You Couldn't Make It Up!

[Guest rhetorical-oracle]

Well, first time in ages I've been working near home on the first Tuesday of the month, so thinks I 'I'll go to the Staffs etc.. RHOCAR meeting tonight at the Darlaston'

 

So it's a lovely day so went to work in the car this morning, as I haven't got the weather gear fitted, but the chance of rain was soooo slim.

 

Get in the car at 6:45pm at work to drive from Newcastle under Lyme to Stone, start the engine, fine, depress the clutch Clunk! straight to the floor!

 

Bugger the clutch cable has only got and snapped! Had to ring my brother for a tow home Glad I added a towing eye now

 

Never mind, does anyone out there know what clutch cable is used in the Super Spec? I've got a feeling it's from a transit van or some such. Dredd's gone through enough of them so he must know!

 

Phill.

[will]

The replacement cable is a Quinton Hazel one, part number QCC 1303. I am told it comes from a Fiat Ducato van!!

 

That reminds me... must put a spare in the car.

 

ya gonna order 2 phill?

 

 

Will

[Guest allenr03]

Sounds like these may be a problem!! Do they break regularly then??

 

Rich

[Bob Tucker]

Do they break regularly then??

 

No. Only once

[Guest salty_monk]

Once a year seems to be about average from what I've picked up on here.... I think Dredd is trying to go Hydraulic at the moment with his.

 

Dan

[Guest Dredd]

The 1303 is the right cable. The problem seems to be the amount of heat the cable gets from passing under the manifold. The outercase contracts around the inner cable after a number of outings. The third or is it the fourth cable I took out, it is very stuff to pull the inner throught the outer. The result is that the cable fatigues at the pedal end and the strands gradually break until the whole lot go.

 

I have another thread going on this as I am trying to convert to hydraulic. I saw a conversion on a turbo superspec at Detling. The owner, Rob West, (don't think he is a forum user), has made a really good job and the clutch feels really good.

 

I have bought the exact same parts from Rallye Design but have had a nightmare trying to fit them. The problem I have now is that the slave cylinder doesn't pull far enough back to allow me to engage the gearbox at standstill. I think that the pushrofd has another 1/2 " to go, but the master cylinder is at full reach. I can only assume that a larger thrust bearing was fitted to Rob's car as mine needs to travel further.

 

I'm going to have to refit the cable and buy a larger bore master cylinder to get all the movement from the slave. The issue then will be that I will have no free movement on the clutch release arm and I'm unsure if this is going to cause added problems with premature wear?

[Longboarder]

Just had a couple more thoughts on this as I have already posted on the other thread. Difficulty getting the car in gear, engine running, parked is usually clutch drag, ie not pulling enough cable or pushing enough fluid so the engine still turns the first motion/input shaft and the gears make that sphincter clenching sound. Hydraulic brakes can have an issue with the pedal to master cylinder pushrod being too long which stops the master cylinder piston retracting fully back when you take your foot off the pedal. The piston doesn't uncover the hole from the resevoir so it stops a full charge of fluid being in the master cylinder and you only get a half stroke when you press the pedal. Sounds odd but shortening the pushrod can markedly increase the amount of fluid pumped.

 

Nigel

[Guest allenr03]

No. Only once

 

There's always one! I guess you couldn't resist, lol

 

I like the sound of going hydraulic, not sure my mechanical skills are up to it though! I understand cables!!

 

Would heat reflective material stuff help the situation??

[Guest Giggling_Buffoon]

Probably. I've had no problem so far, but I've had exhaust wrap on the exhaust all the time.

[Guest rusty]

I'v had exhaust wrap on as well still the same clutch cable after 4000 mIs touch wood !,I have fitted an adjustable stop in tha pedal box and at the gearbox end, it is easy to put excess pressure on the cable so stops are a must.