Clutch Pedal Play??

[WldstrawbryLX]

How much free play should the clutch pedal have at the top?? Mine seems to have more than enough. Three weeks ago I installed FRPP clutch kit and also installed the BBK Quad and cable kit. Now it groans and makes noises when i disengage the clutch, but thats only a minor annoyance. I have to push like h*** to get it thru the gears. Cable is adjusted all the way at the end to try and get enough throw, still not better.....so.....is there something under the dash i can tighten or adjust or am i lookin at replacing some parts related to the clutch pedal itself.

 

[blk92stangg]

Ah, sorry to say, but if your adj cable is at its limit, you will need a firewall adjuster. I would use a stock cable and the firewall adjuster.

 

[87'GTstang]

Don't throw out the possibility of a worn out bearing retainer or mis-aligned clutch but it still shouldn't take that much effort. Too many things it could be with, but if it requires that much adjustment something isn't set right as your clutch obviously isn't releasing.

BTW, you're seriously risking breaking something (as fragile as these stupid T5's are) by slamming it into and through gears - just so you realize this. Very rarily does anything need replacing with the clutch pedal.

 

[BigDaddyCee]

I was having problems with my clutch after I had done a complete job on it, everthing including pilot bearing, pressure plate, clutch disc, reground flywheel, throw-out bearing, clutch fork, pivot bolt, clutch cable and bearing retainer were all replaced. Only thing I didn't replace was the quadrant and pawl/self adjusting mech. Turned out these had run out of adjustment and were garbage. Replaced them with a UPR triple hook quadrant and a firewall adjuster. Now when I shift gears It is like a hot knife cutting through butter. Sounds like your clutch isn't disengaging all the way. You may need a firewall adjuster.

 

[HISSIN50]

another alternative would be to use a different hook on the quadrant. this will take some slack back out. many folks run with no freeplay in the pedal, and actually just a little preload.

two things on tough cable travel. make sure the cable is aligned coming out of the quadrant. second thing is that many folks have troubles like you with aftermarket cables. the stocker is actually best liked. but you need a firewall adjuster to run it with your quadrant. BTW, a FWA will give you more adjustment (even if your adj cable is maxed out), but i would worry about it breaking.

good luck.

 

[old_blue]

I had the "cricket" noise with my throw out bearing, I found out that ford's answer was that the throw out bearing had to have 10lbs of preload. So, basically I adjusted the cable until the noise went away and Have had no problems since. I run an adjustable cable and fire wall adjuster with an aftermarket quadrant.

 

[jrichker]

Cable operated clutch systems should have NO slack in the cable. If there is slack, you risk having the cable come loose off the quadrant. As previously metioned, the clutch cable & throwout bearing is designed to run with some preload.

 

[BigDaddyCee]

What I did when I set-up my cable was I hooked everthing up and went underneath then removed the clutch fork cover plate. I took notice of the clutch fork freeplay. I moved the clutch fork/throwout bearing by hand so it was in contact with the pressure plate. Then I took up the slack with my firewall adjuster. From here I made minor adjustments with the firewall adjuster so I could get the right pedal height and feel for me. Personally I like it to start grabbing nearer the floor in the bottom half of the travel. Makes it easier to start out on steep hills, which makes for less riding of the clutch.

 

[WldstrawbryLX]

Thanks to all who responded. I'm getting the general concensus that I need the FWA. There is no slack in the cable...all the slack seems to be in the pedal itself. FYI....I'm not grinding any gears.....its just takes abit of effort. It use to shift like a hot knife thru butter!!! Damn i hate when this happens.....

 

[v8only]

Personally I like it to start grabbing nearer the floor in the bottom half of the travel. Makes it easier to start out on steep hills, which makes for less riding of the clutch.

You are likely misadjusted, and are too loose, proper engagement should be around halfway up in the travel of the pedal. Engagement right off the floor will cause incomplete dis-engagement of the clutch which will result in premature clutch wear, difficulty putting into gears, excessive grinding of reverse, and eventually transmission damage.


To the original poster: I have done this setup way too many times. As already mentioned, you are not adjusted tightly enough. Regardless of if you pull on the cable with your finger and it feels tight, you will know when it is adjusted too loosely when the top of the clutch pedal feels all spongy.

The proper adjustment is to adjust ALL that spongy feeling out, except for about an inch or two. That point where it doesn't feel spongy any longer is the actual point of disengagement for the clutch. You want to tighten your cable until it is within an inch or two of that point. This WILL fix your problem (barring any internal transmission problems, which sound unlikely in your case)

Regardless of which adjustable setup you have, if your quadrant does not have at least 2 hooks, and you don't have a firewall adjuster, you wasted your money. (don't use the third hook though with the upr setup, the third hook is just for go-around patent reasons from steeda)

Like already mentioned, stick the oem non adjustable cable back in, get yourself a firewall and a double hook steeda or triple hook upr quadrant and put it in. This will give you the added adjustment that you need. Now adjust it as I mentioned and all will be well.

 

[BigDaddyCee]

BTW, v8only I agree about the halfway point on the clutch. Mine is adjusted so that it is just below halfway (closer to the floor). Not just off the floor! It doesn't grind in reverse. Furthermore, it is not difficult to put into gear. Finally I guess you missed the part where I said Shifting gears is is like putting a hot knife through butter. Please don't mis-quote when you quote only a portion of the post!

 

[v8only]

sorry about that. Before I discovered the world of message boards, I could find NO ONE that had any mustang experience. I didn't know how to adjust a clutch for ****. I went through 2 clutches and 2 trannies in a real short time because of stuff. I figured it out the hard way. So long as you are dis engaging all the way, you'll be fine. When I had my mis adjustment problems years ago, I would roll forward ever so slightly on a flat surface. Man that messed me up at the strip.

 

[BigDaddyCee]

No worries, I initially had it up on jackstands before I put it on the road, this is where I ensured the clutch was engaging/disengaging completely. I made minor adjustments from here. Sorry about the attitude. I love the message boards too!

 

[old_blue]

Mine starts to engage about 2-3 inches from the top, has always worked fine.