25 replies to this topic

[jimgraham]

Right then guys, I need some advice. The dreaded event finally came last night. I thought the engine had blown up it was so loud! I had prudently purchased a replacement clutch return spring on the off chance it would go as i know they take a while to come buy. I have a couple of questions about fitting it though. - Should the replacement spring be shiney? The one that broke was a browny used colour. - Should the replacement be a slightly smaller diameter than the original? - Should i need to open one of the heads of the spring up to fir it onto the clutch pedal? - Is there anything i should know about fitting it? Any way round it should go? Thanks in anticipation for any advice you can offer, especially those who have done this before. I only recovered about 1/3rd of the original spring and can't find the other bit anywhere. Any good places to look for it? Thanks guys and girls, Jim

Edited by jimgraham, 15 September 2004 - 08:50 AM.

[Gedi]

This has been covered about 5 million times, there are even pics of new and old springs. New spring is shiny. It should have cost you about 10p. Yes it is slightly smaller. It will fit straight on. Its easy, a 5 year old can do it. Just go and have a go !

[Smiler]

Luckily mine went on the previous owner! said he nearly died of fright! So new shiney one on.. but !!! do these go as well? or is it a fix with the new type?

[mcarrick69]

My spring is a bit squeaky and probably expecting it to snap sometime soon. When this happens is the car still drivable? Does the clutch pedal callapse to the floor or what will happen? If it is going to be a pain in the a**e then I'll change it before it snaps!

Edited by mcarrick69, 15 September 2004 - 10:25 AM.

[madasahatter]

My spring is a bit squeaky and probably expecting it to snap sometime soon. When this happens is the car still drivable? Does the clutch pedal callapse to the floor or what will happen?
If it is going to be a pain in the a**e then I'll change it before it snaps!

Again, covered a number of times.

The noise it makes is disconcerting. It is noisey because the broken spring flies off and hits an Aluminum dash, which is noisey.

It is a bit of a jump when it goes, but generally you realise VERY quickly what has happened and it doesn't worry you too much.

The spring will creak from new, so this is not a sign of impending doom.

My second went recently on our tour around France. I reckon I did 200 miles with a snapped spring. Only the pedal pressure is different, and if you tend to ride the clutch at all then it might feel like you are getting clutch slip.

Some people have experienced problems when the spring goes because the bite point is sooo high up the pedal, but the main difference for most people is the pedal feel. I prefer the sprung pedal feel myself, but others have stated that they prefer the feel of the pedal without spring.

I haven't heard of any of the new springs going, but it could be early days yet.

HTH

Steve

[AndyB]

My spring is a bit squeaky and probably expecting it to snap sometime soon. When this happens is the car still drivable? Does the clutch pedal callapse to the floor or what will happen?
If it is going to be a pain in the a**e then I'll change it before it snaps!

Mine went a couple of months ago. Yes, it is very loud, sounds like your engine has popped and blown up. You can still drive it fine, but it does need sorting asap. The only difference that you will notice is that the gears clunk in to place, as though the clutch isn't quite pressed in enough.

[Smiler]

Squeeks don't mean it's gonna go.. mines new.. and started sqeeking after a hot day > cold. Applied lots of WD 40 and its as new now.. prob go bang on way home now! lol.. s

[pcmanning]

Where do you buy them - on the assumption that mine will go sooner or later? Via the dealer or is there a better way?? cheers Paul

[jimgraham]

This has been covered about 5 million times, there are even pics of new and old springs.

I don't really give a sh*t whether this has been covered loads of times or not, but thanks for the advice Gedi, it was really handy and much appreciated.

The sound is like a shotgun and made me jump. I was reversing my car at the time, so thought i had hit something!

You can get replacement springs from dealers. My dealer gave me the thing free as he said it wasn't worth the cost of invoicing me for! (5p)

I had to bend one end of the spring out slightly to fit it onto the clutch when i did it last night. The clutch bar was thicker than the opening in the spring, but it is a very simple job. I just hope i haven't weakened the end of it!

Cheers,

Jim

[Gedi]

I don't really give a sh*t whether this has been covered loads of times or not

If everyone had that way of thinking, we may as well get rid of the search button.

Thankfully they don't and the board is fresher for it.

[jimgraham]

I don't really give a sh*t whether this has been covered loads of times or not

If everyone had that way of thinking, we may as well get rid of the search button.

Thankfully they don't and the board is fresher for it.

I really don't understand the attitude on this forum that makes a fopah out of starting a thread on something that has been discussed before. Not all of us spend our life monitoring what is discussed here.

It was obvious in the title what the thread was about, so if you knew you had been through this loads of times why did you bother reading it/ replying to it? (i am glad you did as the info was useful by the way).

From the conversation the thread has generated it is obvious that there were things to discuss, so what is your problem?

I thought the forum was all obout being able to chat about things you wanted to chat about, not for apologising for not searching for half an hour before posting.

Edited by jimgraham, 15 September 2004 - 12:56 PM.

[Smiler]

ok lets end this here men!! breathe!!... (who told me that recently!?? ;-) ) I tend to search coz I don't trust anyone on here!!

[Gedi]

so what is your problem?

No problem, I'm still smiling whilst typing.
It's just tedious to see the same thing over and over, esspeically when Ben wrote a novel on the topic >here<

[ShinyAndy]

I really don't understand the attitude on this forum that makes a fopah out of starting a thread on something that has been discussed before. Not all of us spend our life monitoring what is discussed here.

It took me 25 secs to find a previous post about this topic using the search function. Surely that was quicker than you having to type in the post in the first place ?

[jimgraham]

so what is your problem?

No problem, I'm still smiling whilst typing.
It's just tedious to see the same thing over and over, esspeically when Ben wrote a novel on the topic >here<

Don't read it if you think it will be tedious, you don't have to read everything. I reiterate the fact that the post clearly stated what it was about. I simply don't read posts if i think i have read it before or am bored by the subject.

Has this descussion been held before? have we searched?

It took me 25 secs to find a previous post about this topic using the search function

That is a good point. I was being lazy as it takes a lot longer than 25 seconds to read through all the previous posts to find out if it contains the exact info i want. I also thought that someone wouldn't mind just tapping in the answer to my questions.

I still dont understand why people get so excited about recouring posts when they have a choice whether to read them or not. Live and let live, may be I haven't discussed this before. Just because you guys have and are bored with the topic doesn't mean everyone is. The new guys may want to chat about it as well.

Jim

[pcmanning]

Spring = FAQ There's been loads of offers for writing various FAQs - can't this be setup soon - even if it's just another forum with loads of Sticky threads (one per FAQ?) Paul

[ShinyAndy]

If those people want to email me any FAQs then I'll willingly create a FAQ forum

That's FAQ not !

[Smiler]

FAQ is badly needed. Inc Tyres.. whats standard and what options you have. Even a price guide of what peeps pay for stuff.. can't be that hard?

[ukgulf]

I've been doing searches and all I can find are articles saying "do a search" ... Now, just having the car a week I don't really know if the spring has gone or not but did hear the rifle shot sound that me wonder what the feck was happening.... thing is (being a newbie) i don't know where to look to check or how to change said spring. Any pics, step by step guide available ??