sticky clutch pedal.. please help

[txgunrunner]

just installed a new clutch and adjustable clutch cable 2 weeks ago and now the clutch pedal feels real sticky. i cant ease off the pedal in 1st cuz it starts sticking so i have to take off fairly hard to prevent this. the only difference from the old adjust cable is the new one doesnt have a support brace about halfway in the middle that bolts to the inner fenderwell. we have bad traffic in houston so i need to have a smooth pedal for the bumper to bumper scenario. thanks for the help.

 

[Mike86Stang]

Pull it & get some graphite lube & get it lubed up. Make sure it's not making any sharp turns or getting pinched by anything . That & make sure your TO bearing is sufficently lubricated.

 

[txgunrunner]

forgot to mention that i can hear the cable creaking applying the pedal in and out. are there better adjustable quadrants/cable kits better than others? thanks again.

 

[Mike86Stang]

Personally I love the OEM cables REALLY smooth compared to aftermarket cables. I've used 3 diffrent aftermarket cables & one OEM. The OEM is what is in the car now & it feels SO much better

 

[Daggar]

I feel your pain man. My OEM cable is doing the exact same thing. I've just been too lazy to pull it all back apart again and lube up the cable.

 

[v8only]

Pull it & get some graphite lube & get it lubed up. Make sure it's not making any sharp turns or getting pinched by anything . That & make sure your TO bearing is sufficently lubricated.

no offense, but don't lube the clutch cable. they are teflon inside, and don't need lubing. Lubing them will only trap grit and dirt inside, and cause the cable to prematurely wear. Additionally, if any lube on the t/o bearing, just a very, very light coat on it, as it's prelubed, and too much will sling grease on your clutch disc.

My cable stuck like that when I had it routed wrong. Be sure it's routed under the k member, and not above it. You want to poke it under the car right at the steering rack/oil filter, and run it under the car to the fork.

lastly, ditch that pos adj cable and just stick with a stock oem non adj cable, firewall adjuster, and an alum quadrant.

 

[txgunrunner]

stupid question, but what is the k member?

 

[v8only]

the k member is that giant plate that goes under the engine. It bolts to both sides of the car on the bottom. It's what the suspension and engine are all mounted off of. It's very big and heavy. It can unbolt though, and some replace it with a light tubular steel version.

 

[txgunrunner]

looked at my cable and it is routed above the k member. i'll route it below as soon as i have time. thanks for all the help.

 

[dcarlson]

forgot to mention that i can hear the cable creaking applying the pedal in and out. are there better adjustable quadrants/cable kits better than others? thanks again.

Yes, there is definitely a difference between some brands. I have tested bunches of them. The stock Ford ones are the best. Second best out of the ones I've tested are the Steeda's. Stay away from the ones that say "made in Israel" and "Made in Italy."

Check the alignment of the clutch quadrant. If it is not centered in front of the hole in the firewall the cable will scrape against the side of the groove in the quadrant or the inside of the firewall adjuster (if you have one). This will increase the pedal effort and wear out the cable. I have a spacer kit for $5 that will keep it centered.

 

[WldstrawbryLX]

I'd like to chime in here and say....yeah.....dont use the pos adj cables or the cheapies from Isreal or Italy. I'm fighting the "unable to shift" problems cuz I didnt find the right threads in time to steer me away from the crappola. Have a new Ford cable on its way to me now...then I'll have the right set-up.