Installed new clutch cable, doesnt fit!

[Bnasty]

So, the story starts a few years ago when I took my 03 cobra over to a mustang specialty shop to have the clutch replaced, along with the broken cable. No need to go into detail on how poor of a job they actually did on the replacement, as I had to go in and replace the clutch myself after 25,000 (finding that they only replaced the disk, and put a cheap replacement quadrant and cable back in as well).
Anyway, the cable has gone out again after about 50,000, and I just got a BBK cable and quadrant in from JEGS. Last night I installed the cable and quad, WITHOUT the firewall adjuster. The cable is adjustable and is adjusted all the way out as a starting point. Here lies the problem: with the cable adjusted as-is (all the way out), the clutch will NOT grab. So, in other words, I need more slack on the cable, but with my setup, I cannot get any more slack. Has anyone else encountered this problem? What did you do to solve it? I hope it doesnt involve changing the clutch fork, because I no longer have access to a lift. Has anyone removed the large grommet off the end that goes to the firewall to make these fit and give a little more slack?

 

[wjurls]

You can't use an aftermarket quadrant without a firewall adjuster. Send the aftermarket adjustable cable back and get an OEM one with a Fiore firewall adjuster. This will solve your problem.

 

[Bnasty]

You can't use an aftermarket quadrant without a firewall adjuster. Send the aftermarket adjustable cable back and get an OEM one with a Fiore firewall adjuster. This will solve your problem.

Well, let me add to the story. When replacing the clutch myself, I decided to try an OEM cable with the aftermarket quad. The OEM cable is actually too short by almost an inch (keeping the clutch fully disengaged), creating a worse condition than I have at the moment.

Tonight, I took the additional grommet/molded plastic off the end that goes into the firewall. This made it so that the clutch will engage, but Im worried that the engagement point is way too high (about an inch or two towards the top of the throw of the clutch pedal). Id really like it if it was more towards the middle. But here again, I had the same problem even with the first new cable that the crappy shop gave me in the first place.

Thoughts?

 

[wjurls]

The stock quadrant is self adjusting which is why it doesn't require an aftermarket adjuster. That inch you saw with the after market quadrant alone would have fit properly on the stock quadrant.

 

[Bnasty]

Bump

 

[Bnasty]

bumpbumpbuump

 

[Bnasty]

Has anyone else had this problem, and any input as far as a cure for this condition?

 

[wjurls]

I'm not sure what other answers you're hoping to get. I already told you what needs to be done to properly address this issue. If your fork is bent the cable will appear too long rather then too short as the fork gets pulled by the cable and not pushed. Keep the quadrant and OEM cable and get a adjuster installed and you'll be good to go. Otherwise go completely back to the stock set-up.