Steeda Clutch Spring - Better?

[Mikepol2]

Not a hard or soft problem. The stock spring rate is inconsistent throughout its cycle. Bell curve, soft - stronger- soft

The third one is shorter than the other 2, the spring material looks thicker.

The third one is stock. Less travel, thicker wire, inconsistent spring rates. That's why people hate it. I didn't think it was terrible till I tried other springs and was like wow dang that stock spring sucked.

The other two give a much more linear pedal feel.

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[Rapid Red]

The third one is stock. Less travel, thicker wire, inconsistent spring rates. That's why people hate it. I didn't think it was terrible till I tried other springs and was like wow dang that stock spring sucked.

The other two give a much more linear pedal feel.

Yes, the stock one is really funky. I thought you had them in the order they were changed..... LMAO got faked out

I bet it binging short has a lot to do with the inconsistency, seeing that explains a lot.

At first as with yourself, thought hell I'll get use to it. Maybe 100 miles later, it was it ain't me. It is a real got-cha that turns the car into a bucking bronco.

I've driven (forced) a few foreign cars, that have had that mushy inconsistent pedal feel about them.

 

[wny354]

Thanks to Mikepol2 for finding the McMaster spring. Definitely a happy medium between stock and Steeda spring.

 

[Skye]

Earlier this week, I replaced the stock clutch assist spring with one from Steeda. This morning, I drove the car with the new spring for the first time.

Before replacing the spring, put on some glasses. The factory spring is very stiff. I had to wrestle to remove it. After ricocheting around, it hit me in the face. LOL.

Should you replace it? I think so.

The factory spring is on the left, Steeda's on the right. The spring difference are obvious, but notice the perch as well. Steeda's is stronger.

Like others, I was having difficulty sensing the factory bite point, where the clutch would engage. Often, I had to start a roll, almost stalling, pull it back, and then move forward. Long-term, I was concerned about premature clutch wear and failure.

The new spring makes a big difference. I have a better idea when the clutch will bite now. Stiffness? There is some, right? I mean, the spring rate is completely different. But after driving this morning, I didn't notice any more.

As a reference, I've been driving manuals for decades. I can't run on my knees any more, but the additional stiffness of the new spring was a non-issue.

Highly recommend replacing. But do put goggles on before removing the Ford spring.

 

[murick]

I did a change for Steeda clutch spring today. After reading and watching all the info, I went buying a nosed vice grip pliers. The pliers I bought were just 6.5in long, which was good as they could fit below the panel, but also bad as I was not strong enough to squish the factory spring with them .

First thing I did I pushed the pedal and then by using regular pliers rotate the spring around the perch to get a favorable side facing me - i.e. having two loops free enough so I could catch them with the vice grip pliers.

Then (while again having the pedal pushed) I fit in the vice grip pliers and while releasing the pedal was able to lock the pliers with spring having one loop compressed. Then pressed the pedal again, to ease the pressure from the spring. This made the final unhooking from the pedal pin much easier.

Unfortunately I chipped one side of the upper hinge, fortunately it did not make it loose (as verified later). I guess, you are either lucky or you are not. The way the upper hinge fits into its sleeve there is a risk that when sliding the lower sleeve from the pedal pin, it gets chipped.

There was no way for me to depress the spring all the way down, so it could basically fall off from the hinges.

The first impression after the change is rather positive though. The back pressure from the pedal is more consistent over the full swing.

 

[MACHtobers Very Own]

I did it. Love it. A solid investment.

 

[Prodigal]

Installed the Steeda in my M1 this morning. Much more consistent linear clutch engagement. Feels a bit lighter to me but very predictable. Install is simple if you’re a contortionist or have the physique of a teen age girl. My bad back and fat ass had trouble wrangling the peddle down while clamping the factory spring and slipping the perch off the mount. Finally got it.

 

[murick]

Feels a bit lighter to me but very predictable.

Technically, since the Steeda spring is weaker, it should feel heavier, but I guess you might get the impression that it is lighter because it is more consistent.

 

[Prodigal]

Technically, since the Steeda spring is weaker, it should feel heavier, but I guess you might get the impression that it is lighter because it is more consistent.

This is true. It has the same feel from the floor to the when it’s fully engaged. The factory had 2-3 different feels depending on where in the stroke it was.I don’t know the science of it all but to me it does feel better.

 

[MattMPA]

I swapped to the Steeda spring when my GT had less than a couple hundred miles. I've driven manual transmission cars all my adult life, but I kept stalling the GT with the factory spring. I'm well pleased with the difference by going to the Steeda spring.

I ran into a club member at cars and coffee this weekend who went back to the stock spring as he found the clutch too heavy with the Steeda spring. I can't imagine how anyone could find this to be the case, but I don't walk in their shoes.

 

[paulm1]

I did the steeda spring and braided clutch line. Feels like my old fox body's used too. And closer to linkage system in my c3.

 

[Esset]

I also did spring swap but using different method of install and I find it easier and safer of not damaging the stock perch. Unfortunately I didn't make a photo of it so just in some detail :

use pliers as shown in the picture and press the spring including the upper and lower parts in the places as marked in red in the picture. At the same time, use your hand to push on the pliers so they don't slip on the part (marked in green). The longer lever on the pliers makes it easy to squeeze the spring and remove the whole part at once. Of course you have to have the pedal depressed, so secure it with a wooden stick, etc..

 

[Prodigal]

I also did spring swap but using different method of install and I find it easier and safer of not damaging the stock perch. Unfortunately I didn't make a photo of it so just in some detail :

use pliers as shown in the picture and press the spring including the upper and lower parts in the places as marked in red in the picture. At the same time, use your hand to push on the pliers so they don't slip on the part (marked in green). The longer lever on the pliers makes it easy to squeeze the spring and remove the whole part at once. Of course you have to have the pedal depressed, so secure it with a wooden stick, etc..

As I was growing frustrated I was about to cut down the handle on my shop broom to hold the pedal down when I finally got it off. If I ever have to fiddle with it again I will definetly get a dowel or broom handle to fold it down and try a pair of channel locks. The locking needle nose were very hard to keep positioned and wanted to constantly slip on the rounded spring steel.

 

[IPOGT]

I'm hoping to improve the feel of the bite point, the travel seems very long to the floor, and the bite point very high. Does this improve with the Steeda spring?

In the beginning the clutch spring was stiff and undefined. I considered changing the spring as well. For me, it really smoothed out, eased up and feels pretty good now. 1200 miles. I did add the pedal extension.

 

[JetGray_Mach1]

I bought the Steeda Clutch Spring even though my car is still in production..... lol

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