Clutch Adjustment

lx mike · 01-21-2006, 06:59 PM

I bought a tremec tko from a buddy and got it installed and i guess we didn't have the clutch adjustment right and wasn't shifting good at all. couldn't get into second good at all. Talked to wally at promotion and he had us check a few thing but no luck so i brought it down there for them to look at and it needed some work. He told me about the firewall moving and that will affect the air gap the clutch needs to have and we looked and saw mine did move a bit, so i got one of there firewall stabilizers. trans is one of the "old" tko's. I have the stock cable and one of promotions firewall stabilizer/adjusters and a triple hook quadrant. Jester or anyone else?

~The Jester~ · 01-21-2006, 07:11 PM

OK, first of all if Walt says "do it", then (in my book) DO IT!

I was using your exact setup, right down to the "old" TKO, and the ONLY discrepency I found from what Walt told me, was that I needed a bit less air gap on the firewall adjuster. PERIOD. Walt told me to run "a dime" in there, and I ended up with alot less than that. BUT, I'm running a Lakewood scatter shield, modified clutch fork, custom throwout bearing, RAM 9000 clutch, and a big nasty pressure plate.

Another thing to think about is "personal preferance" on the clutch pedal. I personally like mine WAAAAAY up top. VERY rarely do I have to push my clutch pedal in more than 1/4 of the way to completely disengage it. Again, just my personal preferance. I literally have less than 1/8" of free play at the "top" of my clutch pedal.

If you can't shift into second, your clutch isn't disengaging all the way, bottom line. Ya need more "throw" on the cable. Run the firewall adjuster out a bit more and try it. That's how I came up with my "final" adjustment, trial and error. (More error than trial! LOL)

WHICH of the 3 quadrant hooks is you cable in?????

Anyways, give that a shot, and LET ME KNOW. I CAN/WILL help you out on this, like I said, this is the exact setup I was running!

WOOO HOOOO!!!! Another Walt fan!!!! And a thread tailor made for ME!!! hehehehehehehehe

lx mike · 01-21-2006, 07:46 PM

yeah that what he was telling us about not going into second. said to adjust and the pedal would end up catching real high and we tried but i guess was too late there. He told me with proper clutch adjustment you should be able to go into reverse without it grinding. I'm running a stock throwout bearing, stock clutch fork, not sure which bellhousing and clutch is a zoom kevlar. pedel is real light and is supposed to be able to hold a bit of power. Not sure which hook we have the quadrant on. so to start have the firewall adjuster turned in all the way and then backed out a few turns??

yeah I knew just mentioning promotion would get your attention!!

~The Jester~ · 01-21-2006, 08:27 PM

Start with Walt's "dime" air gap on the firewall adjuster. I.E. with NOTHING on and/or running, grab ahold of the cable, and you should be able to pull it out of the firewall adjuster the width of a dime.

Now, if that is where you are, and it STILL won't go into second, ya need more "throw" on that cable. So what you have to do is run the firewall adjuster OUT a few threads more, and try it again.

Is the cable itself adjustable? Is the clutch plate new/used? Is the cable new/used?

NOT knowing the answers to the questions I just asked, and ASSUMING (we all know what assuming does!!!!) all the parts are new, and we have an adjustable cable, AND firewall adjuster, here's what I would do:

Run the firewall adjuster all the way IN. Yes, IN. Towards the firewall.

Get UNDER the car, adjust the cable so that there is MINIMAL "play" in her. For a stock clutch 1/8" throwout air gap is MORE than enough!

Back up on top, start with Walt's "dime" theory on the firewall adjuster, and then TRY IT.

If it still won't shift, ya need more throw, like I said. So run the firewall adjuster OUT, no more than 1 full turn at a time. A "little" really is ALOT here!!!!!

Keep playin with it, and you WILL get it. Trust me!!!

lx mike · 02-04-2006, 07:25 PM

Jester, gonna be doing the install Tomm. it's a stock non-adjustable cable, clutch is used and only has a few thousand miles on it, flywheel came new with the clutch.

01-21-2006, 06:59 PM	#1
lx mike Undescribable Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Ft Myers Fla Posts: 1,539	Clutch Adjustment I bought a tremec tko from a buddy and got it installed and i guess we didn't have the clutch adjustment right and wasn't shifting good at all. couldn't get into second good at all. Talked to wally at promotion and he had us check a few thing but no luck so i brought it down there for them to look at and it needed some work. He told me about the firewall moving and that will affect the air gap the clutch needs to have and we looked and saw mine did move a bit, so i got one of there firewall stabilizers. trans is one of the "old" tko's. I have the stock cable and one of promotions firewall stabilizer/adjusters and a triple hook quadrant. Jester or anyone else? __________________ Rice Haters Club Member #101

01-21-2006, 07:11 PM	#2
~The Jester~ Rat Killer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Cold ass Ohio Posts: 1,143	Re: Clutch Adjustment OK, first of all if Walt says "do it", then (in my book) DO IT! I was using your exact setup, right down to the "old" TKO, and the ONLY discrepency I found from what Walt told me, was that I needed a bit less air gap on the firewall adjuster. PERIOD. Walt told me to run "a dime" in there, and I ended up with alot less than that. BUT, I'm running a Lakewood scatter shield, modified clutch fork, custom throwout bearing, RAM 9000 clutch, and a big nasty pressure plate. Another thing to think about is "personal preferance" on the clutch pedal. I personally like mine WAAAAAY up top. VERY rarely do I have to push my clutch pedal in more than 1/4 of the way to completely disengage it. Again, just my personal preferance. I literally have less than 1/8" of free play at the "top" of my clutch pedal. If you can't shift into second, your clutch isn't disengaging all the way, bottom line. Ya need more "throw" on the cable. Run the firewall adjuster out a bit more and try it. That's how I came up with my "final" adjustment, trial and error. (More error than trial! LOL) WHICH of the 3 quadrant hooks is you cable in????? Anyways, give that a shot, and LET ME KNOW. I CAN/WILL help you out on this, like I said, this is the exact setup I was running! WOOO HOOOO!!!! Another Walt fan!!!! And a thread tailor made for ME!!! hehehehehehehehe __________________ d-Con Racing "Nothing fancy, just 347 inches of RAT POISON!" MICE need not apply.....

01-21-2006, 07:46 PM	#3
lx mike Undescribable Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Ft Myers Fla Posts: 1,539	Re: Clutch Adjustment yeah that what he was telling us about not going into second. said to adjust and the pedal would end up catching real high and we tried but i guess was too late there. He told me with proper clutch adjustment you should be able to go into reverse without it grinding. I'm running a stock throwout bearing, stock clutch fork, not sure which bellhousing and clutch is a zoom kevlar. pedel is real light and is supposed to be able to hold a bit of power. Not sure which hook we have the quadrant on. so to start have the firewall adjuster turned in all the way and then backed out a few turns?? yeah I knew just mentioning promotion would get your attention!! __________________ Rice Haters Club Member #101

01-21-2006, 08:27 PM	#4
~The Jester~ Rat Killer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Cold ass Ohio Posts: 1,143	Re: Clutch Adjustment Start with Walt's "dime" air gap on the firewall adjuster. I.E. with NOTHING on and/or running, grab ahold of the cable, and you should be able to pull it out of the firewall adjuster the width of a dime. Now, if that is where you are, and it STILL won't go into second, ya need more "throw" on that cable. So what you have to do is run the firewall adjuster OUT a few threads more, and try it again. Is the cable itself adjustable? Is the clutch plate new/used? Is the cable new/used? NOT knowing the answers to the questions I just asked, and ASSUMING (we all know what assuming does!!!!) all the parts are new, and we have an adjustable cable, AND firewall adjuster, here's what I would do: Run the firewall adjuster all the way IN. Yes, IN. Towards the firewall. Get UNDER the car, adjust the cable so that there is MINIMAL "play" in her. For a stock clutch 1/8" throwout air gap is MORE than enough! Back up on top, start with Walt's "dime" theory on the firewall adjuster, and then TRY IT. If it still won't shift, ya need more throw, like I said. So run the firewall adjuster OUT, no more than 1 full turn at a time. A "little" really is ALOT here!!!!! Keep playin with it, and you WILL get it. Trust me!!! __________________ d-Con Racing "Nothing fancy, just 347 inches of RAT POISON!" MICE need not apply.....

02-04-2006, 07:25 PM	#5
lx mike Undescribable Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Ft Myers Fla Posts: 1,539	Re: Clutch Adjustment Jester, gonna be doing the install Tomm. it's a stock non-adjustable cable, clutch is used and only has a few thousand miles on it, flywheel came new with the clutch. __________________ Rice Haters Club Member #101

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