What did you do to your S550 Mustang today?!

[Scooter MGee]

Out of curiosity, why the need for some type of assist spring other than making the clutch peddle artificially lighter? Many cars from the 80s-90s had hydraulic clutches w/o assist springs.

Totally off topic here.....holy crap, it's been decades since I've seen a KFAT sticker in person. Being from the Bay Area and later living in Hollister I saw them all over in the 70's.

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[Sigman]

LOL, lived in the Santa Cruz Mountains till 2008 when we made our great escape to Texas.
After KFAT went away another great station popped up, KPIG out of Freedom, CA. Can stream them on the net.

 

[Bulutt]

Yes, it is strongly advised against not replacing the spring with another one, i.e. don't leave it "spring-less."



I see he didn't get the Steeda, which is supposedly great. I wouldn't leave it without a spring tho.



The original one in the S550 is a 185lbs/in, not 80. At least per Steeda.



Per their website it's 185lb/in by design and Steeda's is 35lb/in.
I've read really good things about the Steeda one on here and on the site itself, so I think I'll give it a shot.
Worst-case scenario, if it doesn't work well at all, I'm out $30, which ain't that bad of a gamble to see if it'll improve shifting.
https://www.steeda.com/steeda-555-7022-s550-clutch-spring

I installed the Steeda spring. MUCH better than stock. Requires a little more effort to depress the clutch but much smoother action.

 

[Bit_the_Bullitt]

Out of curiosity, why the need for some type of assist spring other than making the clutch peddle artificially lighter? Many cars from the 80s-90s had hydraulic clutches w/o assist springs.

This is what Steeda's site cites for that product:
"Many new Mustang owners have found that taking out the stock OE spring will give you somewhat similar results, but realistically the clutch becomes far too heavy especially if your Mustang is daily driven. Most owners fail to realize the prolonged effects of simply taking out your factory OE spring and not replacing it with another spring. By negating your factory clutch assist spring you will notice chatter/NVH from your clutch pedal. Your clutch pedal will never fully return to stock position without any assist spring, and over time your slave cylinder may begin leaking due to constant pressure on its seals from the clutch pedal not returning to the stock position."

That sounds like they're saying the cylinder and parts are not made to withstand lack of the spring. Maybe cars are build with less margin for error, I don't know.
What they're saying makes sense though - if the pedal never returns, it's like you're always feathering your clutch for a long time or resting your foot on the clutch while driving, each of which is a known "no-no."

I installed the Steeda spring. MUCH better than stock. Requires a little more effort to depress the clutch but much smoother action.

That's pretty sweet, especially when my experience should be similar as we both have a Bullitt (although I think that doesn't matter).
Did you just put in the spring, were you able to reused to clips that hold it on?

 

[cactus_kid]

I think you meant the stock is too stiff, not soft? I think the original, per Steeda, is 185lb/in (which is a stiff spring) and the one you can get from Steeda is 35lb/in, which would suggest lot softer and easier to feel the grab point.
Unless I'm real dumb and am not getting this right.

Call in your order. Ask for your forum discount ! Ordering thru the web site does not give a discount .......... Mike

 

[Sigman]

This is what Steeda's site cites for that product:
"Many new Mustang owners have found that taking out the stock OE spring will give you somewhat similar results, but realistically the clutch becomes far too heavy especially if your Mustang is daily driven. Most owners fail to realize the prolonged effects of simply taking out your factory OE spring and not replacing it with another spring. By negating your factory clutch assist spring you will notice chatter/NVH from your clutch pedal. Your clutch pedal will never fully return to stock position without any assist spring, and over time your slave cylinder may begin leaking due to constant pressure on its seals from the clutch pedal not returning to the stock position."

That sounds like they're saying the cylinder and parts are not made to withstand lack of the spring. Maybe cars are build with less margin for error, I don't know.
What they're saying makes sense though - if the pedal never returns, it's like you're always feathering your clutch for a long time or resting your foot on the clutch while driving, each of which is a known "no-no."



That's pretty sweet, especially when my experience should be similar as we both have a Bullitt (although I think that doesn't matter).
Did you just put in the spring, were you able to reused to clips that hold it on?

I pulled the factory spring a few thousand miles ago and have enjoyed the feel/feedback of the clutch w/o assist, reminds me of my old 93 notch. Haven't noticed the clutch peddle not fully returning to the top I'll check into this over the weekend. Thanks for the in-depth reply.

 

[cactus_kid]

There used to be a big festival in Gilroy. Damned if I can remember what it was for. Been years since I've been there.

 

[Bobn57]

Sucks that happened. However, I can't help but wonder if that red toolbox has the "ultimate set of tools".

That little red box was a pristine Snap On box before the accident

 

[Sigman]

There used to be a big festival in Gilroy. Damned if I can remember what it was for. Been years since I've been there.

That would be the Gilroy Garlic Festival....
Which was a lot of fun in the 90's but was totally ruined by gang activity in the 2000's.

 

[Bit_the_Bullitt]

Call in your order. Ask for your forum discount ! Ordering thru the web site does not give a discount .......... Mike

Dammit!!!
I bought the trunk pop kit too, so around $120...
What discount is it?

Maybe I'll give them a call and see if they can give me a store credit? That'd be a win-win for them.

 

[Scooter MGee]

LOL, lived in the Santa Cruz Mountains till 2008 when we made our great escape to Texas.
After KFAT went away another great station popped up, KPIG out of Freedom, CA. Can stream them on the net.

Oh so many days at Wilder Ranch with the buds on mountain bikes. The good 'ol days.

 

[cactus_kid]

That would be the Gilroy Garlic Festival....
Which was a lot of fun in the 90's but was totally ruined by gang activity in the 2000's.

Sounds about right, sadly.

 

[shogun32]

if the pedal never returns, it's like you're always feathering your clutch for a long time or resting your foot on the clutch while driving, each of which is a known "no-no."

that's NOT what is happening nor what Steeda is explaining. The clutch will always return to 'home' (as defined as fluid pressure reduced to baseline) with or without spring. The 'stock' pedal position is NOT the same thing. The 'stock' position is artificially higher than the pedal would be at short of a mechanical positioning device of some sort.

What the Steeda spring does is return the pedal to the 'stock' position where you've grown accustomed to finding it with your foot. Without a spring and the 2-piece plastic doohicky your pedal would be much closer to the floor as it rests (lightly) on the piston.

The high rate Ford spring completely masks the point where the pedal transitions from compressing air, to applying force and motion thru the slave cylinder piston. And in fact, by virtue of it being of such high rate it keeps the pedal force constant since the piston moves easier than said spring compresses.

Neither spring has anything to do with the bite-point of the cluch. That is the same no matter what as it's regulated exclusively by how much fluid is displaced into the master cylinder.

What IS different is the amount of perceived force being applied to the pedal when you're in this activated state. With the Ford spring it's a constant 128lb/in or whatever, with the Steeda/aftermarket/no spring, it's whatever the force is to activate the hydraulic piston and counteract the clutch fingers.

The reason we like the Steeda spring is we can then feel the transition from useless stroke (moving pedal down to contact the hydraulic piston) to now actually applying force to said hydraulics. With the Steeda spring in place you can bounce on the first couple inches of pedal travel all day long and not move the clutch one iota. With the Ford spring, moving the pedal at all pretty much means you've activated the hydraulics.

What Ford should have done was dispense with the stupid spring notion and instead put in a threaded adjuster (think turnbuckle) that the user could use to set the pedal 'height' where the hydraulics would be activated. Some frickin' waste of breath in marketing thought drivers wanted a consistent force curve all the way thru the pedal arc. And so this bodge job was born.

 

[Sivi70980]

that's NOT what is happening nor what Steeda is explaining. The clutch will always return to 'home' (as defined as fluid pressure reduced to baseline) with or without spring. The 'stock' pedal position is NOT the same thing. The 'stock' position is artificially higher than the pedal would be at short of a mechanical positioning device of some sort.

What the Steeda spring does is return the pedal to the 'stock' position where you've grown accustomed to finding it with your foot. Without a spring and the 2-piece plastic doohicky your pedal would be much closer to the floor as it rests (lightly) on the piston.

The high rate Ford spring completely masks the point where the pedal transitions from compressing air, to applying force and motion thru the slave cylinder piston. And in fact, by virtue of it being of such high rate it keeps the pedal force constant since the piston moves easier than said spring compresses.

Neither spring has anything to do with the bite-point of the cluch. That is the same no matter what as it's regulated exclusively by how much fluid is displaced into the master cylinder.

What IS different is the amount of perceived force being applied to the pedal when you're in this activated state. With the Ford spring it's a constant 128lb/in or whatever, with the Steeda/aftermarket/no spring, it's whatever the force is to activate the hydraulic piston and counteract the clutch finger force.

The reason we like the Steeda spring is we can then feel the transition from useless stroke (moving pedal down to contact the hydraulic piston) to now actually applying force to said hydraulics. With the Steeda spring in place you can bounce on the first couple inches of pedal travel all day long and not move the clutch one iota. With the Ford spring, moving the pedal at all pretty much means you've activated the hydraulics.

What Ford should have done was dispense with the stupid spring notion and instead put in a threaded adjuster (think turnbuckle) that the user could use to set the pedal 'height' where the hydraulics would be activated. Some frickin' waste of breath in marketing thought drivers wanted a consistent force curve all the way thru the pedal arc. And so this bodge job was born.

This is the explanation that is getting me to buy their spring and perch. Steeda owes you lunch.

 

[Sigman]

Oh so many days at Wilder Ranch with the buds on mountain bikes. The good 'ol days.

No kidding! Same here also rode Nisene Marks Park in Aptos and the "Red Mailbox" run off of Empire Grade which took you into Wilder, what a great ride! circa late 80's into the 90's.

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