Clutch Cable Question

Notthenow

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Good example, it looks like the factory would use more cable length than the MM. I currently have the MM cable and quadrant with different brand firewall adjuster and it fit well. Haven't driven yet due to a move, but the assembly was straight forward. I don't think it would have fit on the previous double hook quadrant.
 
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Venompower

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Ok got the cable in and got it adjusted… it’s a little hard to shift while driving, would that mean tighten it a little more?B5A8811F-C57C-4B14-A55E-B5F415F2A663.jpeg
 
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Notthenow

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Yep, it should mean clutch not fully disengaging. MM has a how-to for adjusting the cable to get the right pre-load. Essentially you want it to allow for free shifting and synchro spin down, but retain good clamping force.
 
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Venompower

Venompower

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Well no matter how far out I turned it, it didn’t want to shift from neutral with the engine running. My take is that the quadrant is just to small… I removed the spacer and used the MM cable and adjuster with the BBK Gripp quadrant which was larger and it’s all good. The adjuster didn’t need to be unscrewed nearly as much…
 

Notthenow

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That is surprising. I have the MM cable and quadrant with a UPR adjuster and it tightened up right away. Although I have a 1998 GT with a T45, I wonder what is different.... Glad you got it working, thats what matters.
 
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Venompower

Venompower

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That is surprising. I have the MM cable and quadrant with a UPR adjuster and it tightened up right away. Although I have a 1998 GT with a T45, I wonder what is different.... Glad you got it working, thats what matters.
I’ll take it for now… the BBK quadrant with the OEM cable was too short, so you couldn’t adjust out from the firewall which made the clutch engagement weird with wheel hop issues. The MM cable being longer allowed me to adjust out at the firewall and the clutch engagement is smoother than it was with the OEM. I don’t like that it all didn’t work together but I can drive it which is all that matters.
 

Notthenow

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Indeed, enjoy being back on the road. Sometimes seat of the pants and some trial and error get you through.
 
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Venompower

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I think the best explanation for how to adjust was a video I found of a Mach 1. When they started the vehicle the ToB was chirping a little, and while idling the advice was the loosen the adjuster until the ToB stopped chirping and that should be enough preload for everything to be good.

The alternative was to tighten it until it had no preload and didn’t touch at all… which of course is opposite of how it was engineered. The video even stated it would be very loose and your clutch pedal would vibrate like crazy.
 
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Venompower

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When using the stock cable you must use a double hook quadrant for it to work properly.
If you go back through I was using the complete Maximum Motorsports kit, and even with the adjuster turned all the way out it wouldn’t shift.

I had to use the larger BBK single hook quadrant to get it to work.

I was commenting on the fine tuning, so much is preference but that video made sense to me. The chirp is because it’s too lightly seated, so it gives you a clear point to work from and then you adjust from there until the chirp stops meaning it’s preloaded.
 

Notthenow

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Yeah, chirp and pedal wobble are too loose. Did you call MM and ask since you had their complete package? I'd be curious as to their thoughts because they take fitment and engineering pretty seriously.
 
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Venompower

Venompower

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Yeah, chirp and pedal wobble are too loose. Did you call MM and ask since you had their complete package? I'd be curious as to their thoughts because they take fitment and engineering pretty seriously.
I’m sure their response will be that it has something to do with the QuickTime/TKO combo… though for all the searching I did I never encountered any TKO users who had to run any specific cable.
 

Notthenow

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Sure, doesn't take much to change the length cable needed. Just the depth of the bellhousing could affect it. I guess that is why the double hook quadrant made the difference.
 
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Venompower

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Well having clutch dis-engagement issues again. Drove the car probably 200 miles since I went back to the BBK Quadrant with the MM cable, and started to notice that towards the end of the drive the shifter was getting harder and harder to get in gear. This past weekend took the car out to take some photos for my Instagram account, and half way through almost had complete lockout, extremely hard to get the car in gear at a stop of to shift.

Engagement is very close to the firewall so I assume, the cable isn't tight enough. Contacted a local Mustang shop to see about having them put it on a lift and inspect/adjust as I just want to be done. Love the TKO600 but aftermarket components sometimes make this sort of adjustment a nightmare. I haven't heard back from the shop yet, so ready to have these annoying issues resolved so I can just enjoy the car.
 

Notthenow

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I know the cable can stretch a bit, which could cause that, but the MM cable is supposed to be of a quality that shouldn't stretch much if at all.
 
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Venompower

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Well I just talked to the shop, and they advised the MM kit runs into trouble when the trans/bellhousing isn't stock. They advised they may need to use a UPR triple hook quadrant, and that if they could just adjust it, the fee would be about $125.

When I mentioned the McLeod clutch and the clutch fork sitting almost all the way back, he advised that typically you have to use a different pivot ball to get the correct adjustment. Dropping the trans means a fee around $500, which I feel is fair... probably put a new throw out bearing in as well. If I was younger and single I might try to drop the transmission myself, but with limited time (kids) it's not something I feel I can tackle myself right now.
 

cobrajeff96

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Oh I think you ID'd the problem then. The lever bar should be right in the middle of the bellhousing window.
 

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