ok my clutch has become loose and i need to tighten it ive never done this before and tried to do it but i had a problem with takeing off the stering wheel im not shure if you have to do this or not but could someone give me instructions on how to do this. a web sight with pictures would be the best since ive never dont this before but a good decription works too. thanks for you replys.
Clutch ajustment help
- Thread starter mat82284
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you mean to adjust the clutch cable? the pedal? if it is the original clutch or clutch linkage then I dont know how to adjust it, if you even can. Atleast my original setup didnt have any where to adjust it. I bought an adjustable cable and a new aluminum quadrant. I am also going to get a firewall adjuster soon so i can have more adjustment options. As for taking off the steering wheel?? why would you? far as I know this does nothing in helping you adjust the clutch. But if you are intent in taking it off then you will more than likely need a steering wheel puller. I have had success in using my harmonic balanceer puller to take the steer wheel off but that is just me.
BADPONYsc
Founding Member
If it is the stock equipment, then it has a "self-adjusting" clutch quadrant. To adjust it, you pull up on the clutch pedal with your hand as high as it will go and you hear it click. Then, with your foot, press the pedal all the way to the floor.... you'll hear it click again. It is supposed to be adjusted at that point. No need to remove the steering wheel, or remove anything for that matter. Even when removing/replacing the quadrant, cable, or the clutch it'self, there's no need to remove the steering wheel.
With the adjustable quadrants/firewall adjusters, to take up slack in the pedal, you just turn the firewall adjuster counter-clockwise to tighten up the slack or clockwise to loosten it up. I have the UPR adjustable quadrant and firewall adjuster and recently I got a new clutch cable....which I knew would stretch out a little at first, which it did. I had a little floppiness at the top of the pedal's travel. I just adjusted the firewall adjuster (counter-clockwise) and tightened it up and now it works great. The adjustable pieces are definately the way to go.
Hope this helps!
With the adjustable quadrants/firewall adjusters, to take up slack in the pedal, you just turn the firewall adjuster counter-clockwise to tighten up the slack or clockwise to loosten it up. I have the UPR adjustable quadrant and firewall adjuster and recently I got a new clutch cable....which I knew would stretch out a little at first, which it did. I had a little floppiness at the top of the pedal's travel. I just adjusted the firewall adjuster (counter-clockwise) and tightened it up and now it works great. The adjustable pieces are definately the way to go.
Hope this helps!
you dont need to remove much of anything, even to stick a new quadrant in.
if you dont want to do that (i.e., you want to leave your stock quadrant in for some reason), i would get a firewall adjuster. somewhere in the 30-40 buck range. IMO, stock cables are the best, so even if you get a quadrant, the FWA is nice to have.
to install the FWA, you mod the stock cable a little. no other parts needed.
you could shim the stock cable at the fork if you want. i would do this as a short term solution.
good luck.
if you dont want to do that (i.e., you want to leave your stock quadrant in for some reason), i would get a firewall adjuster. somewhere in the 30-40 buck range. IMO, stock cables are the best, so even if you get a quadrant, the FWA is nice to have.
to install the FWA, you mod the stock cable a little. no other parts needed.
you could shim the stock cable at the fork if you want. i would do this as a short term solution.
good luck.
sixty9boss302
Founding Member
The stock clutch quadrant is supposed to be adjustable like everyone said above, but the problem is that the little notches on the round side of the quadrant get warn off over time and then they dont ratchet or click like they are supposed to. I also got an aftermarket quadrant and firewall adjuster and they are deffinately the best way to go. They give u a ton of little adjustments to get the pedal to catch right where u want it. U dont need to take the steering wheel off or anything like that. You could get everything including the cable quadrant and adjuster for around 100 bucks
I'm having the same problem, I got a new tranny + clutch in a few months ago, also got them to put in a new BBK cable + quadrant (no firewall adjuster). I'm guessing the same thing has happened as with BADPONY, and it's stretched out a bit and made it a tad loose. I need to tighten it, but I'm not sure how, can anyone help?
BADPONYsc
Founding Member
I used a stock style cable because I heard alot of bad things about the aftermartmet adjustable kind. I've heard they stretch and stretch and eventually break in a very short time.
The adjustable cables are adjustable at the fork though, aren't they? If so, you should be able to take up the slack there. I don't know though, I've never had the adjustable kind.
The adjustable cables are adjustable at the fork though, aren't they? If so, you should be able to take up the slack there. I don't know though, I've never had the adjustable kind.
yep, i dont know about the BBK, but adjustable cables in general adjust at the fork. another problem with the aftermarket ones (not all, but many) is that they are super stiff. i have one and a single ramp quadrant (previous owner), and i need a crutch when i get into stop and go traffic. replacement will likely be stock with a FWA.
ok i called up autozone and there about 6 miles away and they said they had a clutch cable for me but i asked about ajustable and the guy said he didnt know there stupid and shouldnt have a job there if they dont know anyone here know if it comes ajustable or do i have to buy a quadrant also. and do they carry firewall ajusters or do i have to go somewhere special for it does anyone happen to know this?
forgot also when replaceing how did you guys access your clutch cable did you do it under stering wheel or did you remove caseing around the stering wheele. also did you remove anything else because mines kinda tucked away under my dash how much do i remove by your guys words it seems easy but i dont want to tear my whole thing apart if i dont have too
marcus95
Active Member
MAtt,
Get on your knees on the ground with your driver door open, you will need a flashlight even in the daylight. grab your clutch pedal in your right hand. feel around near the top of the pedal lever where it attaches to the car (swivel point) there is a little tab that looks like plastic and moves a little when you depress the clutch pedal. with the pedal out push on the tab, sometimes with a pair of gloves on to work against the movement of the pedal as you depress the pedal. if you are holding on to the tab at the same time you are depressing the clutch you will feel it wants to mave like a ratchet. you will figure it out.
If you get it to feel good (nice and linear feeling while driving) meaning the clutch engages right off the floor you did it. If after normal driving it gets sloppy again after a short while then the quadrant cable is worn out. you can probably keep reseting it for a while but you will get tired of it and want to replace it. It's not abig deal to replace.
You do not have to remove anything at all to adjust this.
Get on your knees on the ground with your driver door open, you will need a flashlight even in the daylight. grab your clutch pedal in your right hand. feel around near the top of the pedal lever where it attaches to the car (swivel point) there is a little tab that looks like plastic and moves a little when you depress the clutch pedal. with the pedal out push on the tab, sometimes with a pair of gloves on to work against the movement of the pedal as you depress the pedal. if you are holding on to the tab at the same time you are depressing the clutch you will feel it wants to mave like a ratchet. you will figure it out.
If you get it to feel good (nice and linear feeling while driving) meaning the clutch engages right off the floor you did it. If after normal driving it gets sloppy again after a short while then the quadrant cable is worn out. you can probably keep reseting it for a while but you will get tired of it and want to replace it. It's not abig deal to replace.
You do not have to remove anything at all to adjust this.
just about all cables that are not original equipment are adjustable at the clutch fork.mat82284 said:
the quadrant does not allow you enough adjustment to fine tune the cable. choice one: use an original equipment cable; you need a firewall adjuster for adjusting if you use an aftermarket quadrant (or your current one does not adjust as it should).
choice two: get the cable from autozone-it should be adjustable (there will be a threaded stud with a nut on one end). i would get a new quadrant, with whichever cable you choose (basically using the autozone cable saves you buying a firewall adjuster).
cool?
marcus95 said:
Hay i seen what you were talking about the the little plastic piece thats there would move foward then when i pushed clutch move back to the way it was it was clicking down which it shouldnt so i stuck something there to hold it and i ended up brakeing it now i dont know if i need a new one or if i should just buy a new cable
sixty9boss302
Founding Member
OK look, i have done this about three times now and heres the deal. The aftermarket cables that are adjustable at the fork SUCK!! The 1st one that i bought was too long right from the store, and the second one just snapped right above the pedal after bout a week!! So heres what you should do. Throw away the piece of crap adjustable stock quadrant!! It's plastic and once the teeth are worn down it will never work right again. That means that the suggestion in one of the above posts will not work well like he said. Get a steeda kit or equivalent with an adjustable firewall unit and an adjustable aluminum quadrant. Try to get an OEM style cable that has a big ball bearing on the fork end. If you get the adjustable ones, they come with some nuts, but if you dont round the nut off that touches the fork then you are going to F up your throw out bearing really quickly! That cable is supposed to move freely in all directions in that round slot in the fork. Now to take out the old crap and install the new stuff u dont need to remove any interior parts (steering wheel, column cover, or anything) to get this job done. Move the seat all the way back and recline it all the way. Get a flashlight, needle nose pliers, and a long skinny screwdriver. Lay on your back with your shoulders between the seat and the kick panel with your feet hanging outside the car. Then pull the two cotter pins out of the white plastic quadrant and i forget exactly what happens next but u can get the cable unhooked and out of this little pawl (clamp) so u have slack in the cable. Under the hood, unscrew the bracket in the engine compartment and remove the end of the cable from the clutch fork. Then just put all the new stuff in the opposite way you took all the old crap out. Start the cable at the fork end, and start with the firewall adjuster all the way in and then put the hook on the cable up and around the top of the quadrant and hook it on as tight as you can get it, and then adjust it from there using the Firewall adjuster. WOW that was long sorry but it should help you alot!! PM me if you have any questions i can probably make more sense~ Nick
