Clutch Quadrant Pawl removal Fox

Posting as a future reference for anyone installing an aftermarket clutch quadrant. All the videos and instructions online show a later SN95 mustang. My 1988 GT mustang had much less space under the dash to move around. The shaft for the Pawl gear is right up against a piece of the unibody and there isn't enough space for the gear to slide off the shaft before it hits the body piece. This is no matter where you position the clutch pedal in its travel. I had already removed the spring. All pictures are after I removed the stock quadrant.

My solution was to use a 1 foot long drill bit to drill holes in the plastic pawl gear in one spot to weaken it so I could break it and it would rotate past another metal piece and have enough clearance to slide off the shaft.

http://i.imgur.com/mPh544Lh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/EaNDZm5h.jpg
Above you can see the part that extends from the pawl has 2 holes that I drilled. I put the drill bit back in the hole and while holding the drill trigger, angled the bit so it cut all the way through. I first tried using a low clearance plumbing hack saw but this was taking too much time. After I broke this piece off the pawl gear will rotate all the way around and will slide off (above the car body piece) with the clutch pedal depressed to the floor.

http://i.imgur.com/UqDGT1Sh.jpg
the pawl gear after removal. You'll notice I tried drilling holes all over in effort to break the gear.

http://i.imgur.com/mr9kCzL.jpg
You can see the new quadrant I installed (Maximum Motorsports) has a recessed part where it connects to the back shaft so clearance isn't an issue.

Just got mine but I haven’t installed it yet.....how is it working for you so far?
Any other issues with it or suggestions?

Thanks for the info btw.

Only suggestion I have when replacing clutch quadrant: unbolt driver-side seat, remove seat.

That part you drilled thru and broke, I cut it off with a sawzall blade by hand.
Same thing, rotate it around and slide it off.

Ford should have made those parts out of metal then they would never break.
Idiots.

I think the shop manual says to lower the steering column and remove the brake pedal support.More work though,especially if not installing a pos plastic quadrant/pawl.

Good design,but poor choice of material.

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Originally Posted by WidowrRacing

Just got mine but I haven’t installed it yet.....how is it working for you so far?
Any other issues with it or suggestions?
.

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Working great so far. I got the whole kit from maximum motorsports and I still need to fine tune the firewall adjuster. I also recently replaced my flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing, pilot bearing, fork, pivot stud and input retainer, so it feels like a brand new car very smooth. Routing the cable was more difficult than I expected. There's so many hoses and lines (A/C car) that I had to decide whether to go over or under. And the pictures MM includes in the instructions are small and terrible quality. Did you buy a kit or just the quadrant? Everywhere I've read says that all aftermarket cables (except maximum motorsports because they use the original OEM manufacturer) are junk and will snap. The videos on youtube from LMR and CJ pony parts were helpful.

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Originally Posted by LX89

Ford should have made those parts out of metal then they would never break.
Idiots.

I think the shop manual says to lower the steering column and remove the brake pedal support.More work though,especially if not installing a pos plastic quadrant/pawl.

Good design,but poor choice of material.

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I read about lowering the steering column and didn't see a benefit. I also didn't want to remove the brake pedal so I had to go this route.

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Originally Posted by Legwound

my race buddy formerly had a speed shop (prior to his divorce) and did quite a few of these. He jut put a long bar on the piece and popped them off. He didn't say it was easy but they did come off. He's one the best wrenchers I know and not a hacker.

I have no personal experience with this, he actually did mine years ago before I built my garage.

I'm with RedSN on seat removal. It's good to keep the seat bolts from freezing up in any case (seat belts too)

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I had a selection of big and small pry bars I put on the pawl before drilling the holes and I was putting so much force on them I worried I would bend one of the pedals or something.
I'd say I'm about medium build medium height and I had plenty of room without removing the seat. Just slid it all the way back.

I bought the MM quadrant kit and replacing all the parts like you did also in my 88GT.
I went with the McLeod twin disc RXT clutch so I’m excited to see how it all works together.

Great idea on drilling.

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Originally Posted by WidowrRacing

I went with the McLeod twin disc RXT clutch.

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Do you have a lot of power mods? Even if not, that looks like an awesome clutch! Rated at 1000hp! I went with an upgraded version of the classic king cobra clutch (Valeo brand) as I'm pretty much stock and don't plan on going to crazy. Also with the stock bellhousing, I did need to use that little metal spacer and wedge/shrink tubing they include.

My combo is nothing to crazy....just some bolt ons...for now :sarcasm: