I hate plastic parts. My quadrant failed today!

[tateg]

I was shifting from 3rd to 4th on I95 when !bam! the clutch pedal goes to the floor!

of course my first thought is that the dogbone let go; so there I am in a coat and tie crawling around under an SVO on the side of 95. I couldn't find anything wrong so I thought that maybe the clutch cable let go. Then I started farting around with the pedal only to hear clicky, clicky when I pulled it up. I applied pressure again, and BAM, right back to the floor.

I finally was able to pull the pedal up just enough to get the clutch out and get into gear but it not let go. Fifteen miles later I limped into my parking lot in third gear. An hour later and maximum motorsports will have a new quadrant, cable and adjuster on my doorstep by 10:30 tomorrow.

I haven't done a quadrant before. Any estimates on how long this takes the first time? It looks pretty simple even if access is tight under there.

[BrianO]

you have to contort your arm a bit and it's easier if you remove the drivers seat in my experiences..just don't get the seat studs stuck in your back.. lol

[Ken Potter]

I had the same thing happen in my 85 GT vert.

Yes remove the seat. I've heard others say it was easy. It was a major pain for me as I couldn't fit my hands up in the cramped space(s). Lots of cussing helped... HAHA

[tateg]

Other than getting the seat out of the way are there any parts under the dash I have to remove to get at the quadrant? I read some online instructions that dove right in with nothing in the way. But each car is different.

[Ken Potter]

Nothing major in the way. Just the usual wires / switches under there.

[BrianO]

extra long needle nose worked good for me getting the old parts off..especaily the part with the spring on the shaft.

[Ken Potter]

extra long needle nose worked good for me

Good call. That probably would have helped out for sure.

I also now know what I can spend my Home Depot Christmas gift card on...

Maybe even a digital caliper for the heck of it.

[BrianO]

they'll save your knuckles! lol

[BINKY]

I hear that some just break off the old brittle quadrant.

[BrianO]

exactly ..most guys hands are too big to grab onto it and break it too. the main part with the spring on the shaft is a $$#% to get off sometimes. those long needle nose worked great in my case. use them to break the old part and then stick them in between the quadrant and the metal and pry it off the shaft.

[tateg]

OMFG! That really suxed.

I have never had a fox body newer than a '79 before so I have never been treated to the "pleasures" of a self adjusting clutch before this one. The '79 I have is adjustable at the bellhousing and it's a direct connection to the top of the clutch pedal; metal to metal. No plastic garbage to break or anything and *very* easy to switch out if a new cable is needed.

I would like to meet the engineer who designed this system so that I could get some of what he was drinking! An engineer who was so stupid to design a part that if it fails you pretty much have to pull the entire pedal assembly to replace with factory stuff. Especially when it's make of plastic and assured of failure eventually. Even more especially when you had a perfectly good system that was easily serviceable without even having to strain to reach it. And it was adjustable from the factory.


And I wish someone had warned me that the quadrant was no where near the top of the clutch pedal. I spent 20 minutes removing wiring and stuff before I figured out that it was over near the gas pedal. Again, what a crazy design.

This "little" job took me almost 90 minutes. Do I suk or what?

[BrianO]

do you still have skin on your hands and knuckles? if so, good job!!

[Ken Potter]

I couldn't give you any specifics / location as it was about 5 or 6 years ago when I changed mine...

My memory ain't so good lately and really only remember it being a major pain in the butt.

Although I do remember chucking my small needle nose pliers across the driveway and them sticking into the side of the house... HAHA

[Meotchh]

So what the clutch pedal doesn't work? Who needs it anyways?

Mine was simple in my 88, of coarse that may be because the dash was already out of the car.

[IXLR8SVO]

..... Especially when it's make of plastic and assured of failure eventually. Even more especially when you had a perfectly good system that was easily serviceable without even having to strain to reach it. And it was adjustable from the factory.

It might very well be intentional. Part of the "Designed Obsolescence" philosophy of making the part last just long enough to satisfy warranty yet fail while the product is still new enough the consumer wants to save it on his nickel. Ever notice all of the Factory Motorsport aluminum quadrants out there and the lack of the plastic replacements?

I'm not complaining tho.... I decided to replace my quadrant while the dash and steering column were out of the car. I've looked up into that mess before and knew there wouldn't be any room for my clumsy meat hooks