Drivetrain Broken clutch cable- what it looks like

JulianR · Aug 6, 2026

Was driving my 89 convertible GT a few weeks ago. Thorough out the day, I felt like getting into 1st gear was getting weirder until I parked it and, when running, couldn't put it in any gear. With the engine off, going into gear was fine, but as soon as I turned the car on, shifting was like hitting a wall. Got it towed home and when I got underneath it, I noticed the sheathing on the clutch cable broke. Thought I post it here in case anyone wanted to see what a bad clutch cable looks like. I also posted photos of my plastic quadrant that I replaced with the upgraded billet one. I didn't have problems with the quadrant, but once I removed it, I noticed the teeth were starting to get ground off.

DadLife0724 · Aug 6, 2026

That cable bit it hard. Did you remove your seat to do the work?

JulianR · Aug 6, 2026

I did not remove the seat and I'm a bigger guy. But I did have my back over the rocker panel and my head in the pedal bay while doing this. The car was lifted on the driver side only. I would suggest to have a 90 degree pick to pull out the cotter pins from the quadrants. Otherwise, besides patience, it's not too terrible.

AeroCoupe · Aug 6, 2026

Both are a common failure. I will say it’s rare to see a plastic quadrant on one of these cars as they are literally 33 to 47 years old.

DadLife0724 · Aug 6, 2026

JulianR said:
I did not remove the seat and I'm a bigger guy. But I did have my back over the rocker panel and my head in the pedal bay while doing this. The car was lifted on the driver side only. I would suggest to have a 90 degree pick to pull out the cotter pins from the quadrants. Otherwise, besides patience, it's not too terrible.

My back hurts thinkin about you doin that. Props to you though.

FastDriver · Aug 6, 2026

I've done it both ways, but if it makes you think about it, the seat's only 4 bolts. Take it out.

Get a Steeda cable, now, and if you have longtubes or it's possible it will get to close to the exhaust, then wrap the exhaust and the cable with this 1800* heat shield.

https://www.summitracing.com/search/brand/heatshield-products?SortBy=Default&SortOrder=Ascending

Shakerhood · Aug 7, 2026

AeroCoupe said:
Both are a common failure. I will say it’s rare to see a plastic quadrant on one of these cars as they are literally 33 to 47 years old.

Dont say that, my car doesnt need jinxed, lol.

2000xp8 · Aug 7, 2026

FastDriver said:
I've done it both ways, but if it makes you think about it, the seat's only 4 bolts. Take it out.

I made it even easier, I bought grade 8 bolts and put them through from the bottom on the back side and put nuts on the top. Made the seat easier to align and no more digging in the carpet to find the bolt holes, no more nuts falling off from the subframe brackets and the wrench stays on the nuts far better than the bolts at the wierd angle to the floor. Now I don't hesitate to pull the seat out.

As for the quadrant as soon as I put one of my previous clutches that was very heavy in, it only lasted a few a few weeks until it started getting jammed up. Honestly I didn't want to have to adjust the new one, but at 500 mile or less a year, it pretty much never needs to be adjusted.

JulianR · Aug 7, 2026

I'm actually surprised how much smoother the shifting got. I didn't even notice the cable was bad before.

2000xp8 · Aug 7, 2026

A bad cable happens slowly over a long period of time. Nearly impossible to notice unless you had something to compare it to.

FastDriver · Aug 7, 2026

The only time I ever wanted to get away from fox bodies entirely, it was all because of cheap parts store cables stretching and breaking repeatedly. It made driving the car f****** miserable. Once I figured out that Maximum Motorsports, Steeda, and OEM cables were the ones to get, I've never had another issue.

gkomo · Aug 8, 2026

Since MM and OEM are no longer options, is steeda the next best option?

AeroCoupe · Aug 8, 2026

I’ve run the Steeda adjustable cables for years now on both cars. The only issue I had was my own fault of running one on the T-Bird without header wrap as it’s way too close to the custom long tubes.

2000xp8 · Aug 8, 2026

I run the steeda adjustable cable. I couldn't use a firewall adjuster as for it hit my valve cover if you had to adjust it.
The curve of the firewall also affects how the pedal feels. I had two that were drastically different.

AeroCoupe · Aug 8, 2026

Is your motor set back? Only asking as I have firewall adjusters on both cars one with a 8.2 deck motor and the other with a 9.5 deck motor. Neither is set back (both have the ability to be set back) and both have SN95 / 93 style boosters.

2000xp8 · Aug 9, 2026

Remember i have a 4v with dohc. The cable travels directly over the top of the valve cover. I had a firewall adjuster on there, which fit, just couldn't be adjusted.

FastDriver · Aug 9, 2026

gkomo said:
Since MM and OEM are no longer options, is steeda the next best option?

I don't know the other cables out there, but I can vouch that the Steeda is the only one left I trust, and I have had problems with many other ones, particularly the adjustable parts store ones.

AeroCoupe · Aug 9, 2026

Yup, completely forgot and with that motor I am surprised you even got a firewall adjuster in there let alone trying to adjust it.

Before I had a firewall adjuster on my Coupe I ended up cutting some of the threaded part of the Steeda cable off so it would clear the clutch fork cover. Not necessary with the firewall adjuster installed.

rednotch · Aug 9, 2026

gkomo said:
Since MM and OEM are no longer options, is steeda the next best option?

This is why I all ways have email Notification set up for fleabay.. Got an NOS oem foxbody one for $30 not long ago. Been stashing them for when i run out of used sn and new edge cables or the old frpp clutch fork and cable linkage kits I have collected over the years. The cable from those kits where the best none oem fox length ones I've used, but never did try steeda's. I broke so many of the adjustable end style cables years ago that I gave up on those.

Shakerhood · Aug 9, 2026

rednotch said:
This is why I all ways have email Notification set up for fleabay.. Got an NOS oem foxbody one for $30 not long ago. Been stashing them for when i run out of used sn and new edge cables or the old frpp clutch fork and cable linkage kits I have collected over the years. The cable from those kits where the best none oem fox length ones I've used, but never did try steeda's. I broke so many of the adjustable end style cables years ago that I gave up on those.

Wow, thats awesome.

Drivetrain Broken clutch cable- what it looks like

JulianR

Active Member

DadLife0724

Advanced Member

JulianR

Active Member

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

DadLife0724

Advanced Member

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

Shakerhood

2000xp8

JulianR

Active Member

2000xp8

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

gkomo

now i can hopefully expect to receive the shaft

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

2000xp8

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

2000xp8

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

rednotch

I'd like to remain having one chocolate starfish

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Shakerhood

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Drivetrain Broken clutch cable- what it looks like

Active Member

Advanced Member

Active Member

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

Advanced Member

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

Active Member

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

now i can hopefully expect to receive the shaft

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

I'd like to remain having one chocolate starfish

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