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Topic: Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr (Read 2109 times) previous topic - next topic

Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr

Well after a week of not being able to drive the car, it greets me with this :nono:

Halfway to work I had turned and was finally testing out the new tune and when to shift into 3rd and *POP*, my left foot goes to the floor.  I'm coasting in neutral and was able to slam it back into 2nd and U-turn and head back towards the house.  I then got stuck at a light and had to pull it out of gear...and then was screwed at that point. 
While waiting for my buddy I felt up under the dash and the cable appears to have snapped off at the quadrant (It's hanging out at the bellhousing about 6" or so....)

Now to dig up another adjustable cable.  The fun never ends :D
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr

Reply #1 –
Well I got home from work and climbed under the dash and got everything out.  The end of the cable at the quadrant has come clean off.  I have 2 other cables in the garage, but of course neither match. :p

I think a std adjustable cable should work for me (don't remember what I used before or what manf quadrant and firewall adjuster I have).  I'm not using the "std" 2.3 L bell housing with the little cable, I'm using the earlier direct-pull bell, so a 5.0 cable should work.
I'm thinking about the Steeda one. 

I think originally I might have used a factory cable that had the cotter-pin attachment on the clutch arm and I just cut the extra  off,  but now it's time for a new cable. :hick:
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr

Reply #2 –
for just that reason is why i keep a new clutch cable in my trunk..

and the last expensive cable i bought lasted about two months.. which was a jegs ajustable clutch cable kit.. http://www.jegs.com/images/photos/55560140.jpg

so now i buy the cheap non ajustable ones

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?mfrcode=RNB&mfrpartnumber=14832&parttype=584&ptset=A

and it has lasted 9 months so far

Nick
Quote
there's only about a half a dozen man made objects that are herd by the human ear below 40Hz,a pipe organ,thunder,the space shuttle lifting off,a jet airplane taking off or landing,a large canon,an atomic bomb ignited in your back yard and the heat wave afterward oh wait you would be dead so you would'nt hear it scratch that!,and maybe beating your hear against a wall less then 40 times a second..rap music is'nt one of them!thats 40-60Hz@100+db the moving air is under 40Hz

Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr

Reply #3 –
Read at maxium motorsports, they say that the OEM 5.0 cable is the best on the market.
It's Gumby's fault.

Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr

Reply #4 –
Well I did read the MM bit, but unless I know the dimensions on those cables I can't say for certain that they will work for me.  I have a modified quadrant mounted on a modified old 79 Mustang clutch pedal (straight-pull) assembly.  The one I had in there was adjustable (probably an old 79 Mustang one since they did not have the quadrant factory).

Nick, do you have that cable handy to check some dimensions? What is the overall housing length (to the ends of each end fitting) and the overall length of the cable from each attachment?  I have a firewall adjuster and can make up for some difference if need be.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr

Reply #5 –
be right back going to get the new cable that i have in my trunk to messure


:EDIT: ok from point to point.. where the cable meets the ajuster to where the cable meets the bellhousing is 45 1/2"
Quote
there's only about a half a dozen man made objects that are herd by the human ear below 40Hz,a pipe organ,thunder,the space shuttle lifting off,a jet airplane taking off or landing,a large canon,an atomic bomb ignited in your back yard and the heat wave afterward oh wait you would be dead so you would'nt hear it scratch that!,and maybe beating your hear against a wall less then 40 times a second..rap music is'nt one of them!thats 40-60Hz@100+db the moving air is under 40Hz

Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr

Reply #6 –
Do you happen to have the length of the housing itself? (Just trying to see how much is hanging out each end)
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr

Reply #7 –
the part that goes into the bellhousing is 1 1/2" and the part that goes to the ajuster is 2 1/8"..

at the bellhousing from the tip to where the bellhousing meets the snout of the cable housing is 3/4" and from the C clip to the snout is 1/2" and from the snout to the cable casing is 1/2"

the housing that goes to the ajuster is 1&1/16" from the tip to the snout that meets the ajuster.. and is about 7/8" from the snout to the cable casing..

oh and just in case you ask the cable casing is black and the housings on each end of the cable is an off white ;)

Nick
Quote
there's only about a half a dozen man made objects that are herd by the human ear below 40Hz,a pipe organ,thunder,the space shuttle lifting off,a jet airplane taking off or landing,a large canon,an atomic bomb ignited in your back yard and the heat wave afterward oh wait you would be dead so you would'nt hear it scratch that!,and maybe beating your hear against a wall less then 40 times a second..rap music is'nt one of them!thats 40-60Hz@100+db the moving air is under 40Hz

Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr

Reply #8 –
How much cable is hanging out of each end?  I guess I should have clarified I need the entire length of the housing ;)
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr

Reply #9 –
if you pull the cable out all the way on either side. from where it seats either at the quadrent or the clutch fork it's another 10" long  so what i'm saying is the cable it self is 10" longer and from seat"where the tip goes into the quadrent" to seat"where the tip goes into the clutch fork" is 58" long.. total
Quote
there's only about a half a dozen man made objects that are herd by the human ear below 40Hz,a pipe organ,thunder,the space shuttle lifting off,a jet airplane taking off or landing,a large canon,an atomic bomb ignited in your back yard and the heat wave afterward oh wait you would be dead so you would'nt hear it scratch that!,and maybe beating your hear against a wall less then 40 times a second..rap music is'nt one of them!thats 40-60Hz@100+db the moving air is under 40Hz

Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr

Reply #10 –
hey what firewall adjuster you guys using? I was going to order one since everything is apart
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr

Reply #11 –
OK, well I have two of those here and they're too long.

I'll give Steeda a call tomorrow and check the dims on theirs.  If that won't work, I guess I'll use what I used before.

Thanks for checking!

I don't remember the manf of the stuff I have.  You can use pretty much any of the firewall adjusters though.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr

Reply #12 –
I was going to the bbk adjuster, I liked the pretty blue..

anyway I'm using the svo cable the one that comes with the quadrant. So far its 3 years old and hold nicely, I haven't felt any of the little strands breaking loose or funny creeking noises
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr

Reply #13 –
I used a UPR triple hook quadrant, their firewall adjuster and adjustable cable. Been in the car 4 years now and still working great. I still don't understand the need for the additional hooks on the quadrant though. To me, when I installed it, it seemed like only one of the hooks was in the ideal functional location. Maybe the quadrant fit more than one application. Firewall adjuster works well and stays where you set it.
Rick
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
1988 T/C body with a 5.0 transplant. Motor has a Vortech V-2 supercharger, Edlebrock Performer RPM II intake, heads, FRPP F-303 cam, Comp Cams roller rockers, Power Pipe, LMAF, full Mac exhaust, lowered, Koni's, 5 lug conversion, Cobra wheels, 13" Cobra brakes, etc.
SOLD September 2020. Will miss this car after 19 years of building/driving/showing it off. Time for a new chapter in my life.
Dynoed 446 horse/409 torque at the wheels.
2003 Tenth Anniversary Cobra Convertible. 1 of 369 Torch Red made.
2021 Chevrolet 3500 dually, crew cab Duramax.

Broken clutch cable...Grrrrr

Reply #14 –
Ok, well I got my cable from Steeda today....I guess the guy couldn't measure correctly.  It's too long too.  I'm just going to keep it though since it will work on the SHO swap project.
However, now I still have to figure out what the hell cable I need.  I'm thinking back now that I used either a '79 2.3 or 2.8 cable.  They are adjustable and short enough.  I have one in the garage, but of course the cable itself is damaged.  Advance/Parts America may have the correct one in the store, if not I guess I'll just have to order one. 
I see what caused the end to fail, so I'll fix that little issue before I put it all back together.
I just want to drive my ed car :(
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon