Installed fire wall adjuster, now clutch is at the top, HELP!

[astronut1885]

Hey guys. I found out why I've been having trouble shifting my car. I routed the adjustable cable I got from Summit totally wrong and it was binding. I had gotten an aluminum quadrant from them too, so that's already on the car. Today I installed a UPR extreme double locking fire wall adjuster and an OEM cable to replace the stretched/warped summit piece. I got it all hooked up, and the FWA is bottomed out, no extra tension added, and my clutch grabs right at the top of the pedal and there's no play in the pedal. Should I just drive it like that until the cable stretches or what? I like my clutch to grab lower than this, I'm hoping the clutch is engaging all the way under there and that I'm not going to smoke it. Any help would be great!

 

[ECU5.0]

i dont like the sound of this....i just got a ford oem cable and ordered a upr extreme firewall adjuster also.

 

[xplo89gt]

Put your clutch cable on a different hook on your quadrant. Mine is on the middle hook and I have the firewall adjusted. I think mine starts to engage about 2 inches from the top. So there is some play.

Just for reference I bought a OEM clutch cable, UPR triple quadrant, and UPR firewall adjuster.

Good luck!

 

[ECU5.0]

but what do you do if you have a single hook quadrant?

 

[xplo89gt]

I didn't think there was an aftermarket single hook quadrant because it wouldn't make much sense unless it adjusted some other way.

Are you referring to the stock adjustable quadrant? In that case it is one hook but it has an adjusting mechanism. Either way it is plastic and deemed a piece of crap.

If you already bought a new cable and firewall adjuster. You might as well complete the package by getting a UPR extreme triple hook quadrant. I can't remember exactly but it was around $30-$40.

 

[astronut1885]

I have a single hook quadrant on my car. It really has two hooks, but the second one doesn't have the nubs to secure the cable, so I don't trust it. I took it out for a ride, and it was super easy to use the clutch now, almost like cars with hydraulic clutches, but considering how bad it was before, I may be exaggerating. I called UPR, they said to give it a few days and let the cable stretch a little bit, and if not, either try that second hook on my quad or, of course, buy their triple hook unit. For now it just takes a little getting used to with having it so high, but I'll work it out. Atleast I know the clutch isn't slipping because of this, it's just grabbing high.

 

[NoSloCoupes]

Shim the cable at the fork. I use an old stock lug nut, works perfect.

 

[astronut1885]

I think the reason this is happening is because the quadrant I have has a hook in the stock position. Therefore I don't really need to adjust it yet. I know that cable's going to stretch a little very soon, so from there I'll play with it. If not, then I'll try that second hook out.

 

[astronut1885]

what? why would I want to do that. that'll make it grab even higher. My cable isn't too long, it's a tad short right now.

 

[ECU5.0]

ive got an aftermarket quadrant with only one hook on it. i think its for an adjustable cable...but im not sure. it was on there when i bought the car. i hope i dont have to get a three hook quadrant...that will piss me off

 

[blkstangman88]

i can say dont drive the car with the clutch engaging that high, since the clutch isnt grabbing all the way its bound to slip and ruin it. is there any way to loosen the cable up so its not so tight....if not id say take the firewalla djuster out for awhile untill the clutch wears a bit that way the cable will have more slack when u put the firewall adjuster back.

 

[astronut1885]

It isn't slipping, I know that much. I was just out beating on it. I have maybe 1/4" slack up top. I can't loosen the cable, and if I take the FWA out, the result will be the same, because when the FWA is fully retracted it's no thicker than the cable with the mounting isolator on it. I really don't want to put the adj. cable back in, as I know it's got damage from the improper routing.

 

[blkstangman88]

might need to get a new adjustable clutch cable?

 

[ECU5.0]

the whole reason he got a oem cable is because the adjustable ones are crap. if you have 1/4" slack up top just leave it and let the cable stretch a little bit. you should have about 1/2" of slack at the top

 

[astronut1885]

That's what I'm thinking. I hear ya on the adj ones being crap, I've read alot of stories about them going to hell, and a friend had one go on his car. I had to tighten the thing once a week because it stretched so bad. I'm sure that the improper routing didn't help, but still, it stretched like a rubber band.

 

[ECU5.0]

yeah, the nut that is supposed to keep the adjusting nut from moving fell off on mine and thats why it wasnt adjusted right. hopefully i wont have the same problem you did...but i probably will

 

[astronut1885]

yeah, if you have one hook, it's probably in the stock location. Just give it a few days, especially if you have a heavy clutch, and it'll stretch. I'm hoping mine does. If not, hook #2.

 

[NoSloCoupes]

what? why would I want to do that. that'll make it grab even higher. My cable isn't too long, it's a tad short right now.

See what happens when i don't read the entire thread,lol.

 

[stangbear427]

Three things:
(1) OEM Ford cables take forever to stretch. If you're expecting it to, you have a long wait.
(2) All adjustable cables aren't crap. I have tried almost every one on the market, and found that they are all created equal, almost. The exception is the Ford Racing adjustable cable, which is easily as good quality as the stock replacement OEM one. There has been one in my wife's '89 LX for two years and over 20,000 miles, and I have never adjusted it once. I had such good luck with it that I put the same one in my '91 GT, and have gone several months with no trouble, and no stretching.
(3) In the meantime, you can secure it on the second pickup of your existing quadrant with a strip of duct tape if you're worried about it coming off, this is actually a good trick to installing the whole thing. If you tape the cable on the quadrant before you install the quadrant on the shaft, it makes the whole process easier.

 

[v8only]

I snapped 3 frpp cables, for me, the quality was no different, imo

what hook are you on right now? You shouldn't have any issues if it's a single hook quadrant, or if it is on the first hook. My quadrant in my vert is a single hook frpp unit...I bought it years ago, snapped the frpp cable that came with it, went through two more frpp cables, then put the oem one back on and combined it with a steeda firewall adjuster. If you are on the further hook, thats why its so tight.

That oem cables not going to stretch, have fun waiting. as long as you have a little slack up top, you are fine. even if it's just 1/4 inch, as long as it's there. 1/2 to 1 inch slack max, so you are really not too bad off, just keep an eye on it. As the clutch wears, you're gonna get more slack anyhow, although that's gonna take a while.

fyi, anyone with a upr triple hook, don't use that third hook, it's useless, it'll make your pedal sit way too high, your adjustment will be way too tight, upr even admits the third hook is just to get around the steeda double hook patent. we smoked my bros spec stage one out in 5100k miles by using that damned third hook (He didn't know how to adjust)