Clutch Helper-Spring / Sticking Pedal UPDATE.

[NeuRon]

If you've removed your clutch helper-spring, have you noticed a sticking clutch pedal after doing so? I wanted to see if I could get some input now that some of you have had more time with it removed.

I haven't had my clutch pedal stick completely, or refuse to come back up, but it will spring back at regular force maybe the first 1/3 to 1/2 of it's travel before losing it's return strength and feeling pretty soft on the rest of the return travel. This is, of course, only at high RPM (generally above 6500-7000+).

I don't need to take it that high into the RPM often, but I have noticed this happening since very early on (currently have 8500 miles on my '12), when I do, and would like to take care of it. Just thought it was worth asking if it's been a solid fix for those who've done it, before I remove the helper-spring on mine.

Thanks for any feedback. Enjoying the forum! ;D

 

[VoodooBoss]

In for comments.

 

[Roadhouse]

In for comments as well. I've been contemplating removing the helper spring on my car.

 

[Fat Boss]

IMO messing with the pedal/spring is only masking the problem of a defective clutch. Since most (mine anyway) work great, the design is sound. I'm not against someone doing what they can to improve the performance, but it's still masking the real issue.

 

[Justin]

well my experience with this is was:
at first it would sorta just stick halfway down the clutch still worked
then it later just stuck to the floor and had to use my foot to pull it back up

taking the spring out didnt help
replacing the clutch line didnt help

what fixed it? replacing the clutch with a centerforce DYAD others have went with the mcleod twin disc versions.

I have a GT500 pedal assembly that I bought to swap out the stock pedal assembly that gets rid of the spring without the 1/4 push dead zone you get from taking it out on the stock assembly and it comes with the GT500 master cylinder which is larger.

 

[jeepinocala]

well my experience with this is was:
at first it would sorta just stick halfway down the clutch still worked
then it later just stuck to the floor and had to use my foot to pull it back up

taking the spring out didnt help
replacing the clutch line didnt help

what fixed it? replacing the clutch with a centerforce DYAD others have went with the mcleod twin disc versions.


Justin,
You are 100% right the cluch is the cause.
I have a GT500 pedal assembly that I bought to swap out the stock pedal assembly that gets rid of the spring without the 1/4 push dead zone you get from taking it out on the stock assembly and it comes with the GT500 master cylinder which is larger.

 

[NeuRon]

So the aftermarket clutch is a complete fix, without requiring any other changes? I thought I read somewhere that someone still had some issues with an aftermarket clutch where the helper-spring was still causing some return issue. I thought they suspected the master cylinder not offering enough force... ...or maybe they didn't bleed the line well? I hate that I can't recall for certain.

I'm fine with an easy clutch pedal, so I don't anticipate wanting to change to the GT500 pedal assembly just to rid myself of the helper spring, unless it still poses an issue. Is the larger master cylinder necessary to completely correct the the current issue so many seem to be facing with the clutch-return?

The GT500 clutch, being for a different trans, isn't an option, is it? No good offering from FRPP? As silly as it may seem to some, I've actually been trying to keep work limited to the Ford dealership, for better (perceived) resale value due the work being done by authorized Ford technicians. : Stop your snickering. They won't install anything that's not Ford or FRPP. Service Manager didn't expect that they would install the QTP e-cutouts, not being Ford parts.

I really appreciate the feedback, guys!

 

[jeepinocala]

Hey I will tell you straight up that spring is a terrible idea in the first place to remove it is nothing but good. Ask around the tracks how many people have something like that.

 

[big red one]

Ive only tracked the car three times now and on the last trackday in one of the sessions i had the problem with the clutch sticking halfway up on the return, i had to pull it up with my toe!

didnt happen any more that day but i guess it will happen again!

 

[zzyzx]

Just FYI, I have the same issue and haven't even tracked the car yet. I ran into it doing back-to-back autox runs, and can feel it whenever I do a redline push through 1st/2nd, into 3rd.

My plan is to come up with a method to repeat the behavior then take it into the dealer.

Not all Bosses have this issue... but I'd say the majority that are tracked do have the issue. Which means that those who aren't driving their Bosses hard probably have the issue, also, but just haven't run into it yet.

 

[PJWANNABE]

My plan is to come up with a method to repeat the behavior then take it into the dealer.

I found that if you cannot repeat the behavior consistently that bringing the car into the dealer is a waste of your time.

 

[F.D. Sako]

Pretty sure ford ran into this problem when they ran the boss hard at laguna seca... and they decided not to do anything about it; well, maybe a cost-analysis for the production version, which showed them it's not worth the money to redesign a few parts .

For people who have been to Track Attack, did you experience this clutch issue? If not, maybe we can find out what they changed and upgraded.

 

[VoodooBoss]

Pretty sure ford ran into this problem when they ran the boss hard at laguna seca... and they decided not to do anything about it; well, maybe a cost-analysis for the production version, which showed them it's not worth the money to redesign a few parts .

Where did you hear this?

For people who have been to Track Attack, did you experience this clutch issue? If not, maybe we can find out what they changed and upgraded.

I didn't have any issues at BTA but now that I have more track time I'm running my car much harder than I ran the car I drove at BTA.

 

[F.D. Sako]

Where did you hear this?

It was a personal assumption, since I ran into the clutch problem the first time I went the full ~7.5rpm range through the first 3 gears.

 

[VoodooBoss]

It was a personal assumption, since I ran into the clutch problem the first time I went the full ~7.5rpm range through the first 3 gears.

Just checking to see if you had some other intel on this. When I ran LS last Summer there were three Bosses there including Fat Boss a member here. He didn't have any shifting lock out but my friend Paul and I both had major lock out shifting from 2-3 on the front straight. No rhyme or reason why one car can have lock out and another one doesn't and all three of us have similar lap times. So it's possible they didn't have problems when they tested there. Oh and the day we were there it was unusually hot as temps were in the low 80's.

 

[bobby.is.rad]

I wanted to bring this back from the dead as I had the same problems mentioned in this thread at VIR this weekend. High RPM shifts on the back straightaway made it incredibly difficult to shift into 5th at times, and I intermittently had a problem with the clutch sticking to the floor or only coming back up halfway. I have never had either of these issues on the street, only when I was driving the car hard at the track.

I found that if I short shifted around 6,500 rpms, I didn't have these issues, but that made it harder to get the point by from my buddy's turbo 911. ;D

 

[isrboss]

I would start by doing a proper clutch system bleed, may have air in there. I find it hard to believe the clutch is the issue, unless it requires a level of force to release the pressure plate, and the master can't provide it. I have not had to lift the pedal yet, but I do feel the pedal difference at high rpm. I am doing a clutch system bleed tomorrow to hopefully prevent the pedal sticking issue. The only thing I have done to date, is during flushing the brake system I did pump the clutch 20 times, sucked fluid from reservoir. I then topped off and did it again, and sucked the fluid. So far 2 track days without issue. The pedal has never hinted at wanting to stick.

 

[Justin]

I wanted to bring this back from the dead as I had the same problems mentioned in this thread at VIR this weekend. High RPM shifts on the back straightaway made it incredibly difficult to shift into 5th at times, and I intermittently had a problem with the clutch sticking to the floor or only coming back up halfway. I have never had either of these issues on the street, only when I was driving the car hard at the track.

I found that if I short shifted around 6,500 rpms, I didn't have these issues, but that made it harder to get the point by from my buddy's turbo 911. ;D

thats how mine started out....didnt take long till it did it all the time everytime. to date since I swapped out the stock clutch with a centerforce dyad set up I have not had any problems with the clutch since

 

[Eric]

I took the helper spring out...haven't had any issues. Am also running MOTUL RBF 600 fluid.

r
Eric

 

[LostPony]

Mine did it once while drag racing, but never at the track. I do have a difficult time going to 5th, so I shift at 7,000 and take my time.