GR86 GR86 - The clutch pedal thread
- Thread starter AndyRC
- Start date
Yeah. I’d do the same, but a spring & fit it when I feel the need.
Count me in for a group buy please.
I had a look in the footwell this morning with a view to “quickly popping” the assist spring out and trying it for a few miles. It’s pretty apparent on a RHD car that’s easier said than done.
@Conscript thanks for your info and insight from the last gen. I assume you removed the whole pedal assembly to change the assist spring. I’ve seen a video on how to do this but will wait till I have a softer spring before going to the effort of taking it off.
@Conscript thanks for your info and insight from the last gen. I assume you removed the whole pedal assembly to change the assist spring. I’ve seen a video on how to do this but will wait till I have a softer spring before going to the effort of taking it off.
Yes, it's almost impossible to do in situ with the RHD car. But it's not too much effort to remove the whole assembly (notwithstanding folding yourself into the footwell). From memory I did the following:
- Took out the pin which connects the master cylinder rod to the pedal (this is the one you can twist for adjustment, but you can disconnect it from the pedal entirely by removing the pin from the clevis - see those GR86.org instructions for pictures). As long as you just disconnect it and don't twist it, then you shouldn't upset the adjustment.
- Unplug the clutch pedal switch (might be two of these, can't remember)
- The clutch pedal assembly is attached to the firewall using a few bolts (can't remember how many exactly), so you just undo these, then you can withdraw the whole pedal assembly from the car.
Once out of the car, I clamped the assembly into a vice. I can't remember exactly what I did from here. I think I put pressure on the pedal to compress the spring, then got some cable ties around it to hold it in compression while was was removed from the pedal. Then it's just a case of inserting the new spring (again, precompressed using a vice and secured with cable ties) then putting the assembly back into the car.
The video should show all the details (just realised I posted it on page 1, forgot about that). Really the hardest bit is just the physical contortions required to get into the footwell. Other than that, it's a fairly easy swap.
@Conscript @James-UK @BanjoGazooey @Wrobz @Grblue86 @Kenco @Bathroom_Security
I've done the maths, I'd have to charge you £2 for a jiffy bag, £3.35 for RM 2nd class postage, which means you save £7. It's not worth the effort I'm afraid fellas. The info is on page 2, order as you will!
EDIT: Noticed some dimension errors in the table I posted (duplicates), please check the spring spec before you order.
I've done the maths, I'd have to charge you £2 for a jiffy bag, £3.35 for RM 2nd class postage, which means you save £7. It's not worth the effort I'm afraid fellas. The info is on page 2, order as you will!
EDIT: Noticed some dimension errors in the table I posted (duplicates), please check the spring spec before you order.
LC120M03S
I did think about going for a lighter one, but that one is the closest match to the MTEC, which I was happy with.
Thinking about it, for the sake of a couple of quid extra, perhaps I should have ordered both and then I could experiment...but I've already got a bad back just thinking about getting into that footwell, so not sure I could do it twice
I did think about going for a lighter one, but that one is the closest match to the MTEC, which I was happy with.
Thinking about it, for the sake of a couple of quid extra, perhaps I should have ordered both and then I could experiment...but I've already got a bad back just thinking about getting into that footwell, so not sure I could do it twice
Just a word of warning....I didn't notice, but all the prices are exclusive of VAT. It does actually say when you have the item open on the site, but I ignored that. Just had the dispatch notification and final invoice, and they add the handling charge, and then the VAT - so it actually cost £23.51 total. Bit annoying, but nevermind.
I’ve ordered from a company that we use at work called Springmasters:
www.springmasters.com
The list above should be matching free length and OD to OEM. The rate of the springs is in metric but can be converted to compare to the excellent table posted by @ZN8 .
Got a couple of different spring rates as they were between £3 and £8.50ea inc. VAT and managed to combine with some other parts we needed.
Compression Springs - Wire Dia (0.15mm-5.00mm) - Springmasters
Compression Springs - Wire Dia (0.15mm-5.00mm) from Springmasters
www.springmasters.com
The list above should be matching free length and OD to OEM. The rate of the springs is in metric but can be converted to compare to the excellent table posted by @ZN8 .
Got a couple of different spring rates as they were between £3 and £8.50ea inc. VAT and managed to combine with some other parts we needed.
James-UK
Totally Hooked
New spring arrived in the post this morning. Not sure if I'll get a chance to fit it today, so might not be until the weekend. But I'll give feedback when it's in.I think I'll let you guys test the water, I'm crap with things like this... so I have to wait until one of you real people do something and do it righthaha
Right, I couldn't resist, and had a crack at this on my lunch break
Spring is now in and the initial results are fab. The clutch pedal now has a much more linear feel overall; the weaker assist spring has the effect of averaging out the effort required through the whole stroke of the pedal - it's softer at the top but harder toward the bottom, and the pivot point, where it used to suddenly push back at you as you lifted your foot, is almost imperceptible.
The result is a MUCH improved and more natural feeling clutch. I took the car for a quick drive around the block and it's so much better. Much easier to gauge the bite point coming out of junctions, smoother when making quick gear changes - just brilliant. Just like my GT86 when it had the MTEC spring. Really chuffed.
The installation video posted earlier covers everything - as expected, the GR86 has almost exactly the same layout. Just a couple of notes which might help:
- There is an extra steel bracket which sticks out from under the steering wheel toward the clutch pedal. From what I can tell, it's just there so prevent the risk of your foot going too high above the clutch pedal. But it does making withdrawing the entire assembly from the footwell a bit of a pain as you have to manoeuvre it out around it. It's quite a flimsy piece of steel, so you can bend it a little if it helps.
- I think the easiest thing might be to take the pin out securing the master rod cylinder to the pedal, then undo the bolts in the engine bay which attached the master cylinder to the pedal. Then, withdraw the master cylinder through the firewall slightly. This should make it easier to get the clutch pedal out.
- Once the MC rod is unpinned, you might find it easier to depress the pedal, as that lowers the overall length of the whole assembly - just be careful, as without the MC attached, it will spring down into position with quite some force on that assist spring.
- Heed the advice in the video about using masking take or something on the engine bay nuts. They are a little tricky to get to and it would be easy to drop them, and there's no guarantee they'll drop to the ground.
Installation took me about an hour. It's not difficult, but it is fiddly, so take your time. The only big issue I encountered was that I knocked my world-famous phone holding solution off, so I'll need to restick that. Oh....and make sure that after you've got it all reassembled, you plug the connectors for the clutch switches back in. Gave myself a bit of a fright when the car refused to start :/
Other than that, top upgrade, well worth the £23. Big thanks to @ZN8 for doing the legwork to find a replacement for the MTEC. Very happy
Spring is now in and the initial results are fab. The clutch pedal now has a much more linear feel overall; the weaker assist spring has the effect of averaging out the effort required through the whole stroke of the pedal - it's softer at the top but harder toward the bottom, and the pivot point, where it used to suddenly push back at you as you lifted your foot, is almost imperceptible.
The result is a MUCH improved and more natural feeling clutch. I took the car for a quick drive around the block and it's so much better. Much easier to gauge the bite point coming out of junctions, smoother when making quick gear changes - just brilliant. Just like my GT86 when it had the MTEC spring. Really chuffed.
The installation video posted earlier covers everything - as expected, the GR86 has almost exactly the same layout. Just a couple of notes which might help:
- There is an extra steel bracket which sticks out from under the steering wheel toward the clutch pedal. From what I can tell, it's just there so prevent the risk of your foot going too high above the clutch pedal. But it does making withdrawing the entire assembly from the footwell a bit of a pain as you have to manoeuvre it out around it. It's quite a flimsy piece of steel, so you can bend it a little if it helps.
- I think the easiest thing might be to take the pin out securing the master rod cylinder to the pedal, then undo the bolts in the engine bay which attached the master cylinder to the pedal. Then, withdraw the master cylinder through the firewall slightly. This should make it easier to get the clutch pedal out.
- Once the MC rod is unpinned, you might find it easier to depress the pedal, as that lowers the overall length of the whole assembly - just be careful, as without the MC attached, it will spring down into position with quite some force on that assist spring.
- Heed the advice in the video about using masking take or something on the engine bay nuts. They are a little tricky to get to and it would be easy to drop them, and there's no guarantee they'll drop to the ground.
Installation took me about an hour. It's not difficult, but it is fiddly, so take your time. The only big issue I encountered was that I knocked my world-famous phone holding solution off, so I'll need to restick that. Oh....and make sure that after you've got it all reassembled, you plug the connectors for the clutch switches back in. Gave myself a bit of a fright when the car refused to start :/
Other than that, top upgrade, well worth the £23. Big thanks to @ZN8 for doing the legwork to find a replacement for the MTEC. Very happy
James-UK
Totally Hooked
Right, I couldn't resist, and had a crack at this on my lunch break
Spring is now in and the initial results are fab. The clutch pedal now has a much more linear feel overall; the weaker assist spring has the effect of averaging out the effort required through the whole stroke of the pedal - it's softer at the top but harder toward the bottom, and the pivot point, where it used to suddenly push back at you as you lifted your foot, is almost imperceptible.
The result is a MUCH improved and more natural feeling clutch. I took the car for a quick drive around the block and it's so much better. Much easier to gauge the bite point coming out of junctions, smoother when making quick gear changes - just brilliant. Just like my GT86 when it had the MTEC spring. Really chuffed.
The installation video posted earlier covers everything - as expected, the GR86 has almost exactly the same layout. Just a couple of notes which might help:
- There is an extra steel bracket which sticks out from under the steering wheel toward the clutch pedal. From what I can tell, it's just there so prevent the risk of your foot going too high above the clutch pedal. But it does making withdrawing the entire assembly from the footwell a bit of a pain as you have to manoeuvre it out around it. It's quite a flimsy piece of steel, so you can bend it a little if it helps.
- I think the easiest thing might be to take the pin out securing the master rod cylinder to the pedal, then undo the bolts in the engine bay which attached the master cylinder to the pedal. Then, withdraw the master cylinder through the firewall slightly. This should make it easier to get the clutch pedal out.
- Once the MC rod is unpinned, you might find it easier to depress the pedal, as that lowers the overall length of the whole assembly - just be careful, as without the MC attached, it will spring down into position with quite some force on that assist spring.
- Heed the advice in the video about using masking take or something on the engine bay nuts. They are a little tricky to get to and it would be easy to drop them, and there's no guarantee they'll drop to the ground.
Installation took me about an hour. It's not difficult, but it is fiddly, so take your time. The only big issue I encountered was that I knocked my world-famous phone holding solution off, so I'll need to restick that. Oh....and make sure that after you've got it all reassembled, you plug the connectors for the clutch switches back in. Gave myself a bit of a fright when the car refused to start :/
Other than that, top upgrade, well worth the £23. Big thanks to @ZN8 for doing the legwork to find a replacement for the MTEC. Very happy
Could you please link me to the spring, I am a moron and cannot find it
Could you please link me to the spring, I am a moron and cannot find it
Search for Compression Springs | Lee Spring
Search Lee Spring's inventory of Compression Springs by part number or by specifications. Browse by Imperial or Metric units for your convenience.
LC 120M 03 S is the part number for that particular spring (the one closest to the MTEC)
Last edited:
I'm interested in doing this too
However in the meantime I've found that putting my heel down as a pivot just as I start bringing the clutch pedal up stops that lurching and I'm much more fluid with it at junctions now.
Still needs the exhaust to go on to help hear those revs, should make it even easier then
Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk
However in the meantime I've found that putting my heel down as a pivot just as I start bringing the clutch pedal up stops that lurching and I'm much more fluid with it at junctions now.
Still needs the exhaust to go on to help hear those revs, should make it even easier then
Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk
