[ChrisAllen]

Well the car just completed a 2700 mile journey from East to West. No major problems, a faulty fuel pump and some minor water leaking during rain. During the last 50 miles of the trip I thought I was having some clutch slip. Today I went out and played with it. Turned out to simply be a badly adjusted firewall adjuster. So I dial a few inches out of the pedal travel and the car feels wonderful. I took it out on some scenic roads for a spirited drive. All the sudden somebody not as enthusiastic about the road gets in front of me. He is going 45 in a 55 on a windy lakeside road near dusk. I make the decision to pass, right before I go to pass i had an image of something going wrong with the car mid pass. I proceed anyway. I am pulling hard in 3rd gear and get up to my redline and attempt to grab 4th. clutch in and it goes all the way to the floor and is dangling limply. I pull over and inspect the damage. The upper part of my Wilwood pedal where it connects to the quadrant has completely sheared. I was shifting hard but it didn't feel quite that hard.

 

[Rich A]

Has happen before.

http://www.ffcars.com/forums/17-factory-five-roadsters/278380-wilwood-clutch-pedal-broke.html

http://www.ffcars.com/forums/17-factory-five-roadsters/232289-wilwood-clutch-pedal-break.html

 

[Mike Forte]

Hi,
This has happened many times before. I make a bolt-on fork extension and bracket that reduces pedal effort that will also reduce the load on that pedal. I also have a direct in-line pedal/quadrant to eliminate the side load of the cantilevered pedal/quadrant.

 

[TNcoupe]

Mike, will converting to hydraulic solve this issue also?

 

[Rich A]

Mike, will converting to hydraulic solve this issue also?

Yes.

 

[Michael Everson]

These pedal boxes were never designed for a clutch cable. its only a matter of time before it breaks. Look how far from the pedal the quadrent is. Thats a lot of stress.
Mike

 

[Russ F]

I agree. Cantilevering the stress that far out to the side is a stupid design. Why not use that pedal as intended: with a third hybraulic cylinder for the clutch and a slave cylinder at the clutch?

 

[Tim Potts]

"2700 mile journey from East to West"

Tell us more about the "2700 mile journey from East to West." Where did you go? How long did it take? Who went? And last but most importantly where are the pics???

 

[tirod]

'I also have a direct in-line pedal/quadrant to eliminate the side load of the cantilevered pedal/quadrant''

The pedal has no idea what it was designed for - it simply levers against a load. If the load isn't applied correctly, it's wrong, fix it by applying force to the pedal in the way it was designed to resist it.

Going hydraulic is certainly an option, it solves the problem by eliminating the offset, nothing more. In years at the parts counter, I can remember selling one replacement cable - and hundreds of hydraulic master and slave cylinders for clutches. I see the cable as much more reliable and certainly more cost effective than the problematic hydraulic setups.

I'm sensitive to the issue of clutch pedal effort, I've got a 18" titanium rod in my left leg. It's not a big deal when the pressure plate properly selected. It's still less than a dual master cylinder set up. Nobody needs to feel obligated to buy and install hydraulic, cables have done the job for decades. Don't throw out the baby with the bath water.

 

[Nathan]

Hmmmm. the top of 3rd for me is a tad over 100mph... passing a guy going 45 at this speed? I think I know why you have clutch problems... It's called KARMA :evil: Be careful out there...

 

[ChrisAllen]

Hmmmm. the top of 3rd for me is a tad over 100mph... passing a guy going 45 at this speed? I think I know why you have clutch problems... It's called KARMA :evil: Be careful out there...

...I get a little impatient sometimes...

 

[ChrisAllen]

Tell us more about the "2700 mile journey from East to West." Where did you go? How long did it take? Who went? And last but most importantly where are the pics???

I will start a new thread with some pictures and a detailed writeup

 

[M DOUGHERTY]

Lol
Im glad you are ok chris
i feel the best thing you can do for this is add a hydraulic. Master and. Slave to operate the clutch.
Fortes sells one that will work great.
And easy to install on your car.
Glad you made it home ok.
later
Mark d

 

[Gadden]

Well as I was fiddeling with this quadrant and installed the cable and everything I could see that the quadrant was flexing way to much so I decided then and there that it needs a hydraulic clutch mechanism... Maybe it flexed more than usual since I use a heavy duty clutch, more stress more problems... Since the pedal assembly from Wilwood is designed for hydraulic clutch I guess its more suitable with hydraulic master and slave...

//Mike

 

[Robert Phillips]

bump

 

[stengun]

Howdy,

I agree. Cantilevering the stress that far out to the side is a stupid design. Why not use that pedal as intended: with a third hybraulic cylinder for the clutch and a slave cylinder at the clutch?

That's what I did.

I'm using a Weber hydraulic throwout bearing.

Paul

 

[KodiakCoupe]

bump

Not sure why this was bumped but the solution to this specific problem is out by the fine folks at FFR. All buyers of the kit that included the Wilwood footbox assembly should have received the modification kit in the mail. I did.

 

[Robert Phillips]

I agree with Paul and Russ as well, go hydraulic clutch with wilwood peddle! Sorry, the FF quadrant is a bad design.

 

[Robert Phillips]

X2..

What Gadden said!!