Your quadrant / Firewall adjuster setup with RAM street dual disc

[Avenger]

Hey guys,

I just finished installing my RAM street dual disc setup along with Lakewood adjustable pivot ball, UPR Quick Click firewall adjuster, Steeda Quick Release quadrant and MM pedal height adjuster.

Problem is I have a hard time getting the clutch to disengage completely while, at the same time, keeping the TOB off the pressure plate fingers when fully released.

The pedal is adjusted as high as the MM kit will allow it to maximize travel. Even though a few installation procedures recommended 1" behind the adjustable pivot ball, we didn't feel like grinding the fork / bolts so it was adjusted closer to the transmission to increase clearance behind the fork where it exits the transmission housing. I'm thinking we might be losing some TOB travel because the pivot is too far in but my installer thinks not... :shrug:

I really hope this can be solved with a fork pivot adjustment as I LOVE the way the pedal sits now and don't want to go back to the stock height.

What's your take on this ??

Thanks !

 

[FlaSeaDude]

We just went through this same scenario in February on my Cobra. We ended up pulling the transmission 3 or 4 times to adjust and readjust the pivot ball. We also removed the weight from the back of the fork and ground a couple of small notches on the back of the fork to give it additional travel.

The "secret" is getting the pivot ball extended out as far as possible while still being able to easily disengage the transmission. We tried a number of settings for the lenght of the pivot ball, from around 0.90" to 1.35" and if memory serves me correctly, our final length was around 1.2".

BTW - I'm using a Fiore quadrant and firewall adjuster.

I hope this info is helpful... :beer:

 

[Avenger]

Some additional information...

With the TOB resting on the PP fingers, setting the pivot ball to 1'' (as per the instructions) brought the other end of the fork real close to two transmission bolts. We really didn't like that (especially considering it only gets worse once the clutch discs start to wear down) so we decided to shorten it. I do not have an exact measurement but I would say it's around 0.75" right now.

By playing with the firewall adjuster, I can get the clutch to disengage correctly but I'm then stuck with a TOB resting on the PP fingers when its fully released.

If I set the FWA so that the TOB does not touch the PP fingers when released, I end up not being able to put the car into gear.

I simply don't get enough TOB travel from the pedal. I was wondering if a pivot ball adjustment might solve my issue of or if there are quadrants that are more aggressive than the Steeda Quick Release. Last thing I want to do is go back to stock pedal height.

Are you using the MM pedal height adjuster ?

Your input is appreciated.

Alex

 

[ssketer4]

Alex:

Here is an easy way to set your pivot ball adjustment:

After you install the bellhousing, run a straight edge against it's face, then measure from the face of the bellhousing to the PP. fingers. (record that measurement).
Now with the fork and t.o. brg. installed on the trans, run a straight edge against the t.o. bearing face, and measure to the face of the trans (machined edge). adjust the pivot ball till you reach your recorded measurement (minus 1/8" for brg. clearance) is met, then lock your pivot bolt!

Once the trans. is installed, hook your clutch cable into the fork, and into the quadrant, (with the FWA screwed all the way in). then, adjust the slack out of the cable untill the TOB is just 1/8" away from the PP fingers. If I remember correctly, you have the return spring mod?

You should also have someone engage/disengage the clutch pedal a few times (while you closely watch the FWA ass'y) to make sure the adjuster ass'y is not flexing away from the firewall. (The more it flexes, the less TOB travel.) This is also true of pivot bolt length, the shorter the length, the less the TOB travel. If there is flex, you'll need to add more mounting screws to the adjuster flange.


Hope this helps out.....

 

[Avenger]

Joe, yes I do have the return spring mod.

Alright, this might sound like dumb questions but here it goes anyway...

1) When taking the measurement from the TOB face to the face of the trans, do you let the cable end of the fork rest on the bolts ?

2) I'm confused regarding the pressure plate fingers... I thought the fingers moved farther back (towards the transmission) as the clutch discs wore out but, now that I think about it, the self adjusting mechanism and the FWA position you recommend point in the other direction. My question is, does the cable end of the fork move forward or backward as the clutch discs wear out ?

Thanks.

 

[ssketer4]

1. no, just off of the bolts.

2. The cable end of the fork only moves when you move the FWA. (Remember that the bearing is about 1/8" away from the fingers). With the clutch pedal all the way up, and no slack in the cable, the spring will push the fork and TOB away from the PP fingers about 1/8" when your adjustment is correct. At rest, my fork sits about 3/16" away from the trans. bolts.

 

[Avenger]

Please correct me if I'm wrong but I thought that, as the discs wear down, the pressure plate goes farther so the fingers dome out towards the transmission, thereby bringing the cable end of the fork closer to the bolts.

By the way, I had someone push on the pedal and can confirm the adjuster is not moving from the firewall at all but I can see the whole firewall flexing though !!

 

[ssketer4]

...look a little closer. I saw that on mine also. How many screws do you have installed?

 

[Avenger]

I have 3 screws.

 

[Avenger]

Just a short follow up on this. After exchanging emails with RAM for a whole week, I learned that their dual disc setup needs 0.045" of TOB travel to release compared to 0.040" for a stock setup. Needing more travel does not sit well with trying to lower the clutch pedal...

Turns out that, even though I have a Quick Release quadrant, I really can't get the clutch to release properly while keeping the TOB off the pressure plate fingers with a lowered pedal. It might be possible once the clutch discs and floater plate get shaved by some stop-and-go traffic but, for now, I'm back to stock pedal height.

It sucks cause I really liked the lower pedal feeling...