly modified the Steeda clutch cable, if required. Im not familiar with the Steeda equipment. But my quadrant required the use of all the shims that MM gave me, it should not be loose and the cotter pin that holds it on should be next to a shim. The shims basically were washers, and there about 2 washers between my cotter pin and quadrant. My stock cable also required a bit of modification for the MM firewall adjuster(just cut off a few tabs).
04-21-2009, 04:59 PM
#6
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: FL
Posts: 11
Thank you for the info guys. I will pull the seat and go from there. The shim gimmack needs to be ruled out - thank you Tony. If that does not pan out then I will just work from the pedal to the clutch...
Regards,
Carl
Regards,
Carl
04-21-2009, 08:16 PM
#8
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 12
I had the same problem in my 95. My problem was the guy put a new clutch on the old glazed over flywheel. So i bought a new flywheel, also my pivot ball and clutch fork was wore out so i changed that and the cable and the bearing retainer and it feels like brand new.
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