The dreaded.... "clutch pedal return spring"
 

Today was an interesting day. At 0800 hrs, I went to a friends house to help him rebuild his pedal cluster. I too had a rebuild kit (Weltmiester) and figured, "what the hay... what's one more"? :D

So, we set off to rebuild two pedal clusters before 1400 hrs local.

It went off without a hitch. Since I had done this on my old SC, I knew exactly how to do it. That made the job much easier.

Then it came down to it...

The big one...

The ever dreaded...

Ever hated...

Confounded...

blasted...

Pinnicle of P-DIY mountains...

...the clutch pedal return spring.

AND we had to do TWO of them!

So, here's the scoop. Whoever thought this was a great way to build this cluster ought to be drug out and flogged. We heeved, we yanked, we pulled... no way.
I admit. I'm pretty beefcake. But, damn if I couldn't get that spring to stretch far enough. Finally I'd had it.

It was time to bring out the "Non-Conventional" inventory.

War plans were devised; a tie down strap was secured.

And "this" lady and gentlemen, is how Ken and I BEAT the clutch pedal return spring:


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1082338741.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1082338759.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1082338778.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1082338791.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1082338809.jpg

I took a breaker bar and set it behind the seat rails... ran a cargo strap though it and towards the cluster.
We then took a large pair of vise grips and attached that to the spring with the strap running though the teeth.

Then we tightened the cargo strap, inch by inch... it was really quite exciting.... at any second that thing could come loose and go straight though your brain.

Once it was stretched far enough... oooooh... that was the real fun part. Using a complex system of screw drivers, pliers, and swearwords, we let the vice grips go and "WHAM"!
Worked like a charm.

:D

UFO sited recently above neighborhood garage where 2 individuals (aka porsche mechanic wannabees) observed a strange looking vessel shaped somewhat like a car seat traveling at Mach 16. More to follow!

Though I admire your efforts, you are working way too hard.

The trick is to install the clutch return spring and the bar onto the cluster while it is out of the car. With the allen bolt and the steel bar not installed, place the spring onto the back part of the cluster. Rotate the clutch pedal clockwise to alow the spring to go on to both groves. Then, rotate the pedal ccw until it is in position and the holes line up. Then, install the bar and allen bolt onto the cluster. Screw the allen bolt so that it is just snug, but still allows the bar to move.

Take the whole unit to the car and install. Connect the top part of the bar and then bolt the cluster to the floor. Afterwhich, tighten the allen bolt.

get a cheap brake spring tool for american cars at shucks. the one that's kind of S shaped with a cupped cutout on one end. cut it in half, or enough to clear the left wheel well when the cupped end is hooked over the rear knob that you want the spring to clip to. the hook on the spring is slipped over the shank of the tool, and when you pull it back, the spring slips down the shaft and over the knob.

it's always easy once you know the trick, isn't that always the case?

why yes it is.

It also really helps to go "Hoyyyy Yaaaaaaaaa" just at the proper moment!

I understand and can visualize the JW method.
Damn if I know what the hell Jim Smolka is talking about !! Got to see it in pictures one of these days.

BLAST!!!!!!!!


...ok, didn't think of that. http://www.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/blush.gif

i used my craftsman drum brake tool as JW said. i viced the pedal cluster first and it only took a twist and pop. it went on. i love your over the top, uber engineering method too. that is badass.

Brilliant - Kudo's to Chuck!

We actually tried to cram washers in there... it didn't work too good.
Too funny... I thought I had invented the washer idea. :)


Well, this thread will go down in the anals of embarrassing threads.
Thanks a lot, Jim.
;)

now *that* would be painful...no wonder you had trouble with the spring...

I think you meant "annals" ;)

Ok, I quit.

LOL, BTDT. I replaced mine last year and after about 1 minute of fighting I it I said no way and headed down to the the FLAPS and bought a brake spring hook. Still fought me a little, but after I made another custom tool for extra leverage it snapped right into place.
One of those "do I still have all my fingers?" kinds of jobs.
Funny thing is I didn't notice much difference with the spring in place as opposed to the broken one just going along for the ride.

I did mine last year too, and I didn't need any special tools. I put the cluster in a bench vice, hooked up one end of the spring, used a screwdriver as a bar to stretch the spring over the place it goes on the pedal. Of course I fought it for a few minutes before I figured out how to do it this way, but once I had this idea I had the spring on in less then a minute.

The JW way is actually the method used by Porsche. In the factory manual they even have a schematic of how to make the spring tool yourself, but JW's method is essentially the same thing(but cheaper). If I can get to a scanner I'll try to post the pic.

I'm a newby at this but I just rebuilt my 78 and 79 targa and the spring takes no effort to install just rotate the pedal over toward the seat hook the spring on and rotate it back while it is in the car. When the pedal is rotated over toward the seat the two pins are close enough to simply place the spring on its pins. On second thought maybe targas are different, I know the floor boards are.

What Jim said. The spring was actually pretty easy this way.

Good job Lee. Ingenuity at its finest, David

Good thing there are no potential employers on this board huh. :eek:

Clutch Pedal Spring Installation Made Easy.....
 

Leland,

I spent several hours yesterday trying to install the brake pedal spring back after putting the new bushings and I failed. And after reading Jim Smolka's technique this afternoon I was encouraged to try it.

As soon as got home, I picked up the pedal cluster and installed the spring without the bar. I was a little bit skeptical but I was totally wrong. I had the spring installed within minutes with very little effort.

So I removed the bar from the car and installed it on the pedal cluster as per Jim Smolka's instruction. I would rate this task easier than replacing four (4) spark plugs on a 911.

Jim Smolka,

Many thanks for your ingenious way of installing the brake pedal spring. Wayne Dempsey could use this method in his book. Believe it or not, it could be done in less than a minute. No special tools, effortless, and works like magic. Jim you're the man.....

TD

Leland,

As I've always said, don't force it, get a bigger hammer.

Spring - time.....
 

Fortunately, I read this thread the other day and taking John Walkers advice, modified a (drum) brake spring tool as he described. Once I had the tool finished, it took about 2 minutes to install "The Spring from Hell". Thanks for the tip, Mr. Walker. If I am ever out your way, I owe you a steak dinner!

Fred Cook
'80 911SC coupe

This was too easy. I had to work on other stuff this went so fast. I wanted to do this in the car without removing the already rebuilt pedal assembly.
Take the new clutch pedal spring and place a large screwdriver or bar through it from the short end. Bend the spring by pushing the long end (attaches to pedal post) one way or the other. Place quarters between the coils (5). Bend the spring the opposite direction and place 5 more quarters between the coils opposite the others (make sure the quarters are close to flush with the outside of the spring so they don't space the spring away fron the pedal assembly). This lengthens the spring around 1/4" or so. Place the spring into position hooked to the pedal post (grease both mounting posts per the factory manual). Press the clutch pedal in. You will see that the short end of the spring is very close to it's mounting post. Use a flat blade screwdriver to easily pry the spring end onto it's post. Release the pedal and pick out the quarters with a small pair of needle nose pliers. All done! No scary spring stretching. No brusied, bleeding knuckles or fingers trying to pry the spring. Etc...

Get medium large old screwdriver....10"to 12" size with big blade.....take your handy-dandy rattail file & file a notch in the center of the blade...sort of a rounded "forked tongue"....now hook the spring on the pedel, stick the scrwdriver through it catching the short hook with the notch, push it back towards the pin on the back of the cluster shell & hook it....MUCH easier to PUSH a spring, then to PULL a spring...plus, you can get great leverage with your back against the seat.

(Rolf,Thanks for teaching me this)

The easiest way of all
 

Guys, I was able to install spring in less than twenty minutes. I just posted solution in this forum. Title is "911 Clutch return spring conquered". I am "trojwl".
I have included pic in this post. Read my full posting. You won't believe how simple it is to do. Literally less than half an hour, a vise, and a screwdriver.
Let me know what you guys think.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280183112.jpg