Steeda's S550 Mustang Clutch Spring Assist 35 lb/in - Now Available!

[MattW]

What is the spring supposed to do?

With the stock, the resistance is more or less the same all the way...with the Steeda, it's gets hard as you push in, then almost at the very top when it's supposed to engage, it feels almost effortless. The last inch feels soft, is this how it supposed to work?

My understanding is that it is an assist spring. When the petal is out, the spring is fully compressed, and pushing toward petal-down motion. As you push the petal down the spring expands and so provides less push. So, at the top of travel you feel the assist spring; at the bottom of travel you are feeling the clutch spring.

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[TheLion]

My understanding is that it is an assist spring. When the petal is out, the spring is fully compressed, and pushing toward petal-down motion. As you push the petal down the spring expands and so provides less push. So, at the top of travel you feel the assist spring; at the bottom of travel you are feeling the clutch spring.

Negative. The spring is dual action which is why the spring's presence creates a confusing pressure / engagement curve. The steeda is a big improvement over stock, but does not address the fundamental issue.

At about 30% of the pedals downward arc the spring is FULLY compressed. As it moves past the 30%ish point, the spring begins to decompress and help you push the pedal down. At less than 30%ish, the spring is once again decompressing, but is now pushing the pedal back out (full extending it).

The dual action makes this in reality an "Assist / Return" spring. This creates an extreme linearity in the pedal travel by counteracting the increasing resistance of the pressure plate springs as you continue to press. A normal clutch would have a slight increasing resistance, which is perceptible and allows for more feedback to the driver, which in turn allows more accurate modulation.

The Steeda spring is a much softer spring than the factory, so it's interference with the natural feel of the pressure plate springs and pedal hydraulics are minimized, but nothing is as good as raw (no assist spring).

The issue with running no assist spring however is that there's nothing to force the pedal to fully return so the pressure balance port (which allows more fluid to enter or exit to equalize pressure in the pedal cylinder) is not exposed and it can't equalize.

When the fluid increases in temperature, this isn't a problem because the expanding fluid will push the pedal back out until the port is exposed. The amount of pressure (assuming your foot isn't on it) is no where near enough to disengage the pressure plate.

The problem arises when the fluid cools and contracts. During larger temperature swings, say 20F to 30F, the fluid contracts enough that the plunger is pulled down past the balance port, now the fluid can no longer enter the chamber and equalize. The cooler it gets the less travel you have. Similar issues arise as the plunger / piston begins to age and leak from normal wear and tear.

I confirmed this just today. Yesterday at lunch I removed the Steeda spring to re-visit the no spring mod. Worked great all day. Ambient was around 73F that day. Over night the temp dropped down to 41F. Once I got in the car this morning I noticed immediately the travel of markedly less, the engagement was not almost at the top. So I did what I used to do with my 07 focus, stuck my foot under there and pulled it all the way back out to re-balance the fluid. Sure enough it moved almost a whole inch back out. Yesterday, I checked several times an never got more than a few mm of travel (basically some slop at the end of the travel once the balance port is exposed).

I'm working on an idea of using a soft tension spring which only pulls the pedal back out. Yes it will increase resistance even more than no spring at all, but we only need around 7 to 15 in-lbs, which you probably couldn't notice.

 

[GT Pony]

Negative. The spring is dual action which is why the spring's presence creates a confusing pressure / engagement curve. The steeda is a big improvement over stock, but does not address the fundamental issue.

At about 30% of the pedals downward arc the spring is FULLY compressed. As it moves past the 30%ish point, the spring begins to decompress and help you push the pedal down. At less than 30%ish, the spring is once again decompressing, but is now pushing the pedal back out (full extending it).

The dual action makes this in reality an "Assist / Return" spring.

Yup ... and this video shows exactly what you are saying. To add, the Mustangs before the 2015+ S550 also had a small coil spring around the actual clutch pedal pivot (seen in the 2nd video), so when the assist spring was removed the pedal would still be held all the way up. But in the S550, the spring is also the "return" spring from the over center point to the top of pedal travel.

[ame]

[ame]

 

[TheLion]

Yup ... and this video shows exactly what you are saying. To add, the Mustangs before the 2015+ S550 also had a small coil spring around the actual clutch pedal pivot (seen in the 2nd video), so when the assist spring was removed the pedal would still be held all the way up. But in the S550, the spring is also the "return" spring from the over center point to the top of pedal travel.

And this is my solution to that issue:

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67116

I was able to concoct a pedal return spring that doesn't bias (as far as I can tell) the raw pedal feedback or pressure curve which I've fallen in love with. The Steeda 35lb is hands down an improvement over stock, but as I stated it doesn't solve the fundamental issue, the design, not the tuning.

For example we buy lowering springs for our cars, that's a tuning change as it doesn't alter the overall architecture. That's what the Steeda spring does, tunes it. But I personally don't find that good enough and wasn't happy even with the steeda, not after trying no assist spring (maybe if I hadn't tried no assist spring I would have been more content, but the taste of perfect is hard to go back from!).

I'm hoping Steeda will take notice of my prototype concept and provide a little higher quality solution which would have clamp on brackets and nice 304 stainless steel spring. I'd pay $50~$75 for a nice clean bolt on solution instead of my zip tie and tool box pile of springs I got from True value in an assorted baggy...but it does work and very well I might add.

 

[GT Pony]

^^^ Interesting concept, but it seems that spring configuration would make the pedal feel even a little heavier than no spring at all since you are stretching the spring more as the pedal is pushed to the floor. What's your take on that?

 

[azarx]

My spring doesnt look nothing like the pictures looks way too small and doesnt fit. It so small it fits inside in the stock spring.

 

[BmacIL]

I've had my spring in for over 10,000 miles and it's better than no spring and indescribably better than stock.

My best friend will be getting his '17 GT350 in early spring, and I just ordered one for him as a Christmas gift

 

[tj@steeda]

I've had my spring in for over 10,000 miles and it's better than no spring and indescribably better than stock.

My best friend will be getting his '17 GT350 in early spring, and I just ordered one for him as a Christmas gift

They make great stocking stuffers :cheers:

https://www.steeda.com/?subcats=Y&pcode_from_q=Y&pshort=Y&pfull=Y&pname=Y&pkeywords=Y&search_performed=Y&q=Clutch&dispatch=products.search

Best Regards,

TJ

 

[w0rt3x]

I installed it yesterday and definitely improved the feel and the engagement with the transmission. Though, when the pedal is all the way up, there is a bit of a play. The pedal travels up and down for a few millimeters before I start feeling resistance. Is this normal? Anyone else experiencing the same thing?

 

[MattW]

The pedal travels up and down for a few millimeters before I start feeling resistance. Is this normal? Anyone else experiencing the same thing?

Hmm. I don't notice it. I suggest you make sure the assembly is properly seated.

 

[GT Pony]

I installed it yesterday and definitely improved the feel and the engagement with the transmission. Though, when the pedal is all the way up, there is a bit of a play. The pedal travels up and down for a few millimeters before I start feeling resistance. Is this normal? Anyone else experiencing the same thing?

Yes, even with the factory spring there is a slight distance of low pedal resistance before the pedal starts disengaging the clutch. As long as the pedal is going 100% fully up from the spring, then there's nothing to worry about.

 

[AmericanLegend]

I installed the Steeda Clutch Assist Spring yesterday. As others have stated this mod definitely improves clutch engagement feel! Dropping 150 lb/in of assistance makes the clutch pedal a bit heavier. This was expected. The reduction in assistance enables one to better feel the clutch engagement point. I like the feel much better then stock. Definitely happy with the result.

Installation went smooth. I used vice grips adjusted to clamp down on two coils of the spring. This compressed the stock spring enough to allow the assembly to come off easily. No parts flying apart or anything like that.

With the Steeda spring installed, you can easily compress the spring by hand to reinstall.

 

[tj@steeda]

We appreciate the feedback ... for a little investment, it is a very noticeable mod that you can feel!

TJ

 

[tj@steeda]

I installed the Steeda Clutch Assist Spring yesterday. As others have stated this mod definitely improves clutch engagement feel! Dropping 150 lb/in of assistance makes the clutch pedal a bit heavier. This was expected. The reduction in assistance enables one to better feel the clutch engagement point. I like the feel much better then stock. Definitely happy with the result.

Installation went smooth. I used vice grips adjusted to clamp down on two coils of the spring. This compressed the stock spring enough to allow the assembly to come off easily. No parts flying apart or anything like that.

With the Steeda spring installed, you can easily compress the spring by hand to reinstall.

For anyone new members that have joined ... happy to help you with a Steeda Spring!

https://www.steeda.com/steeda-s550-mustang-clutch-spring-assist-35-lb-in-15-16-all-555-7022.html

Best Regards,

TJ

 

[JohnK]

Are any special tools required to install the Steeda 35# spring?

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