Stretching Clutch Cable?

Rosco · 10-19-2003, 09:38 AM

Ok, about 6 or so months ago, i had a king cobra clutch assembly, new flywheel, new heavy duty teflon lined clutch cable installed. Everything has been good with it so far. Until about 2 weeks ago, i noticed upon starting my car that i had about 2 inches of dead play in my clutch. After about an hour it went away. Now a week later it's happening again, and it hasn't gone away. It actually happened after i roasted a z28... Other then another stretched out clutch cable, or a non-functioning self adjuster what else could it be?

And is there anyway to test anything to determine exactly what it is without having someone drop the tranny? Also, if it just another stretched cable, how hard is it to replace yourself? I had a ford dealership install everything before, and I don't feel like dropping money out of my supercharger fund to have it installed again.

Coupe50h · 10-19-2003, 03:46 PM

I just replaced my cable with a summit adjustable cable, i already have an aluminum quadrant, was easy, took me about 10 minutes to get the cable on, another 5 minutes to adjust, it helps to have someone else helping, but not necesarry, you just have to be able to stretch your arm under the dash by the gas pedal to unhook, and hook your new one back on.
and at the fork underneath the car, just use a pry bar to get it off the fork.

oh yea, i just noticed you have the self adjuster, i suggest you get rid of it, and get an aluminum quadrant, just take your front seat out, get under the dash, and remove the pins off the old one with needle nose pliers, slip the new one on, replace pins, and thats it, took me about 30 minutes.

richd · 10-19-2003, 11:45 PM

I would seriously consider looking at the input retainer. The stock ones are aluminum and gall from the throwout bearing sliding back and forth.

Get a steel retainer, drop the tranny and replace that crappy alum one. Lube the shaft of the new retainer with anti-seize compound.

I used to break cables every few months until I went with the steel retainer.

Good luck,

Rich D.

Ieatcamaros · 10-21-2003, 05:18 PM

I am looking at getting the adjustable unit from bbk. Is it necessary to have the firewall adjuster, in order to adjust the cable? If so, I wonder why it is sold separately? I was thinking of getting just the firewall adjuster and put it on my stock cable, will that work?

SmokinStangGT · 10-22-2003, 01:55 AM

the clutch cables really do suck, but look under the clutch pedel and you will see how there is a rachet type half moon (quadrant)and another peice of plastic that pulls up on those teeth on the quadrant, you can tighten it ther.

Skankin · 10-24-2003, 02:31 PM

You could definitely try the firewall adjuster first.

The problem is usually the rubber bushing at the firewall. With the heavy clutch, it just compresses & it's crap.

The firewall adjuster elimates it.

I HIGHLY recommend the complete kit from Mcleod. It's got a quick release quadrant & a larger firewall support (heavy clutches can bend/break the firewall). It works REALLY smooth.

Rosco · 10-24-2003, 05:30 PM

OK, well i have another couple questions. Got my car up on a lift today at work so i could easily get the dust boot off covering the connection of the clutch cable and the clutch fork. (i've got about 2 inches of dead play in the clutch still) I am wondering, how taught should the cable should be between the bellhousing loop and the clutch fork? Also, i'm wondering about the self adjusting mechanism. I'm not sure if the moved the retaining pieces that snap onto the pole. I was reading my shop manual today and it says that when the retainers are snapped back on it should be about an inch away from the end of the poll. Right now its about 1/4 of an inch, if not less, away from the end of the poll.. Also, does the self adjusting unit just pull up slack in the pedal itself, or does it do anything with the quadrant on the right side of the pedal? I was also wondering, about the distance of the retainers and the pole. The further the retainer is from the unit itself, does that give or take slack? Thanks alot

Coupe50h · 10-25-2003, 12:49 PM

My take on this, looking at mine, the firwall adjuster, can adjust pedal height, but for minor adjustments.
the nut on the cable on the fork will pull out any slack, and then you can get the firewall adjuster how you want it. jmo...good luck

p.s., my old stock quadrant would work fine until i got into traffic, then it seemed to heat up and slack up? and i had to force it into gear, real aggravating!!
after i installed the d@d kit it seemed to fix that problem, but create a few other that were minor, i just had to figure it all out, did break one cable.

Rosco · 10-28-2003, 05:59 PM

How do those firewall adjusters work? Do you just tighten or loosen them and they pick up the slack in the cable? And would it be necessary to remove that self adjusting unit?

Coupe50h, are you talking about the nut that hooks to the clutch fork? I noticed that mine isn't adjustable at the fork or at the quadrant. Looks like the cable is just set into the nut, turning it only turns the cable itself...

10-19-2003, 09:38 AM	#1
Rosco Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Vestal, NY Posts: 307	Stretching Clutch Cable? Ok, about 6 or so months ago, i had a king cobra clutch assembly, new flywheel, new heavy duty teflon lined clutch cable installed. Everything has been good with it so far. Until about 2 weeks ago, i noticed upon starting my car that i had about 2 inches of dead play in my clutch. After about an hour it went away. Now a week later it's happening again, and it hasn't gone away. It actually happened after i roasted a z28... Other then another stretched out clutch cable, or a non-functioning self adjuster what else could it be? And is there anyway to test anything to determine exactly what it is without having someone drop the tranny? Also, if it just another stretched cable, how hard is it to replace yourself? I had a ford dealership install everything before, and I don't feel like dropping money out of my supercharger fund to have it installed again. __________________ 1989 Mustang 5.0 Conversion, Full Saleen ground effects and spoiler, '94 saleen decal set, '93 Saleen Seats, Black interior from a '93, Steeda quadrant, smog pump delete, a/c delete, Steeda Tri-Ax shifter, '97 rear differential, aluminum driveshaft, 5 lug conversion, '97 rear disc brakes, southside upper and lower control arms, '99 GT Anniversary wheels, flowtech longtubes, flowtech offroad H-pipe, saleen lowering springs, kyb shocks, caster/camber plates

10-19-2003, 03:46 PM	#2
Coupe50h Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: SanAntonio, Tx Posts: 957	I just replaced my cable with a summit adjustable cable, i already have an aluminum quadrant, was easy, took me about 10 minutes to get the cable on, another 5 minutes to adjust, it helps to have someone else helping, but not necesarry, you just have to be able to stretch your arm under the dash by the gas pedal to unhook, and hook your new one back on. and at the fork underneath the car, just use a pry bar to get it off the fork. oh yea, i just noticed you have the self adjuster, i suggest you get rid of it, and get an aluminum quadrant, just take your front seat out, get under the dash, and remove the pins off the old one with needle nose pliers, slip the new one on, replace pins, and thats it, took me about 30 minutes. __________________ X-Texas highway patrol ssp 1990 coupe - exploder Gt-40 iron heads, Explorer intake, 19 lber's. E-cam. crane 1.7 rollers. 190fp. 75mm maf. 65mm tb, tubular subframe connectors, mac cai, Asp crank pulley, T-5, king cobra clutch, flowtech 1-5/8 unequals, mac X-pipe Frpp driveshaft, lakewood Lca's. race weight 3,160 12.69 @ 107.35, 1.71 60' 26x8.5 drag's 3.90 gear 13.20 @ 106.91 - 235/60/15 firestones 2.3 60' 3.27 gear

10-21-2003, 05:18 PM	#4
Ieatcamaros Domestic Rice really sucks! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: KY Posts: 973	I am looking at getting the adjustable unit from bbk. Is it necessary to have the firewall adjuster, in order to adjust the cable? If so, I wonder why it is sold separately? I was thinking of getting just the firewall adjuster and put it on my stock cable, will that work? __________________ The sig says it all.

10-22-2003, 01:55 AM	#5
SmokinStangGT Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: IL Posts: 105	the clutch cables really do suck, but look under the clutch pedel and you will see how there is a rachet type half moon (quadrant)and another peice of plastic that pulls up on those teeth on the quadrant, you can tighten it ther. __________________ 89' GT with 5spd Hurst short throw, Keith Black 12:1 comp. pistons, Sealed Power drag racing rings, Fms F303 Cam, Ported and polished upper and lower intake with Ported E7TE heads that contain comp. cam double coiled springs with titainum locks and steel retainers, Fel-Pro Head Gaskets, 9mm ford racing wires, BBK chrome unequal shortys, Power Throttle bodies 70mm, Edlebrock 70mm EGR plate, 15inch K&N, Bassani X-pipe, Flowmaster 40 series, Eibach 1 1/2 lowering springs, Cobra R rims 17X9 with p235 on front and p275 on rear with Falken Zeix tires-RUNNING!

10-24-2003, 05:30 PM	#7
Rosco Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Vestal, NY Posts: 307	OK, well i have another couple questions. Got my car up on a lift today at work so i could easily get the dust boot off covering the connection of the clutch cable and the clutch fork. (i've got about 2 inches of dead play in the clutch still) I am wondering, how taught should the cable should be between the bellhousing loop and the clutch fork? Also, i'm wondering about the self adjusting mechanism. I'm not sure if the moved the retaining pieces that snap onto the pole. I was reading my shop manual today and it says that when the retainers are snapped back on it should be about an inch away from the end of the poll. Right now its about 1/4 of an inch, if not less, away from the end of the poll.. Also, does the self adjusting unit just pull up slack in the pedal itself, or does it do anything with the quadrant on the right side of the pedal? I was also wondering, about the distance of the retainers and the pole. The further the retainer is from the unit itself, does that give or take slack? Thanks alot __________________ 1989 Mustang 5.0 Conversion, Full Saleen ground effects and spoiler, '94 saleen decal set, '93 Saleen Seats, Black interior from a '93, Steeda quadrant, smog pump delete, a/c delete, Steeda Tri-Ax shifter, '97 rear differential, aluminum driveshaft, 5 lug conversion, '97 rear disc brakes, southside upper and lower control arms, '99 GT Anniversary wheels, flowtech longtubes, flowtech offroad H-pipe, saleen lowering springs, kyb shocks, caster/camber plates

10-19-2003, 11:45 PM	#3
richd Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Edison, NJ, USA Posts: 125	I would seriously consider looking at the input retainer. The stock ones are aluminum and gall from the throwout bearing sliding back and forth. Get a steel retainer, drop the tranny and replace that crappy alum one. Lube the shaft of the new retainer with anti-seize compound. I used to break cables every few months until I went with the steel retainer. Good luck, Rich D.

10-24-2003, 02:31 PM	#6
Skankin Registered Member Join Date: Dec 1998 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,349	You could definitely try the firewall adjuster first. The problem is usually the rubber bushing at the firewall. With the heavy clutch, it just compresses & it's crap. The firewall adjuster elimates it. I HIGHLY recommend the complete kit from Mcleod. It's got a quick release quadrant & a larger firewall support (heavy clutches can bend/break the firewall). It works REALLY smooth.

10-25-2003, 12:49 PM	#8
Coupe50h Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: SanAntonio, Tx Posts: 957	My take on this, looking at mine, the firwall adjuster, can adjust pedal height, but for minor adjustments. the nut on the cable on the fork will pull out any slack, and then you can get the firewall adjuster how you want it. jmo...good luck p.s., my old stock quadrant would work fine until i got into traffic, then it seemed to heat up and slack up? and i had to force it into gear, real aggravating!! after i installed the d@d kit it seemed to fix that problem, but create a few other that were minor, i just had to figure it all out, did break one cable. __________________ X-Texas highway patrol ssp 1990 coupe - exploder Gt-40 iron heads, Explorer intake, 19 lber's. E-cam. crane 1.7 rollers. 190fp. 75mm maf. 65mm tb, tubular subframe connectors, mac cai, Asp crank pulley, T-5, king cobra clutch, flowtech 1-5/8 unequals, mac X-pipe Frpp driveshaft, lakewood Lca's. race weight 3,160 12.69 @ 107.35, 1.71 60' 26x8.5 drag's 3.90 gear 13.20 @ 106.91 - 235/60/15 firestones 2.3 60' 3.27 gear

10-28-2003, 05:59 PM	#9
Rosco Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Vestal, NY Posts: 307	How do those firewall adjusters work? Do you just tighten or loosen them and they pick up the slack in the cable? And would it be necessary to remove that self adjusting unit? Coupe50h, are you talking about the nut that hooks to the clutch fork? I noticed that mine isn't adjustable at the fork or at the quadrant. Looks like the cable is just set into the nut, turning it only turns the cable itself... __________________ 1989 Mustang 5.0 Conversion, Full Saleen ground effects and spoiler, '94 saleen decal set, '93 Saleen Seats, Black interior from a '93, Steeda quadrant, smog pump delete, a/c delete, Steeda Tri-Ax shifter, '97 rear differential, aluminum driveshaft, 5 lug conversion, '97 rear disc brakes, southside upper and lower control arms, '99 GT Anniversary wheels, flowtech longtubes, flowtech offroad H-pipe, saleen lowering springs, kyb shocks, caster/camber plates

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