Best Hundred Bucks Ever Spent

[BOB SCHAEFER]

My clutch pedal effort was WAY too high and I listened to threads about the Wilwood pedal box breaking. I have a cable operated clutch and really wish I'd gone hydraulic but that boat has sailed long ago. I always had it in the back of my mind....sitting at a red light or any other place with it in first gear...clutch pushed in...and imagining the pedal snapping off and me lurching forward 5 feet into impending doom. In fact, I got into the habit of putting it in neutral, both to eliminate that possibility and relieve the effort to push that damn thing in!!

Fast forward to today where I installed Mike Fortes "pedal effort reducer" and couldn't be happier with the results. The parts fit perfect and the difference is huge. Install was a breeze {sorry Mark}and it was done quickly. I spent more time getting it on and off the jack stands than installing the parts.

Now, dont get me wrong....if I was to do another build, I'd go hydraulic, but this is definitly worth doing...Thanks Mike!!

The testimonial on his website has a customer saying it's now as easy as a Miata. That is maybe pushing it a little but what a difference.

Am I the only one with the Wilwood set up who has (had) such a hard pedal?

Cheers

Bob

[d42davis]

I have a 3.1 with the Wilwood pedals, and suffered a HARD pedal which required 90+% travel to fully disengage. I too worried about a potential failure, so pulled the body in April, installed hydraulic. It was a huge improvement.
I purchased from Forte and they recommended I use a 1 1/8" master with their slave. As it turned out, their pull slave would not fit my Mod motor with the wide F5 pan. I had to purchase a 7/8" push slave and fabricate my own mount for the 3650. The 1 1/8" master makes far too much travel at the slave so I'm sure a 1" or 7/8" master would have been a better choice, but pedal effort is much better and pedal travel is much less than the 90% required before. I did have to fabricate a throw-out arm travel stop to keep from pushing the slave piston out of the bore (happened to me at the F5 open house.)

[BOB SCHAEFER]

D42Davis,

I admire you for fixing the problem the correct way. I suppose I got lazy and went for the easy fix. I knew that going in...I was taking the easy way out. It was easy enough and certainly cheap enough to try and, again, I was pleasantly surprised.

Bob

[Silverstreak02]

Bob

I put the extender on my stock clutch while still in go cart stage. It improved things greatly. You're right it isn't as easy as my Miata, but the difference is worth the money. I have 2,000 miles on it so far and it's holding up fine. Quality parts from a quality guy. I'm considering upgrading to the forged pedals to put that worry behind me. I talked to factory five last week and they also mentioned a reinforcement plate coming out soon to correct the pedal problem. I may wait until then to replace the pedals.

Jeff

[emac]

Just curious as to what it looks like...I didnt see a photo on Fortes site. Do you have a picture?

[Thumper135]

I would like to see a picture of it as well. I wonder if it would fit on a Mustang. The wife has a 03 Mach 1 and the clutch on it is somewhat brutal to hold at a stop light. We’ve been doing the NEUTRAL thing at lights as well just to save the legs. Time to call Mike......

[AC Bill]

Originally Posted by BOB SCHAEFER

I always had it in the back of my mind....sitting at a red light or any other place with it in first gear...clutch pushed in...and imagining the pedal snapping off and me lurching forward 5 feet into impending doom.

So now you only have to worry about your cable snapping..

I generally tend to stick my tranny in neutral as well, while sitting at lights, etc., as I have heard of cables failing..Probably pretty rare, and more likely with an aftermarket cable (China), than the OEM Ford cable..still, it makes you picture it happening. I suppose a hydraulic system could do the same, if a hose, or seal was to suddenly fail..

[CraigS]

I am always in neutral at a light unless I know it will be very short. Beyond wearing out your leg you are wearing out the T/O bearing when holding the clutch down.

[BOB SCHAEFER]

I'm sorry, I didn't take a picture.It is only two parts that you bolt on (included). One part is an extension that bolts to the clutch arm, and the other bolts to the bell housing. One makes the arm approximately 1 1/2" longer and the other moves the cable out a like amount so it has a straight pull.

Bob

[emac]

Originally Posted by BOB SCHAEFER

I'm sorry, I didn't take a picture.It is only two parts that you bolt on (included). One part is an extension that bolts to the clutch arm, and the other bolts to the bell housing. One makes the arm approximately 1 1/2" longer and the other moves the cable out a like amount so it has a straight pull.

Bob

Thanks, that makes sense . At first I thought it had to do with the pedal box, and I just couldn't think about what would only take a few minutes to install in the pedal box of a finished car!

Ernest