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Stock clutch pawl removal- any tips??

  • Thread starter Thread starter 90topdown
  • Start date Start date Jan 11, 2008

90topdown

Member
Feb 16, 2006
138
1
16
Philadelphia, PA
Jan 11, 2008
#1
  • Jan 11, 2008
  • #1
I am in the process of installing a FRPP adjustable aluminum quadrant and cable.

I got the pins out and the springs undone. The large plastic quadrant came off pretty easy.

The top smaller pawl peice is NASTY. I took a big screwdriver/pry bar to it with the pedal jammed all the way to the firewall but it wont come off.

Anybody got any tips on how to get this pawl peice off???

Thanks
 
T

tuhockey11

New Member
Apr 7, 2003
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PA
Jan 11, 2008
#2
  • Jan 11, 2008
  • #2
I just went through this about a month ago, I was pissed. Anyways, I was using the method you were and gave up and tried using the "just break the damn thing" method. That didnt seem to work too well either, so I kept messing with it with the pedal pushed up and eventually it just fell out. Just keep trying and when you are least expecting it, the thing will just fall to the floor. Mine eventually came out unharmed.
 

LiquidGT

Member
Oct 8, 2007
368
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Near STL hell
Jan 11, 2008
#3
  • Jan 11, 2008
  • #3
I tried to save mine, but it eventually broke. Oh well. And I had the pedals out of the car.
 

jrichker

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cenok is family

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#5
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don't get me started on the stupid pawls....just gotta rip it off somehow man. i was soo mad when i was changing out my quadrant, that when i finally got the pawl off, i set it on the ground and smashed it with a hammer for a good 3 minutes.
 

90topdown

Member
Feb 16, 2006
138
1
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Philadelphia, PA
Jan 12, 2008
#6
  • Jan 12, 2008
  • #6
Well, I finally got it off!! After prying on it with a tire iron for a long time, it simply just popped off in one peice pretty as you please.

Getting the new aluminum quadrant installed was no picnic either, but after 20 mins of fiddling it finally just fell on.

That was the most frustrating and annoying project that I have done on the 'stang.

My advice-

Take out the front seat. It is only 4 bolts and it makes access alot easier.

Use your tire iron to pry on the pawl. It is just about the right length to give you maximum leverage to pop it off.

Just be patient and keep prying.

Thanks for the ideas!
 
C

clayschmuck

New Member
Apr 19, 2007
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San Antonio
Jan 12, 2008
#7
  • Jan 12, 2008
  • #7
90topdown said:
My advice-

Take out the front seat. It is only 4 bolts and it makes access alot easier.
Click to expand...

One more thing after removing the seat...place something over those front seat studs - otherwise, you'll end up with nice scratches in your back....not that that's ever happened to me....

Clay
 
V

v8only

Active Member
Jul 3, 2003
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Jan 14, 2008
#8
  • Jan 14, 2008
  • #8
for future searching, this is the easiest thing in the world, but it has to be done right.

That little pawl is being held on by a nasty little clip that pokes straight through the pawl, and clips onto the back around the pedal assembly upon which it slides onto.

The way you do it is to slide a flat tipped screwdriver (grab a LONG one) along the back side of the pawl. If you shine a flash light up there, you'll see what I'm talking about...here is a picture





there you see on the right side of the picture the little clip that essentially hugs the metal bracket that it's attached to. sliding a screwdriver straight up and behind it will pop that clip off of the bracket. However, this clip is still being held on by a thin wire that goes straight through the plastic. You can JUST see a little sliver of it poking out in the above picture. Here is a better pic. After you pop the clip off the bracket, reach up with your finger and push the metal bar through the plastic as much as you can. Now that the spring isn't attached to the pedal assembly anymore (except for resting on the shaft) the spring will rotate a little and the thin wire will come slightly out.



From here, all you do is slide the pawl as far off the shaft that it'll go, then push the clutch pedal all the way to the floor. This will bring the pedal assembly at the point of clearance to slide that fat pawl off. The pawl will only come off one way...rotate the plastic pawl on the shaft itself with the clutch pedal depressed, and it'll slide right off the shaft effortlessly. DO NOTE that that pawl will NOT come off without it being rotated to the exact position. This position is not hard to find, you just twist..but if you're not doing this, this is part of your problem. This is another reason why just prying it off won't work, as you're prying it off in a position that is non-compliant for sliding off the shaft.

This sounds difficult, but if you don't do it this way, you'll be ****ing with screwdrivers and crowbars for hours. this was is simple, screw driver, twist, push, slide, rotate, push clutch pedal, pop off quadrant.

drilling anything is silly, and a complete waste of time. Install of the new quadrant is simple...push the pedal to the floor, and slide it onto the furthest shaft first, then the other shaft.


this is a copy of my article that I got the pics from
http://www.thompsontransmission.com/techarticles/clutchcableadjustment.html
 

Nova

New Member
Aug 10, 2006
128
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0
Jan 14, 2008
#9
  • Jan 14, 2008
  • #9
pulling the carpet back, to get the clutch pedal closer to the floor helps too.
 
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