Clutch Pedal & Frame interference

[JeepFlyer]

Please tell me this is an easy fix. My worry is with a hydraulic clutch setup, I won't get enough actuation with just 4 inches of throw to push enough fluid. I don't remember reading anything about this particular problem, unless I'm just starting out with my pedals too far back to begin with?
The first two pictures show I'm only getting 4 inches of throw in the pedal. The next three are pictures of the cause of that problem. The first looking down the 3/4" frame tube, the second from the side standing on the outside, and the third from below looking up.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

[Tennessee Tim]

It depends on what you mean by "easy fix". It's a well-known problem, and the only solution thatI know of is a frame modification. I notched and boxed the frame:





Tim

[bmcgarry67]

I did something similar to Tim above. I notched mine but welded in an additional 3/4" tube along the outside of the notch.

Ben

[CraigS]

Can't the pedal be pulled closer to the driver at rest to give more travel. As reference, my cable pedal is maybe 1.5 inches closer to the driver at rest than the brake pedal.

[Pedalmasher]

The Wilwood pedals have an adjustment where the master cylinder rod attaches to the top of the pedal. There is a 5/16 rod and nut. Loosen the nut, and spin the rod counter-clockwise - this will make the rod "longer", and the pedal will move away from the firewall side. I found that you might have to loosen the two m/cylinder attaching bolts, to give you some play in the pushrod.

Make sure you tighten the M/C bolts, as well as the pushrod locknut.

HTH,

Derrick

[GT-Tom]

I had the same problem on my Mark IV here is my thread with my mod.

Tom

Wilwood clutch pedal hits the 3/4 " frame

[BULLITT428]

This seems to be a on going problem with the Wilwood pedal box with the new Wilwood pedals. The clutch pedal hitting the 3/4 inch frame. If you do a google search at the bottom "clutch pedal hitting frame" you will find some very good ideas as to what some have done to solve this problem. From notching the frame to cutting out a peace and bolting a 3/4 peace of tube to the out side of the frame to notching out the clutch pedal itself? Or going back to the old stile Wilwood clutch pedal? Lots of good ideas? None of which I really like at all. I am using a hydraulic clutch with a 7/8's slave and a 1"1/8 master hoping this with push enough fluid that I will not run into the 3/4 frame. If that don't work then I guess it's noch, cut or get the other pedal from Wilwood? I think I would do what GT-Tom has done to his car?

My 2 cents?
Ed.

[bmcgarry67]

I went back and forth about notching and welding the frame.
1) It was intended to travel fully.
2) The clutch pedal torques when you hit the frame. I figured eventually, it would break.
3) The clutch is the pedal that offers resistance. The lack of full travel required my leg to never relax because I couldn't straighten it. That is no good for Florida traffic lights.
4) Someone mentioned raising the brake pedal to match the clutch. I wanted the opposite. I want to lower my clutch toward my brake and accelerator. I was able to lower my clutch, pick up additional travel, and installed a positive stop at full travel.

The most amazing part of this is Factory Five's solution.
"We don't use the old pedal design because it breaks."
"The new pedal hits the frame and doesn't travel fully."
"We can send you the old pedal?"
"You mean the one that breaks?"
"The 199? donor pedal box..."

The word "donor" should never be used as a solution to a problem.

I honestly believe this mentality is holding Factory Five back. The custom made parts (which we pay a premium for) should be the better alternative to 20 year old parts found in a junk yard.


Sorry for the rant

[Pedalmasher]

Originally Posted by BULLITT428

I am using a hydraulic clutch with a 7/8's slave and a 1"1/8 master hoping this with push enough fluid that I will not run into the 3/4 frame.

Ed.

I had the 1" master with the 7/8" slave setup, and got greedy - was thinking the same way as you, that the larger m/c would provide more clutch movement with less pedal throw. BUT!! If you push the pedal too far, the slave cylinder pushes the slave piston right out the end of the slave cylinder, and you have a big mess on your hands, not to mention that the clutch arm is now stuck partially engaged, since the piston is now cocked in the bore, and won't return. You have to remove the two slave cylinder bolts to release tension, then push the piston back into the bore, and re-bleed the whole thing... This happened three times, and once even after I installed a pedal stop.

I've since moved back to the 1" master, and adjusted the pedal stop. No worries now..

Derrick

[GT-Tom]

Originally Posted by bmcgarry67

I went back and forth about notching and welding the frame.
1) It was intended to travel fully.
2) The clutch pedal torques when you hit the frame. I figured eventually, it would break.
3) The clutch is the pedal that offers resistance. The lack of full travel required my leg to never relax because I couldn't straighten it. That is no good for Florida traffic lights.
4) Someone mentioned raising the brake pedal to match the clutch. I wanted the opposite. I want to lower my clutch toward my brake and accelerator. I was able to lower my clutch, pick up additional travel, and installed a positive stop at full travel.

The most amazing part of this is Factory Five's solution.
"We don't use the old pedal design because it breaks."
"The new pedal hits the frame and doesn't travel fully."
"We can send you the old pedal?"
"You mean the one that breaks?"
"The 199? donor pedal box..."

The word "donor" should never be used as a solution to a problem.

I honestly believe this mentality is holding Factory Five back. The custom made parts (which we pay a premium for) should be the better alternative to 20 year old parts found in a junk yard.


Sorry for the rant

I just posted this link on the "other forum" in the Ask a Tech section. Complaining to ourselves isn't going to change things. Everyone with this concern needs to post on the other forum in the TECH section so FFR sees the magnitude of our concerns. FFR is a good company and in my experience steps up to do the right thing. But like any company in this economy they are working on a tight budget with many pokers in the fire and we all know the proverbial "squeaky wheel gets the grease."

Just my opinion.

Tom

[BULLITT428]

As I have posted on here and other forums with this same issue and on this I have been undecided as to what I was going to do with this issue. Well This is what I have done. I used an 8" peace of 3/4" tube drilled holes in the 3/4" tube 8 in all. Then I put a peace of 5/8" tube inside of the 3/4" tube. Plug welded all the holes and capped and welded the ends. Then I notched the frame? After installing the peddle box to see if I had enough clearances "CRAP" I found that I took too much out of the frame. I drilled holes in the frame slide the 5/8" peaces inside the frame plug welded them as well. Then I cut the peace out of what I cut out of the frame tack welded it in places installed the peddle box again and checked for clearance. And the peddle just touches the back of the aluminium panel and hits the frame where I notched it. I will add a 5/8" peace from a hockey puck on the frame as a stop that way it will not hit the aluminium panel. Filled the the back of the notched out peace Welded it all up then clamped the 8" peace of 3/4" to the top side of the frame and welded it on as well. Over kill maybe but I'm sure that I have reinforced it enough to not have weakened the integrity of the frame. I now feel better about this? Hope the link to the pictures works!

Again my 2 cents.



Ed.




Pictures by BULLITT428 - Photobucket