Any tricks to adjusting *****ty adjustable cable at fork? Havent done it in years!

Speeds8erM-1 · Oct 7, 2005

My friend just got a 91 GT, it has a *****ty adjustable cable, aftermarket quadrant but no fire wall adjuster. Now it's hard to shift, so I figure the cable stretched, I cant remember if there are any tricks to adjusting it at the fork? I havent done it that way in over two years. There are two nuts, do they both go on the same side of the fork or does one go behind and the other in front? I cant remember which is right. It has both nuts on the same side right now.

Yes I know the adjustable cables suck but until he gets a stock cable and firewall adjuster, we have to fix this.

Im sure it will be self explanitory when we look at it but I just wanted to make sure there werent any tricks before hand.

jrichker · Oct 7, 2005

The binding common to adjustable cables is often due to misplacement of the adjusting nuts on the fork end of the cable. This will also cause the cable to wear and fray. Both nuts should be on the back side of the fork so that the domed nut faces the fork and the other nut serves as jam or locknut to the domed nut.

Use a pair of Visegrips on the swaged part of the cable to keep the cable from turning. Two wrenches are required to loosen and tighen the nuts.

88gt · Oct 7, 2005

Adjustable cable don't suck....

People just need to take their time to understand how they operate and install them correctly.

Speeds8erM-1 · Oct 7, 2005

jrichker said:
The binding common to adjustable cables is often due to misplacement of the adjusting nuts on the fork end of the cable. This will also cause the cable to wear and fray. Both nuts should be on the back side of the fork so that the domed nut faces the fork and the other nut serves as jam or locknut to the domed nut.

Use a pair of Visegrips on the swaged part of the cable to keep the cable from turning. Two wrenches are required to loosen and tighen the nuts.

They are on there right then. Adjustable cables do suck, they are 100% pointless. Take a new adjustable cable out, put an oem ford cable in, your pedal will be sooo much easier to use.

Thanks for the info!

88gt · Oct 7, 2005

Speeds8erM-1 said:
Adjustable cables do suck, they are 100% pointless. Take a new adjustable cable out, put an oem ford cable in, your pedal will be sooo much easier to use.

Thanks for the info!

Mine must be some kind of freak!! Followed the instructions for installation, no problems......

100% pointless??? So is street racing!

87'GTstang · Oct 7, 2005

Mine lasted 8 months before the ****ing thing left me stranded. Then I had to drive 20 miles back home TRULY powershifting (mind you 1st and 5th gears were my only friends by choice). Yes, I too installed it correctly, it's not something that needs any thinking. There's a pivot stud and a backup jambnut - the end.

The problem with them is extremely simple. Look at the long stud that has all of the threads for adjustment and where the cable combines with it. This creates a very stong arc when the fork pivots - why? It's simple, the pivot point is several inches before the fork (or where the adjustment runs out and the cable attatches) and by default the cable is the only piece that is designed to flex, not the rod. Whereas a stock-style cable pulls through the arc and pivots at the fork, so even tension remains on ALL strands. On the adjustable one though, if you can ever look under the car while the clutch is pressed and depressed, you will see that the cable does not pull through the arc like the stocker but will actually shift to the side a bit through the arc. This then creates a weak point where the cable meets the adjustment rod by pulling on the outter strands of the cable. I guarantee that the cable will ALWAYS break just before the adjustment rod and nowhere else along the cable - seen it happen everytime!

Everyone do themselves a favor and just use the firewall adjuster. Even a great adjustable cable will never outlast the stock one.

Speeds8erM-1 · Oct 7, 2005

88gt said:
Mine must be some kind of freak!! Followed the instructions for installation, no problems......

100% pointless??? So is street racing!

Hmmm, so have my cars and my friend's cars, replace with stock cable and it's way better.

What does street racing have to do with a clutch cable? Way to go off track, do you have alzheimer's?

Speeds8erM-1 · Oct 7, 2005

87'GTstang said:
Mine lasted 8 months before the ****ing thing left me stranded. Then I had to drive 20 miles back home TRULY powershifting (mind you 1st and 5th gears were my only friends by choice). Yes, I too installed it correctly, it's not something that needs any thinking. There's a pivot stud and a backup jambnut - the end.

The problem with them is extremely simple. Look at the long stud that has all of the threads for adjustment and where the cable combines with it. This creates a very stong arc when the fork pivots - why? It's simple, the pivot point is several inches before the fork (or where the adjustment runs out and the cable attatches) and by default the cable is the only piece that is designed to flex, not the rod. Whereas a stock-style cable pulls through the arc and pivots at the fork, so even tension remains on ALL strands. On the adjustable one though, if you can ever look under the car while the clutch is pressed and depressed, you will see that the cable does not pull through the arc like the stocker but will actually shift to the side a bit through the arc. This then creates a weak point where the cable meets the adjustment rod by pulling on the outter strands of the cable. I guarantee that the cable will ALWAYS break just before the adjustment rod and nowhere else along the cable - seen it happen everytime!

Everyone do themselves a favor and just use the firewall adjuster. Even a great adjustable cable will never outlast the stock one.

87GTstang has elbow dropped the correct.

88gt · Oct 7, 2005

Speeds8erM-1 said:
87GTstang has elbow dropped the correct.

Ummm....OK...Mine must still be a freak..IF mine breaks, I'll buy another..

time to go take alzheimer's meds....

87'GTstang · Oct 7, 2005

My point being, the stock design of the clutch cable works and works very well. The point of modifying a car is to not only improve a weakness but make it that much more better. Not even the aftermarket can come close to beating the design not to mention the outstanding quailty that went into building the OE cable. This is a case where the aftermarket thought they could do a better job but goofed up, but people buy them because they think they are more convenient. I pulled my stock cable out because it had burn mark, part of the sheathing was missing, and the cable had a little bit of fraying starting to occur, but not much. This was 17 years of abuse and 267k miles. Show me an adjustable cable that will go the distance. I have worked for Ford and I have witnessed this countless times - time to give a pat on the back to the company that built it right the first time (not going into the OE plastic quadrant however ).

HISSIN50 · Oct 8, 2005

I agree with 87GT. I am eager to hear long-term feedback on MM's universal cable too - it looks robust like the oem cable.

That said, many folks have used adjustable cables for some time (JR has IIRC, as do I). But a blanket statement would be that OEM non-adjustable cables hold up the best.

Speeds8erM-1 · Oct 8, 2005

It's not about the pos adjustable cables ont breaking, you can take one out that works fine, put a stock cable in and it will be alot easier to press the clutch down.

HISSIN50 · Oct 8, 2005

Um, I will respectfully disagree with ya - the adjustable cables breaking is a factor. When one holds up half the adjustable cables next to an OEM cable, it is night and day. And the sheathing is much better on the oem cable (and teflon lining, etc).

Speeds8erM-1 · Oct 8, 2005

No, Im saying they do break but even one that "works fine" still doesnt work as good as a new OEM.

HISSIN50 · Oct 8, 2005

Speeds8erM-1 said:
No, Im saying they do break but even one that "works fine" still doesnt work as good as a new OEM.

I gotcha - I am with ya there.

Speeds8erM-1 · Oct 8, 2005

Any tricks to adjusting *****ty adjustable cable at fork? Havent done it in years!

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