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Adjusting Clutch Cable Tension
The goal of adjusting the clutch cable is to put enough tension on it to keep the throwout bearing in light contact with the clutch diaphragm fingers, ensuring both proper clutch operation and long clutch life.
Do not use the firewall adjuster to customize the pedal height or adjust where in the pedal travel the clutch engages or disengages. (Maximum Motorsports makes
Clutch-Pedal Height Adjusters specifically designed to do that job correctly.)
- Grasp the cable outer housing with one hand.
- Pull it forward: toward the radiator and away from the firewall. This may take some effort. You need to remove all slack from the system, which forces the throwout bearing (by design) up against the pressure plate diaphragm.
- If there's no gap between the large, round, flat end of the housing and the front face of the adjuster, thread the adjuster into the firewall until you can see a small gap.
- While continuing to pull the outer cable housing away from the firewall, rotate the adjuster to thread it in or out of the firewall until the gap is about the thickness of a dime (0.050").
Confirming the Adjustment
- The cable should have just enough tension that the pedal moves down 1/2 in. when you press it with 5-8 lb of force. If the pedal moves more than that, increase the cable tension by screwing the firewall adjuster further out of the firewall. If it takes more than 8 lb of force to move the pedal 1/2 in., decrease the cable tension by screwing the adjuster further into the firewall.
- If the clutch won't disengage when you press the pedal to the floor, increase the cable tension by threading the adjuster out of the firewall.
- If the throwout bearing chirps when the clutch pedal is depressed and with the engine running, there isn't enough tension on the cable.
Periodic Adjustment
As the clutch disc wears, the friction material gets thinner, causing the cable tension to increase. This requires periodic "clutch adjustment," as it's commonly called, to compensate for clutch wear. However, what you actually want to do for regular maintenance is
decrease the cable tension. You can do this by threading the adjuster into the firewall following the procedure in the "Adjusting Clutch Cable Tension" section above.
Tech Background
Ford equipped most Fox and all SN95 Mustangs with a self-adjusting mechanism designed to maintain proper clutch cable tension at all times. As the clutch disc wears, the mechanism automatically adjusts the cable tension so the clutch continues to operate correctly through its entire life.
A properly adjusted clutch cable has some tension on it. This keeps the throwout bearing in constant contact with the fingers on the clutch pressure plate diaphragm.
That contact is essential for the self-adjusting mechanism to work. Contrary to popular belief, this is a design feature and
does not prematurely wear out the Mustang throwout bearing.