Clutch Cable Frustration, please help

[ras50gt]

So, ive tried three different clutch cables and all have failed. First one was a Kragens auto parts one that actually seemed to be the best so far but lasted only a few days. Then bought a Hays, which seemed to be the most heavy duty and best fit, plus had metal ends. However, it only made it a little longer than the Kragens. I ordered a stocker and that felt good for a week until the clutch pedal got stiff again, and well just finished having the car towed home. I do have a MM firewall adjuster and quadrant. The last install, I put everything back to stock. The car is an 88 gt, pretty much everything stock.

Could this mean its time for a new clutch? What would cause the cables to fail?

 

[HISSIN50]

Where are the cables failing?

Bad quadrant alignment or being too close to the headers can be problematic.

 

[old_blue]

I know sometimes that bracket in the engine bay puts the cable too close to the headers and causes the interior of the cable to melt away onto the actual cable making it stiff and non functional. I just bend the bracket away from the headers. Some people use header wrap on them. just my .02.

 

[Incon]

Bad ground can sometimes cause problems with the cable. Ford OEM cables are the ones I try to use.

 

[stang9150]

could be the routing of the cable or something with the clutch are throwout bearing.When i had this problem it was the bearing.

 

[will1992]

my pedal is stiff and always has been pretty stiff. i have the mm quad and bbk fw adjuster. i had the same problems as you, but the plastic on my cable broke where it meets the bell housing, it was adjusted too tight. Another time, the outer part of the cable melted because it was too close to the headers. i would go with a ford oem, they do end up stretching over time, but they last the longest, i think.

 

[jrichker]

Where are the cables failing?

Bad quadrant alignment or being too close to the headers can be problematic.

HISSIN'S right. If the cable gets pulled off to one side or the other as you step on the clutch pedal, it will produce a bind. It can be very difficult to fold yourself up under the dash and watch the cable while pressing the clutch pedal. The fix for the quadrant moving around and getting out alignment is some thin washers and a lot of patience. The washers go on the pivot shaft and center the quadrant up from side to side. You get to remove and install them until the cable remains perfectly straight in its path as the clutch pedal is pressed to the floor.