Clutch Cable

I just installed a new Bowden (Clutch Cable) Tube and the transmission
bracket for it. After four years of rebuilding it's nice to see you can
miss something so visble (for the three years the body was off the
chassis).

Now that I've done this, the clutch cable seems to be about 1/4 inch too
short to get the nut back on. The car has a 1970 chassis and transaxle
(57 body). I've checked to see if the tube was seated fully (seems ok).
I checked the parts number (seems ok). There are different length
cables but since only one year is shorter (1961), I'm assuming it is
unlikely this. The amount of sag in the bowden tube seems ok as well.

Anyone have any ideas? Does anyone know how long the bowden tube should
be for a 1970 chassis? My next step is to take the cable out later
today (after I finish bleeding the brakes) to measure it.

Thx DH

>From: David Holland
>Date: 12/27/04 8:57 AM Central Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>I just installed a new Bowden (Clutch Cable) Tube and the transmission
>bracket for it. After four years of rebuilding it's nice to see you can
>miss something so visble (for the three years the body was off the
>chassis).
>
>Now that I've done this, the clutch cable seems to be about 1/4 inch too
>short to get the nut back on. The car has a 1970 chassis and transaxle
>(57 body). I've checked to see if the tube was seated fully (seems ok).
> I checked the parts number (seems ok). There are different length
>cables but since only one year is shorter (1961), I'm assuming it is
>unlikely this. The amount of sag in the bowden tube seems ok as well.
>
>Anyone have any ideas? Does anyone know how long the bowden tube should
>be for a 1970 chassis? My next step is to take the cable out later
>today (after I finish bleeding the brakes) to measure it.
>
>Thx DH


I thought that there are different length clutch cables for the Type 1s.
I usually keep 4 different sizes around. So you are saying you have the
longest available for a Type 1?
Maybe that Bowden tube is making too big a curve in it. Or you have too many
washers on it.

later,
dave
(One out of many Daves)

> Now that I've done this, the clutch cable seems to be about 1/4 inch
too
> short to get the nut back on. The car has a 1970 chassis and
transaxle

<snip>
>
> Anyone have any ideas? Does anyone know how long the bowden tube
should
> be for a 1970 chassis? My next step is to take the cable out later
> today (after I finish bleeding the brakes) to measure it.

Two possibilites come to mind. The pedal stop plate could be holding
the clutch pedal too far forward. The bentley specifies a dimension for
the distance from the end of the pedal to the forward firewall, I don't
have the exact distance handy but perhaps someone else does. The other
possibility, the hook on the end of the cable at the pedal cluster
isn't properly seated. That might be hanging up the cable enough to
keep it from pulling all the way rearward.

It could also be that you have too many washers at the bracket end of
the bowden tube thus sagging it too much and taking up the slack in the
cable.

In my experience I've usually had to physically pull the clutch release
lever towards the front of the car when getting the wingnut started.
Chris

Thanks, I haven't pulled the cable to measure it yet.

From the information I've been able to dig up, the different cable
lengths a

50 to 60 2268mm
61 2250mm
62 to 71 2260mm
72 to 74 2281mm
74 to 79 2268mm

Given 61 is the only year with the shortest length, I figured it would
be low odds the guy who put it in would use one too short. However, who
knows. He's also the guy who removed the bracket from the transmission
for the Bowden tube.

I think I'm going to have to pull it to double check.

Thx DH

dave wrote:
>>From: David Holland
>>Date: 12/27/04 8:57 AM Central Standard Time
>>Message-id: >
>>
>>I just installed a new Bowden (Clutch Cable) Tube and the transmission
>>bracket for it. After four years of rebuilding it's nice to see you can
>>miss something so visble (for the three years the body was off the
>>chassis).
>>
>>Now that I've done this, the clutch cable seems to be about 1/4 inch too
>>short to get the nut back on. The car has a 1970 chassis and transaxle
>>(57 body). I've checked to see if the tube was seated fully (seems ok).
>> I checked the parts number (seems ok). There are different length
>>cables but since only one year is shorter (1961), I'm assuming it is
>>unlikely this. The amount of sag in the bowden tube seems ok as well.
>>
>>Anyone have any ideas? Does anyone know how long the bowden tube should
>>be for a 1970 chassis? My next step is to take the cable out later
>>today (after I finish bleeding the brakes) to measure it.
>>
>>Thx DH
>
>
>
> I thought that there are different length clutch cables for the Type 1s.
> I usually keep 4 different sizes around. So you are saying you have the
> longest available for a Type 1?
> Maybe that Bowden tube is making too big a curve in it. Or you have too many
> washers on it.
>
> later,
> dave
> (One out of many Daves)

Thanks, I adjusted the pedal top last night to give maximum pedal
travel. I help a wee bit but still not enough. I don't have any
wahsers installed right now.

I think I'll pull the cable later to double check it's length. I'll
also check where the hook attaches to see if it's getting hung up at all.

Thx DH

Hal wrote:

>>Now that I've done this, the clutch cable seems to be about 1/4 inch
>
> too
>
>>short to get the nut back on. The car has a 1970 chassis and
>
> transaxle
>
> <snip>
>
>>Anyone have any ideas? Does anyone know how long the bowden tube
>
> should
>
>>be for a 1970 chassis? My next step is to take the cable out later
>>today (after I finish bleeding the brakes) to measure it.
>
>
> Two possibilites come to mind. The pedal stop plate could be holding
> the clutch pedal too far forward. The bentley specifies a dimension for
> the distance from the end of the pedal to the forward firewall, I don't
> have the exact distance handy but perhaps someone else does. The other
> possibility, the hook on the end of the cable at the pedal cluster
> isn't properly seated. That might be hanging up the cable enough to
> keep it from pulling all the way rearward.
>
> It could also be that you have too many washers at the bracket end of
> the bowden tube thus sagging it too much and taking up the slack in the
> cable.
>
> In my experience I've usually had to physically pull the clutch release
> lever towards the front of the car when getting the wingnut started.
> Chris
>

On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 09:57:47 -0500 David Holland
> wrote:

>Now that I've done this, the clutch cable seems to be about 1/4 inch too
>short to get the nut back on.

Make SURE that the front end of the Bowden tube is actually slipped
over the end of the steel tube exiting the body. I think they slide
over about 1 cm. I occasionally see these installed wrong there.

-
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Jim Adney
Madison, WI 53711 USA
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