Clutch Ctuating Lever Boot

[Guest Phil Slater]

Things were going well this afternoon so........... in a moment of weakness ......... I decided to connect up my clutch cable (2B with alloy sump). Apart from the pick up point for the cable on the actuating lever not lining up exactly with where the outer cable locates through the webbing on the alloy sump, (which I don't think (hope ) will be a problem), I can't fit the rubber boot that covers the lever and the hole in the bell housing. There just isn't room at all between the drivers tunnel side and floor corner. As far as I can see I haven't fitted the tunnel side too far over, the clutch actuating lever works perfectly well with no clearance problems.

 

 

Now I am kind of presuming the boot needs to fitted to stop crud getting in the bell housing. Has anyone else had a similar problem and if so any suggestions on how to overcome it.

 

Any help forth coming much appreciated.

 

Phil Slater

[Peter Bell]

Hi Phil I must confess I haven't got a boot on mine. The car has been on the road for 8 years and it hasn't caused any problems. I keep forgetting about it until I get reminded!

Peter

[Guest Phil Slater]

Thanks for that Peter.

 

It's good to know that. I may try and adapt the current "inflexable" boot in due course but for now at least I can progress with the rest of the build knowing there isn't a "fatal" flaw waiting to be dealt with.

 

However, if anyone else has faced the same problem and come up with a solution I'd be grateful to hear about it.

 

Thanks again Peter.

 

Phil Slater

[Guest TerryBarry]

Hi Phil,

I managed to fit the boot onto the cable and bellhousing, I'm also using the Ford alloy sump.

There's not a lot of clearance between boot and floor / tunnel panel - and of course I haven't run the engine. There was plenty of clearance between operating arm and bodywork prior to fitting the boot.

Here's a pic - best I could manage without lifting car about a couple of feet in the air.

Terry

[Guest Phil Slater]

Thanks Terry

 

Yep, that's about it with mine, though if anything my floor may be a little lower than yours. I haven't forced the issue, so to speak, so can't be certain. I think I'll try and force it in and see.

 

One thing I did notice when I was trying to fit the boot, and as can be seen on your photo, the cable goes into the boot at an angle and so there may be a problem of wear, not so much of the cable but of the boot - maybe causing the cable to stick. I don't know time and experience will tell on that one.

 

Thanks again

 

Phil Slater

[Guest TerryBarry]

Phil,

The cable run to the actuating lever looked a lot better without the boot fitted, since the nipple is rounded and fits in a hemispherical depression in the lever.

I made up a bracket that locates on one of the engine mounting arm bolts this guides the cable centrally between the exhaust pipes of the four branch and gives a reasonably smooth curve to the location hole in the sump flange.

From your comment I imagine that your gearbox may be sitting slightly higher - probably something to do with the rubber mounting.

Once the boot is fitted the metal stiffener seems to hold it in place in the rectangular aperture in the bell housing.

I find the the clutch can be operated by a good shove of the hand and feels fine with the left foot.

Cheers,

Terry