clutchfork questions

[Shok]

Hi,
It looks like I've broken the fork in my 85GT and I have a couple of questions.
If I remember correctly I read once that the stock fork is aluminum but there is a steel heavy duty version available, is this true?
Can someone point me to a good site where I can order it online?

Thanks

[ultraflo]

The stock clutchfork in my '93 was steel... not sure on the 85.

What you've explained, as far as stock alum. to HD steel, makes me think of the input shaft bearing retainer upgrade that is available for stock T5's

What happened to make it appear as though you've broken a fork?

[Bad89stang]

Aluminum does not break in one direction unless you bend it back the other way multiple times. Aluminum usually just bends. That is why when you see a broken aluminum driveshaft, they are usually twisted and mangled.

[Shok]

Originally posted by ultraflo
The stock clutchfork in my '93 was steel... not sure on the 85.

What you've explained, as far as stock alum. to HD steel, makes me think of the input shaft bearing retainer upgrade that is available for stock T5's

What happened to make it appear as though you've broken a fork?

Well I was coming out of a parking lot and clutched in to shift into 2nd when I heard a loud click, and the pedal did not come back up. I had to limp home in first gear since I was a few blocks away from home. Now this happened to me a few years ago and I had to take it to a shop because while I had done a clutch job on the car myself b4 I didnt have a place to take it apart or tools to do it at the time. The guy at the shop told me the fork cracked where it meets the ball and he welded it back together. So when it happened today my first thought was it broke again, not like I really trusted the welded version but I was strapped for cash and hey its lasted over 3 years. I only had a few mins of daylight to look at it today and checked that its not a broken cable and the quadrant was changed to an alum version with a firewall adjuster a long time ago so while I will check the whole pedal assembly and cable I doubt they are to blame. I seem to remember reading a long time ago that the fork is alum but there was a steel upgrade so that is what I am trying to verify now. Oh and I know what you mean about the bearing retainer upgrade, I have one of those sitting on my washing machine in the garage that I will install if I end up pulling the tranny. So lets say my 85 did come with the alum version, the 85 also has the smaller flywheel, am I correct in assuming that if I got a 93 steel fork it would probably go right in my car and work with the smaller clutch setup? Any info is appreciated.

[Bad89stang]

If you have a T-5 then it will work. I have a brand new one if you are interested. I got it with a Ford Motorsport Clutch cable. If you really want to know if it is metal, just go put a magnet on the fork and see. I have never heard of aluminum forks. It just doesn't make any sense to make them that way.

[7000rpmisheaven]

I just changed the clutch in my 85. I went ahead and bought the heavy duty clutch fork because i heard it was a good idea. I pulled the tranny out and found that the original fork was exactly the same as the one I was replacing it with. I got mine with the ford motorsport clutch cable like the other guy.

[Shok]

Ugh, ok its apparently not the fork, went under there today, did a basic check with a friend, have him see if the pedal moves when I tug the cable, he sees nothing, and when he moves pedal back and forth I see nor feel any movement in the cable, so I go under the dash and find a loose piece, wiggle it and it almost falls on my head, I've attached the pic of it. Questions I have are:
1> It's been a really long time since I was under there to install the alum quadrant and firewall adjuster, but I think this broken piece is what actually pushes on the underside of the quadrant to pull the cable. Am I correct?
2>It looks damn crowded in there and I'm not looking forward to taking the pedals apart. Is it common for this piece to break as the cars age?
3> Is there a heavy duty replacement?

Thanks again for any input, I'll check back here in awhile, I'm gonna start pulling the mofo apart in the driveway.

[Bad89stang]

That is actually part of the pedal assembly. You are probably headed to the salvage yard or Ebay for that one.

[Shok]

Yeh thats what I was afraid off. I have a friend who is a pretty good welder who offered to weld it up, but I'm sorta looking at that as a last resort.