Uh oh when replacing clutch cable

[cmonref]

Decided to spend some time Saturday replacing the clutch cable in my 1980 911SC. Wayne's project #11 makes it seem SO easy ... "I can knock this out by lunch!"

Could NOT get the pin out of the connection at the pedals. Ended up having to cut it off on the driver's side and drive it out. Here's what I found ...



The pedal shaft was almost ready to fail. The thin area that had been worn by the clutch cable tension had begun to yield and certainly would have failed fairly soon, leaving me with no clutch. Ouch. The pin shows corresponding wear, cupping badly into a "saddle" which is why I could not get the pin out.

This is the first clutch cable replacement in my 28 years with this 30-year old car. 205,000 miles. Sure am glad I found it before the imminent failure. And just as surely glad that our host has the pedal shaft in stock. Altho' the old shaft could be welded and redrilled, a new one is a good feeling.

The symptoms were that the clutch cable had been adjusted to its shortest length and still released after too much travel. I think the telling symptom, however, was the free play in the clutch pedal at rest. After I had everything exposed but before cutting the pin out, I could see that there was a LOT of play in the connection that was amplified at the clutch pedal. Getting things disconnected verified the reason for the play.

Brian
Chester, VA

[javadog]

Timely catch. It just goes to show when something doesn't feel right, a little investigation is a good idea.

Going to re-bush the pedal asssembly while you're there?

JR

[KNS]

Mine looked the same, it's not an uncommon problem - most just don't know it yet.