Clutch Engagement Point

[RevvdMedia]

Forgive my ignorance guys. But if you could adjust the engagement point and move it closer to the floor, could you also adjust the overall petal height? Like move the petal closer to the floor and lock it at that depth? I'd like that honestly. When I test drove the GT, the catch point wasn't what annoyed me, it was the my expecting the clutch to be much closer to the floor and not so high. It almost felt like the clutch on the '94 ranger I used to drive. Certain not a deal breaker as others have pointed out. I'll get used to it just like it get used to any other manual's clutch.

Old adjustable clutches used cables and linkages, kind of like the brake cable on a bicycle...turn the screw in/out to adjust the linkage and engagement point. Almost all new cars use hydraulic clutches which I believe share fluid with the brake system. Because the fluid is shared, I don't believe they're be any way to adjust the clutch (travel) without adversely affecting the brake travel as well.

Please correct me if I'm wrong though. Can't say I have much hands on experience working on hydraulic clutches.

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[SeventhWard]

Old adjustable clutches used cables and linkages, kind of like the brake cable on a bicycle...turn the screw in/out to adjust the linkage and engagement point. Almost all new cars use hydraulic clutches which I believe share fluid with the brake system. Because the fluid is shared, I don't believe they're be any way to adjust the clutch (travel) without adversely affecting the brake travel as well.

Please correct me if I'm wrong though. Can't say I have much hands on experience working on hydraulic clutches.

Thank you, RevvdMedia. We're getting closer here. Anyone have definitive official info? Dave Pericak are you here? chime in! LOL

-SeventhWard

 

[Dragster]

I thought the same thing on the GT that I drove as well. I was expecting the clutch point to be much closer to the floor, though only because I seem to remember it being that way on my last manual car. I felt like I barely had to push in the clutch, which felt awkward since I was always told to push the clutch to the floor when shifting.

Off topic, but does everyone else push the clutch all the way to the floor when shifting, or just far enough to engage/disengage? I never really asked anyone else what the proper technique is... I should probably figure that out before my GT gets here!

 

[Patrick S]

i always push to the floor. it may or may not be proper for track types, but it is the habit i am in for the regular driving that i do. just in my mind, it has the clutch as far from the fly wheel as it gets when rowing gears so, no chance to add undue wear by popping out of gear too early while there is still slight engagement.

may or may not be right, but, it is in my mind.

 

[Nitro]

When I test drove, I thought the clutch had way too much travel for a sporty car. The clutch on the FRS is the same way, but not as bad as the Mustang. One of the most popular mods on the FRS forums is adjusting the clutch pedal downward about an inch. This makes it travel less and moves the engagement point downward. There are people who argue that this could have an adverse effect on the throw out bearing if you lower it too far.

 

[kulfyur]

You SHOULD push it to the floor. But often you can get away with not. Is just about making sure the clutch if fully engaged before shifting. If you push it to the floor you know it's fully engaged unless there is a problem.

 

[Horse]

An easy fix for high clutch engagement point is to install a stopper where the clutch pedal touches the floor.

 

[Horse]

......

Off topic, but does everyone else push the clutch all the way to the floor when shifting, or just far enough to engage/disengage? I never really asked anyone else what the proper technique is... I should probably figure that out before my GT gets here!

I also push the clutch pedal all the way to the floor. Basically, I always step/stomp on the clutch pedal with all full force, to minimize the disengagement time.

 

[Mike G]

It takes a little while to get used to. During my first test drive about a month ago I felt like a 16 year old with a learner's permit. Lots of rough shifts...no bucking or stalling, but really rough. I've been driving a manual exclusively since 2007 and drove a slew of manual transmission cars/vans/trucks when I was stationed in Japan and had no issues with any of them. This GT's clutch really made me consider an automatic if the clutch was going to be that much of an issue.

Test drove a second manual GT this afternoon. It was night and day. The engagement point is still too high for my liking, but I had no problems with it today. And it seems to engage faster than my '07 or something...kind of hard to describe. The best part of today's drive was that I felt the torque this car has after solving my clutch issues. Sneaky fast car.

The biggest loser in all this is my wife. Poor girl thought I was really leaning toward an automatic, which meant she would be able to drive it.

 

[SeventhWard]

So guys, there's no slave cynlinder to make an adjustment to? Any MT owners willing to take a closer look?

-SeventhWard

 

[Grimace427]

So guys, there's no slave cynlinder to make an adjustment to? Any MT owners willing to take a closer look?

-SeventhWard

The slave cylinder is on the input shaft of the transmission inside of the trans bellhousing. To access it would require removal of the trans. Adjustment would be using shims.

 

[likeaboss]

I'm not a fan of the engagement point either. I was hoping it would be like my 05 GT and closer to the floor, but instead it's like my 14 GT500 and high. The nice thing is with the telescoping wheel my knee doesn't hit the back of the steering wheel. I hated hitting the back of the wheel in my GT500 and it really took away from the enjoyment of that car.

 

[ilkhan]

I don't have one, but test drove a just off the trailer EB on Wednesday (pre-PDI, even). The clutch was horrible. Both in weighting and engagement point. I hope they get better. When I get closer to actually ordering I'll drive one for longer and see if I can live with a GT clutch pedal.

 

[JTR]

I stalled mine in the drive through this evening...thought I was in my old Jeep for a second :headbonk:

The clutch in mine doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. The engagement point is higher than my liking but it's just something to adapt to. I don't think it's a complete fail by ford, but they could have done just a tad bit better.

 

[Rickycardo]

My high school auto teacher used to say if you didn't stall your car at least once a day you were burning the clutch. Of course that was back in the 70s. Things are different now.

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