Clutch cable squeaking/worn; Aftermarket Quadrant

[mrmustangman357]

Hello:

I have a 99 cobra with the Maximum Motorsports clutch quadrant and Steeda firewall adjuster. I have about 7000 miles on it and now it started squeaking/creaking and feeling wierd. I pull it all apart and find this:

it looks like part of the lining in the cable is wearing off on the steel part. What the heck is this?



The quadrant and the adjuster was installed correctly, and the adjuster was adjusted so that its 1/8" off the adjuster as recommended by ford racing. Any ideas?

 

[P49Y-CY]

weird, man! is that the stock cable

 

[mrmustangman357]

yes, stock factory cable

 

[zPipes]

Are those metal shavings? They dont look like it.

 

[mrmustangman357]

no, its a white plastic material. I suppose it looks like the liner of the cable

The metal cable part is fine and has no damage

 

[birdman941]

Replace with a new Ford OE cable.

 

[mrmustangman357]

Replace with a new Ford OE cable.

right, because its completely irrelevant that it only had this wear in the 6500 miles or so since I installed the quadrant and adjuster:shrug:

 

[ja50nsvt]

Maximum Motorsports - Clutch Quadrant and Cable Tech

 

[birdman941]

right, because its completely irrelevant that it only had this wear in the 6500 miles or so since I installed the quadrant and adjuster:shrug:

Correct.
It is irrelevant.
Aftermarket cables are WORSE than an OE cable,
and usually made in China.
That includes STEEDA and FRPP cables (which are EXACTLY the same cable)
You almost never hear of OE cables doing what yours did.
So yes, it is irrelevant.

 

[soccerman002]

But he said this his cable is an OE cable...

 

[birdman941]

But he said this his cable is an OE cable...

Once again:
The best cable is the OE cable.

 

[ja50nsvt]

Maximum Motorsports - Clutch Quadrant and Cable Tech

If, "part of the lining in the cable is wearing off on the steel part", then your cable would be similar to the one at the top of this picture (white lining next to steel part). The cable at the bottom of this picture has a separate darker colored lining between the white lining and the steel part. Does this seem logical?

 

[mrmustangman357]

If, "part of the lining in the cable is wearing off on the steel part", then your cable would be similar to the one at the top of this picture (white lining next to steel part). The cable at the bottom of this picture has a separate darker colored lining between the white lining and the steel part. Does this seem logical?

Its difficult to tell the color of the shavings to compare to the photo. I am very sure this car has the factory cable

In 6500 miles it went from pristine to shavings, and the only thing that changed is the quadrant and adjuster. Its too much of a coincidence.

I dont want to change it for a brand new "ford OE" cable only to have it fail in another 6500 miles. I want to fix this right, and in doing so I need to find out what exactly is going wrong. Has anyone else had this issue? I contacted MM so hopefully they can get back with me. They are very knowledgeable in their product and I trust their products. Just this one seems funny :shrug:

 

[V6&V8SHO]

I have 130,000 miles on my OE cable. No shavings.

 

[birdman941]

As wide of an array of parts that are available for Mustangs,
there are a few constants on nearly every board.
OE clutch cables are the best.
OE exhaust manifold gaskets are the best.

 

[mrmustangman357]

I notice Fiore and MM now supply a rubber bushing that goes around the cable sheath so it doesnt go cocky in the adjuster. What do you think of this?

 

[01yellercobra]

Did you make sure the cable was going into the quadrant straight? The first time I did that my cable wore out in 7000 miles. The second time I took the time to make sure everything was straight it's been fine since. Both cables were OEM cables.

 

[P49Y-CY]

I notice Fiore and MM now supply a rubber bushing that goes around the cable sheath so it doesnt go cocky in the adjuster. What do you think of this?

i think that something like that is necessary or else it would just flop around in there. the adjuster i bought did not have one so i dremeled down the rubber peice on the stock cable to fit

 

[99Snaker]

I am a huge fan of MM's clutch adjuster kit. They ONLY sell a Ford OE cable, to work with their aluminum firewall adjuster and quadrant.

I haven't tried the clutch pedal height adjuster of theirs but I have one on order, too.

I am not too familiar with the Steeda equivalent of the clutch firewall adjuster but I remember MM calling for the removal of the cable bracket (on the driver's side strut tower) to give more play to the OE cable. Did you have your cable pinned down to the strut tower by chance? I would think that would overstretch the cable and cause the binding/chaffing on the inner cable lining.

 

[mrmustangman357]

I have not moved the bracket, just kept it in the stock routing. I will take a pic soon and post for you to see