Clutch cable gaiter clip - a soluton to a non-existent problem?

[JP]

I have just had to refit my clutch cable which fell off the release arm while refitting the engine and box.  This is the first time I've done this since owning the car for 20 years!

Obviously the metal spring clip inside the rubber cover came away from the rubber when refitting and fell into the bell housing - you can imagine the language that followed!  Anyway I managed to fish it out with a magnet on a stick, but it does seem to me to be at risk of falling off again with vibration.  Is there any reason not to discard the metal spring and just rely on the lipped edge of the rubber gaiter to hold it in place on the bellhousing?

[SM25T]

You could stick the metal spring clip into the rubber with something like Sikaflex or CT1 and let it cure before fitting.

[Drumster]

I don't ever remember seeing one on my x/flow and there certainly isn't one on my Zetec bellhousing and the gaiter has fallen out in 13 years.....

[Jonathan Kay]

Previous discussion, with a few running without the clip. No reported problems.

Jonathan

[JP]

Right - I'm going to take mine out and try running without the clip.  When mine fell into the bellhousing I was lucky in that it landed on a ridge and I was able to get it with a magnet.  I would have been fuming if I'd had to split the box and engine to get it out.  The gaiter itself seems like an good enough fit...

[paul richards]

LADS Top Tip. Put the clip in place and secure by putting a couple of small cable ties to hold it in. On both the sides of the rubber boot simply put a small hole either side of the clip and thread a small cable tie around the clip. Job done. 

[Wrightpayne]

The clutch fork should have a grommet in the larger hole to stop the inner cable coming adrift/displaced.

 

https://caterhamparts.co.uk/seatbelts-harnesses/783-grommet-seatbelt-blanking-clutch-fork.html

 

[JP]

Thank you.

[Wrightpayne]

Tootstation stock PU adhesive albeit not the normal forum recommended brands.

Screwfix have Sikaflex EBT which I 'think' is PU however the description doesnt specifically state it. I've used it for other things and it is very much like PU.

[Jonathan Kay]

Yes, both Sikaflex EBT and EBT+ are based on polyurethane:
https://www.ukflooringcentre.co.uk/technical-support/Sika-EBT.pdf
https://gbr.sika.com/dms/getdocument.get/6bf20a4a-1d59-46ec-b3f0-1e6c0e6a9585/sikaflex-ebt-plus.pdf

Jonathan

[paul richards]

"The clutch fork should have a grommet in the larger hole to stop the inner cable coming adrift/displaced.

https://caterhamparts.co.uk/seatbelts-harnesses/783-grommet-seatbelt-blanking-clutch-fork.html"

Is this on the right thread?

[Wrightpayne]

Paul,

Yes, I believe - "clutch cable fell off the release arm" this is from the parts catalogue. Maybe something omitted / missing from yours....

 

[Wrightpayne]

And assembly guide though I cannot find any reference to the rubber grommet in the text, only the diagram. The grommet effectively traps the inner cable into the fork.

[JP]

Mmm...more investigating to do...

Thanks all.

[paul richards]

Wrightpayne. "The clutch cable fell off the release arm". It didn't become detached at the other end. The nipple simply seems to have fallen out of the keyhole on the top of the arm and the problem is securing the spring clip which helps to hold the rubber gaiter/boot. 
Incidentally the link you have provided is to a plain blanking plug used to fill the clutch cable hole when a hydraulic clutch is fitted. I think this is mistakenly described on CC website. If fitted the item I think you are referring to is normally a small piece of plastic hose (similar to windscreen washer hose).

[John Vine]

This is what the Assembly Guide for my old 1999 1.8K says about the gaiter clip:

JV

[Wrightpayne]

Paul,

My responses haven't been about the rubber dust cover and spring clip falling into the bellhousing, its been about why the cable fell out in the first place.

If you read the extra notes pertaining to the part on the Caterham website, look at the images I've posted, they all point to the grommet being inserted into the fork keyhole to hold the cable in place.

Regards

Ian

[Wrightpayne]

.

[paul richards]

Wrightpayne. Ahh! I now see what you are getting at. It can be used on the keyhole of the fork. A good idea. It normally relies only on the spring tension on the pedal to stay in place but filling that gap makes good sense. I've not come across using a grommet on a 7 before although when stock car racing I used to use a nut and bolt to fill the gap. You learn something every day. I'll perhaps fit next time I work on the car although knowing me I'll probably drop it into the bellhousing 

 

[anthonym]

JV #16 thanks for this I was reading all of it thinking "what metal clip"? 

[JP]

Thanks all - when I pulled my engine and box I left the cable attached at the clutch end.  Obviously with the other end loose there was no pull to keep it in place.  When running the car, I've never had a problem with the cable.  The question now is whether the grommet is another component that may cause more harm than good.  I can envisage it being more likely that the grommet could fall out into the bellhousing than stop the clutch cable disengaging when under load.

Perhaps it stops the end of the cable falling into the bellhousing should the cable fail.  I've never had a clutch cable fail.  It there a usual place where they fail?  I imagine if they tend to fail at the clutch fork end then there is a real risk of the end part it falling down...

[John Vine]

Provided you have a pedal return spring in place (or, better still, a proper pre-load set-up), I think the clutch end of the cable will remain in position without the grommet.

IME, clutch cables tend to break at the pedal-box end, often due to poor alignment.

JV

[JP]

Thanks JV.  I do have a clutch spring, but I have to say, the new one that I got from Redline is not as beefy as the one I took out when I stripped the car down.  I'll look carefully at your link and work out what I need.

Thank you.

[Guy Lowe]

I always fit the spring/clip in th gaiter, no glue no cable ties never had a problem in 22 years. 
However . . . . . It's a bit of a "Heath Robinson" set up and you have to make sure it's fitted correctly with the groove seated properly all the way round the opening in the B/ H & the spring in its correct central position IYSWIM. Tip, always fit the pedal end of the cable LAST. 

[John Vine]

#23

The spring (x2) I recommended in that article was CC p/n CQ13.  Unfortunately, this is no longer available (something to do with the supplier going out of business), and Redline don't stock it either.  You may be able to find something similar on the web.  IIRC, the spring rate was of the order of 15lb/in.

JV