So the clutch quadrant on my '89 Mustang (2.3L) broke:



I've managed to get the quadrant off, but I'm having great difficulty reaching the pin to get the self-adjusting mechanism off. I also can't really see what I'm doing since it is buried so far under the dash, so I'm not sure how I'm going to get a new one put together.

Does anyone have any advice for getting some more room to work in? Anything worth taking apart to get better reach?

Also, I'm going to check out LKQ to see if they have what I need, but if they don't, should I just get an aftermarket metal quadrant with a firewall adjuster, or should I not even bother with an OEM part from LKQ and get an aftermarket one from the get go? The teeth on the OEM plastic part just broke right off after years of use, so I wouldn't want to replace it with the same thing if it is likely to happen again.

1/22/2010 3:39:01 PM

just buy a new one from UPR. ($70 comes with cable and adjuster.)

if you have the old one off its very easy to get the new one back on. if infact you did get a new one it has all the parts and the directions. shouldnt take more than 20 min to do everything.

1/22/2010 9:45:35 PM

Thanks. I'll look into that.

1/24/2010 1:54:26 PM

removing the drives side seat is pretty simple to do and will give you a lot more room to work.

1/24/2010 2:00:53 PM

^ yea ive done a few and i always have had my feet over the head rest. i get pretty light headed when i get done.

in my experience ive always done washer, quadrant, washer, washer, hair pin clip. i think the end of the cable is a 12mm and a 3/8" to get the cover off the trans. good luck.

oh yeah and get it from
http://www.piedmontcustommotorsports.com/

[Edited on January 24, 2010 at 2:46 PM. Reason : kyle will help ya out ]

1/24/2010 2:45:38 PM

yeah I took the seat out when I realized how difficult it is to reach under there. On my car, I don't need any tools for the cable outside of the cab (minus a screwdriver to secure the cable to the firewall). I'll just need to figure out exactly how to get the new quadrant and any springs on without being able to see it clearly.

1/24/2010 8:04:46 PM

if you get the upr billet you wont need the spings anymore.

1/25/2010 12:34:14 AM

I bought the UPR quadrant from Kyle today, but I can't fucking get the self adjusting mechanism out. The end of the spring for the mechanism goes straight through it, and I can't get it out, making it very difficult to pull the mechanism off of the shaft. WTF this is frustrating. Any tips?

1/26/2010 4:48:01 PM

You will need to bend/cut the retaining spring. Lots of wiggling involved

Out some lube on the cable its gonna be stiff for a week or two

[Edited on January 26, 2010 at 5:22 PM. Reason : lol]

1/26/2010 5:21:10 PM

fucking a

new problem: I got the spring off, but now I notice that there isn't enough room to slide the mechanism off of the shaft. There is a stamped metal piece with only about a 1/4" to 3/8" clearance, and I need probably about 5/8" to 3/4" (the width of the mechanism)

WTF?

I would just break the piece off, but I can't get enough access to get something in there to break it.

1/27/2010 3:06:29 PM

Lol i did this is exact swap about two weeks ago. Changed it to a Steeda version with a firewall adjuster. Found the easiest was was to wedge the clutch all the way down so it clears the stamped part as much as possible. Then half placed the quadrant from inside while another person help twist it into place looking through the firewall where the clutch cable goes in.

Definite PITA, helps to have some help with smaller hands.

1/27/2010 4:10:35 PM

It's one problem after another with this fix. I went and bought a bigger pry bar and managed to break the self adjuster off, but now the pedal stop is in the way of the new quadrant!

I took a pic and will post it later to illustrate. Right now I have to head to work.

1/27/2010 4:55:45 PM

There is no need for a pry bar guys.

1/27/2010 5:00:53 PM

^yea didnt need a prybar, just a little "massaging" to get the old one out. getting new one in didnt take long.

1/27/2010 8:30:39 PM

Moderate success, but the end of the adjustable cable didn't fit the linkage at the transmission like the stock one did, so I rigged it up. I've gotta come up with something better.

1/28/2010 4:36:34 PM

well remember you added about an inch and a half min. to the cable, since you added the firewall adjuster. you will need to un bold the cast iron sheild on the clutch fork and take the nut almost all the way off the cable to install it.

which pin did you set the quadrant on? im guessing the first one.

1/28/2010 7:22:26 PM

i had to adjust out some of the length on mine with the firewall adjuster so the adjuster by the fork would clear the shroud.

should be the first hook on the quadrant

1/28/2010 7:50:46 PM

The few pics I've seen on forums about the installation of an adjustable cable have the cable going directly to the clutch fork. Mine has a linkage where the old cable's ball end slid through a hole and down a slot to hold it in place, and this linkage is attached to a small, 2" cable with metal balls on both ends, with the other end of the 2" cable attached to the clutch fork. The bolt end of the new cable does not come close to attaching to this linkage properly, and I can't figure out what to do short of fabricating a new connection (which I don't have the tools for). I'll take a pic after I get some sleep.

1/29/2010 6:58:13 AM