Cable Clutch Conversion

Hg80Design · Mar 23, 2009

Hey, was looking for some solid input here before I order one of these. I am in the process of installing a T5 in my 65.

I have been looking around and there seem two be two main types of cable clutch conversions. One that goes through the existing hole with no real modification made by Ron Morris I believe. The other type seems to be sold by Modern Driveline and requires the installation of a plate behind the Master Cylinder and (correct me if I am wrong here) the drilling of a small hole in the firewall.

Does anyone have opinions on which of these work better. Is there a real benefit to the plate being added or is that just a design thing for the modern driveline version. Thanks for any input in advance.

CraigMBA · Mar 23, 2009

You can do the Mustang Steve piece too.

I have the Modern Driveline unit. My preference of the three of them is the Mustang Steve piece.

Hg80Design · Mar 24, 2009

Is there a reason you prefer the Mustang steve one over the Modern driveline unit. In your opinion how does the modern driveline unit perform.

rbohm · Mar 24, 2009

why not go with a hydraulic clutch instead? dazecars has the needed brackets, and you can get the master and slave cylinders from the supplier he recommends. you can be in the entire setup for about $200 rather than the near $500 that everyone else wants.

as for the cable clutch systems, the modern driveline system is designed to mimic the ford factory design, as is the mustangsteve system which is less money. the mustangsteve unit is the better unit because it fully mimics the ford factory cable clutch which lessens the wear on the cable.

CraigMBA · Mar 24, 2009

Hg80Design said:
Is there a reason you prefer the Mustang steve one over the Modern driveline unit. In your opinion how does the modern driveline unit perform.

The Mustang Steve unit uses a stock cable and a steel quadrant. You can buy a stock cable anywhere.

The Modern Driveline unit uses a unit-specific cable that may be hard to source if you somehow damage one. I have seen occurances where the pin that secures the clevis wears out on the Modern Driveline piece, where the Mustang Steve unit doesn't have that problem thanks to the clevis.

I have not seen the Ron Morris unit in person, and suspect that it has not enough leverage. The Modern piece is super easy to operate. I have a stiffer than stock McClod pressure plate and can cycle my clutch pedal with my hand.

I am not dissatisfied with my MD piece, rather, the Mustang Steve piece wasn't availible at all when I bought mine in 2002 or 2003. I am not replacing my Modern piece, but if I had to do it today, I would choose differently.

After owning a Ranger with a hydraulic clutch, I have only two words to say -

No thanks.

OK, seriously, the Daze piece is pretty slick, but I don't want a hydraulic clutch, TYVM. I can understand why other users might feel different.

GNGREN · Mar 24, 2009

The Mustang Steve kit looks by far to be the most difficult to install in my oppinion. But even if I didn't get it with all that I just bought I would have gotten it on my own. I can give a better detail on the install after this weekend, as I am hoping to atleast get the pedal assembly in while the wife is at her baby shower. The difficult part is going to be "raising the cowl floor" as it says in the instructions. Read that as BFH and or pump jack to get 1/2-3/4" clearence between the quadrent & cable to the firewall.

golf4283 · Mar 24, 2009

I have a MustangSteve cable clutch and had to purchase the entire pedal support as well cause I converted from automatic. It was a breeze to install. The only hard part is contorting yourself upside down in the car but that would be hard with any install.

That said my vote is for a hydraulic setup or a MustangSteve setup considering it uses the original cable which is easily purchased at a store.

rorin67 · Mar 24, 2009

Just to correct a misconception here - the Mustang Steve cable is not easily purchased at "any" store. Yes, it is a Ford factory part, but it is made for Ford Motorsports Racing, which is a specialized division. The difference between the normal Ford OEM cutch cable and the Ford cable that Mustang Steve uses is that the normal Ford OEM cable is not adjustable, and the Ford cable that Mustang Steve uses is. This special adjustable cable is NOT available at nearly any corner auto parts store, because again, it is a special Ford Motorsports Racing cable.

Since the installation of my Mustang Steve cable clutch on my 67, I've fried 2 cables because they come so close to my headers. I've even wrapped them in heat resistant and reflective material, and still they fry. When I went to buy a replacement cable at "any" store, I learned that the adjustable cable is the special Ford Racing cable which was a special order item.

Also, you'll learn from some that have put many miles on their Mustang Steve conversion that the cable tends to strecth over normal use and requires constant adjustment. The special Ford Racing cable is outsourced to another country (China?), and is cheaply made compared to the Ford OEM cable that comes in a standard Fox body. According to Mustang Steve, the normal Ford OEM cable (the non-adjustable kind) is not compatible with his conversion kit.

If you don't have headers, or if you don't have header clearance issues, or better yet if you rarely drive your classic, the Mustang Steve kit is by far the least expensive and easiset to do. I use my 67 as my daily driver, so after two fried cables and getting stranded out on the road, I'm going hydraulic...

GNGREN · Mar 24, 2009

You must be running long tube headers? I know just by looking at the bell cable location. There is no way I could run the long tubes (1990's BlackJack) that I have on the car now when I put the T5 in. The ones I am putting on have been custom modified to work with the cable style clutch. The tubes have been cut, stretched, rerouted and tigged back together for adequate clearance with the cable.

rbohm · Mar 24, 2009

CraigMBA said:
After owning a Ranger with a hydraulic clutch, I have only two words to say -

No thanks.

OK, seriously, the Daze piece is pretty slick, but I don't want a hydraulic clutch, TYVM. I can understand why other users might feel different.

in fairness to the dazecars hydraulic clutch system, it does use the much better after market cylinders. i agree that the factory cylinders are suspect, especially in a performance application.

Hg80Design · Mar 24, 2009

Ok, so it looks to me the Top Choice here is the Mustang Steve unit, but only if you don't have long tube headers? Am I correct on this. I read their site and I am using Tri-Y's which appear to problematic for this setup. Do I have any option here other than customizing my headers or using a different style?

My second choice appears to be the modern driveline unit. Seems like the majority here has that unit.

Has anyone run the Ron Morris version. Do you guys agree that it seems to be a problematic version. Or may not have enough leverage as stated earlier.

golf4283 · Mar 24, 2009

I have the MustangSteve cable clutch with Hedman Long Tube headers. The clearance is tight but it all fits. I just took the cable and wrapped it heat shield and then put a heat shield sleeve on it just to be safe. Haven't started the car yet so can't vouch for if it will burn or not but it makes no direct contact with my headers.

CraigMBA · Mar 24, 2009

Hg80Design said:
Ok, so it looks to me the Top Choice here is the Mustang Steve unit, but only if you don't have long tube headers? Am I correct on this. I read their site and I am using Tri-Y's which appear to problematic for this setup. Do I have any option here other than customizing my headers or using a different style?

My second choice appears to be the modern driveline unit. Seems like the majority here has that unit.

Has anyone run the Ron Morris version. Do you guys agree that it seems to be a problematic version. Or may not have enough leverage as stated earlier.

NONE of them will work with your unaltered Tri-y headers. One of the downtubes runs right in front of where the cable exits the bellhousing. You'll either have to radically reroute a tube or switch to something that fits, like Headman PN 88300 if you have a 289/302 small block.

CraigMBA · Mar 24, 2009

rbohm said:
in fairness to the dazecars hydraulic clutch system, it does use the much better after market cylinders. i agree that the factory cylinders are suspect, especially in a performance application.

In the case of the Ranger, they are a &#$&%$#*#@@ to bleed.

CraigMBA · Mar 24, 2009

rorin67 said:
Just to correct a misconception here - the Mustang Steve cable is not easily purchased at "any" store. Yes, it is a Ford factory part, but it is made for Ford Motorsports Racing, which is a specialized division. The difference between the normal Ford OEM cutch cable and the Ford cable that Mustang Steve uses is that the normal Ford OEM cable is not adjustable, and the Ford cable that Mustang Steve uses is. This special adjustable cable is NOT available at nearly any corner auto parts store, because again, it is a special Ford Motorsports Racing cable.

Since the installation of my Mustang Steve cable clutch on my 67, I've fried 2 cables because they come so close to my headers. I've even wrapped them in heat resistant and reflective material, and still they fry. When I went to buy a replacement cable at "any" store, I learned that the adjustable cable is the special Ford Racing cable which was a special order item.

Also, you'll learn from some that have put many miles on their Mustang Steve conversion that the cable tends to strecth over normal use and requires constant adjustment. The special Ford Racing cable is outsourced to another country (China?), and is cheaply made compared to the Ford OEM cable that comes in a standard Fox body. According to Mustang Steve, the normal Ford OEM cable (the non-adjustable kind) is not compatible with his conversion kit.

If you don't have headers, or if you don't have header clearance issues, or better yet if you rarely drive your classic, the Mustang Steve kit is by far the least expensive and easiset to do. I use my 67 as my daily driver, so after two fried cables and getting stranded out on the road, I'm going hydraulic...

1. I have several Motorsport dealers here local, and can easily source the cable.
2. The Modern Driveline piece has a unique cable, which you can only buy from MD.
3. Ditto Ron Morris.

The problem is systematic to all of these units to one degree or another.

SadbutTrue · Mar 26, 2009

Hg80Design said:
Hey, was looking for some solid input here before I order one of these. I am in the process of installing a T5 in my 65.

I have been looking around and there seem two be two main types of cable clutch conversions. One that goes through the existing hole with no real modification made by Ron Morris I believe. The other type seems to be sold by Modern Driveline and requires the installation of a plate behind the Master Cylinder and (correct me if I am wrong here) the drilling of a small hole in the firewall.

Does anyone have opinions on which of these work better. Is there a real benefit to the plate being added or is that just a design thing for the modern driveline version. Thanks for any input in advance.

Fwiw, my dad made his own quadrant and we used a stock Fox body cable. This with a 351w, P/S, and long tube headers. Works fine.

63bird390 · Mar 26, 2009

clutch cable

i made my own version of the mustang steve setup and it has an adjustable quadrant, uses a stock fox body clutch cable and has a fire wall adjuster. best of all no hydraulic fluid to piss everywhere or stupid slave cyl bleeding. and i use the cheap 100.00 or so headers from summit. the cable slips between the header tubes with 2.5" of clearance all around the cable. i did my conversion for less than 100.00 total. either way you go you wont look back at that auto c4 i have no regrets the car is so much faster now and gets good mileage to boot.

jikelly · Mar 26, 2009

rbohm said:
why not go with a hydraulic clutch instead? dazecars has the needed brackets, and you can get the master and slave cylinders from the supplier he recommends. you can be in the entire setup for about $200 rather than the near $500 that everyone else wants.

I second that and personally think the pedal feel is a lot better.

zm830101 · Mar 26, 2009

mustang steve user here. i like mine and have had no trouble with it since the install. install was a little difficult in my case. for whatever reason i had to mill a small amount off of the adjuster block. and then there was the "clearancing" of the cowl floor. wasn't really an issue just took some time. aside from those two small things, i love mine.

Texas Toast · Nov 6, 2013

63bird390 said:
clutch cable

i made my own version of the mustang steve setup and it has an adjustable quadrant, uses a stock fox body clutch cable and has a fire wall adjuster. best of all no hydraulic fluid to **** everywhere or stupid slave cyl bleeding. and i use the cheap 100.00 or so headers from summit. the cable slips between the header tubes with 2.5" of clearance all around the cable. i did my conversion for less than 100.00 total. either way you go you wont look back at that auto c4 i have no regrets the car is so much faster now and gets good mileage to boot.

I know this is from several years ago, but(if you're still around), do you have pictures of this setup? Did you use a fox body quadrant? Did it require creating clearance on the cowl panel?

Thanks!

Cable Clutch Conversion

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