Modified clutch stop

[Charles421]

Hey guys,

I want to get a second opinion on this:
http://www.e92-lighting.com/products/E9 ... 388-0.html

Source discussion thread:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=423172
Basically means you don't have to press the clutch as far in; eliminates "dead" space.

My gut instinct says modifying the clutch pedal might cause extra wear, unknown issues down the line. Was always taught clutch needs to be ALL the way in.

What do you guys think?

[FDSpirit]

I personally wouldn't either, for the same reasons you've listed.

[4onthefloor]

Are you tired of sitting up close to the steering wheel because the clutch pedal needs to be depressed to the floor?

This reason bugs me. You sit where you sit so that you can also have full travel range of the brake pedal, as well as comfortable control of the steering wheel. And unless you are severely disproportioned it shouldn't even be an issue.

It's not really a big deal to push the clutch pedal in an extra inch or two. This seems like a company trying to make money off of ricers and wannabe racers.

[FDSpirit]

I'd like to see the end result of this thing. I can't see any good coming from this.

[Charles421]

My thanks for the replies.

I'm going to stay away from this "mod". Looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck ...

[4onthefloor]

I'd like to see the end result of this thing. I can't see any good coming from this.

End result is that some 17 year old puts this on his fart-canned civic hatchback, revs it up to 7k, stomps on the clutch, the clutch doesn't fully disengage and he leaves little bits of transmission all over the road.

[eaglecatcher]

Yeah I wouldn't do it...

Too easy to be at a point where your pressure plate is putting just enough pressure on the clutch to allow the transmission to shift out, but still be spinning. Great way to blow shit up.

[Rope-Pusher]

I would say that it is true that the clutch pedal needs to be depressed far enough for the clutch disc to be unclamped and free-spinning. It is also a good thing for the clutch to be released for a long enough of a time interval that it starts to coast down and match the engine speed associated with the next-chosen gear (in the case of upshifting) - reducing the work required of the synchronizers. Part of the reason for having "over-travel" is to ensure that there is always a pedal position that will result in full release of the clutch and also to provide some time for the disk to coast down. You could always hesitate or pause your upshift timing to allow more time for the disk to coast down.
Depressing the clutch release pedal until it hits its downstop is a simple way to always fully release the clutch. Otherwise, depressing it just far enough to release it somewhere North of the downstop is akin to learning to hit your notes spot-on while playing a slide trombone - when you are deaf. There is no feedback as to at what point the clutch disk is fully disengaged. If you don't quite get there and the clutch disk is dragging against the flywheel and pressure plate, it's extra work for the synchronizers and maybe a little extra wear inside the tranny as you fight the torque lock coming out of gear, etc.
Getting the clutch pedal to consistently hit the downstop on each shift requires seat positioning that is most likely closer to the steering wheel than the seat positioning required to actuate the brake or accelerator pedals - the same person driving a slushbox version of that same vehicle could praps sit further away from the steering wheel. For most slushbox drivers, as long as they sit close enough to steer the car, they will be close enough to operate the brake-obama and accelerator pedals.

[Reverence]

torque lock

Is that what stops you from popping out of gear, unless you are at the point of zero acceleration/deceleration?

What is it physically?

[Rope-Pusher]

torque lock

Is that what stops you from popping out of gear, unless you are at the point of zero acceleration/deceleration?

What is it physically?

Yeth.

It's a back-taper on the synchro sleeve that resists efforts to slide it off the gear clutching teeth unless you stop or seriously reduce the torque being transmitted. Put your accelerator pedal to the floor and try pulling the shift lever back out of 1st and into 2nd while the car is still accelerating - it can be very tough to do, but if you keep applying pressure with your hand and wait until the engine hits the rev limiter, torque is reduced, the synchro sleeve slides off of the 1st gear clutching teeth and you can slam it into 2nd without using the clutch pedal or letting off the accelerator pedal - KIDS, TRY THIS IN A RENTAL CAR BEFORE YOU DO IT IN YOUR OWN CAR. NOT THE THING TO DO IF YOU HAVE WEAK SYNCHROS.

[Reverence]

OK, Thankth pope, very informative!

[Rope-Pusher]

Yawana know the point in the duty cycle when the clutch pedal sees it's highest loading?

When the driver is digging into his back pockets to get to his wallet in the drive-thru line!

[Shadow]

... KIDS, TRY THIS IN A RENTAL CAR BEFORE YOU DO IT IN YOUR OWN CAR...

Who rents sticks these days?

[Shadow]

Hey guys,

I want to get a second opinion on this:
http://www.e92-lighting.com/products/E9 ... 388-0.html

Source discussion thread:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=423172
Basically means you don't have to press the clutch as far in; eliminates "dead" space.

My gut instinct says modifying the clutch pedal might cause extra wear, unknown issues down the line. Was always taught clutch needs to be ALL the way in.

What do you guys think?

This has been a popular mod with many different makes/models for years now. In my opinion, as long as the decreased clutch pedal travel still allows the clutch to fully disengage, there should be zero issues. The G35/G37 guys have a really long clutch pedal travel and an engagement point that is almost at the very end of the pedal travel. So many of them choose a very aggressive clutch stop. I drove my friend's G before and after the clutch pedal stop modification and it did make a noticeable difference.