Several readers have written over the past year or two wondering how to replace a manual transmission clutch spring in a vintage Mustang. While it's a fairly esoteric subject, we still wanted to investigate the issue. In the meantime, we ran across a car that needed a complete pedal-assembly replacement, which in turn also gave us the chance to examine the issue of where the clutch spring is and what needs to be done to get to it.
The result is we're killing two birds with one stone. That is, we're doing quite a bit more than originally intended, which we hope will be more helpful than if we replaced only a clutch-pedal return spring.
The main problem we've seen on some vintage Mustangs is the way the pedals hang in the footwell. They're slanted at the wrong angle, and clutch-pedal effort is much harder than it should be. We knew that in the case of our subject car, the situation would grow worse every time the clutch was used, since it was already grinding.
On vintage Mustangs, the clutch and brake pedal operation and design is pretty much the same, so the problem on this '69 Mustang isn't confined to any model year. The issue is more related to how much the car has been driven and for how long maintenance of the clutch linkage has been overlooked. After 37 years of service, this car's pedal assembly needed serious help, so we decided to show how the entire assembly is configured, at the same time illustrating the clutch-spring location if its replacement is necessary.
1. After disconnecting the...
1. After disconnecting the battery, we looked up underneath the dash with a flashlight and determined right away that the whole pedal assembly could be jiggled around. It would have to come out of the car for inspection. Since the heavy bracket that supports the pedals mounts to the firewall at a point above the steering column, the steering column had to be removed first. Under the hood, we disconnected the column from the steering box at the rag joint. Fasteners at the base of the column tube going into the firewall were then removed. The underdash support for the column was undone, and we disconnected the electrical wiring. On some cars, the turn signals and horn have two separate plugs to disconnect before pulling the column. Other cars have a single plug found above the column, directly behind the speedometer.
2. After removing the driver...
2. After removing the driver seat to ease underdash access and disconnecting the clutch pushrod at the equalizer bar, we removed the brake-light switch and master-cylinder pushrod at the brake-pedal arm. After removing four bolts at the firewall and two under the dash that retain the pedal-support bracket, we removed the pedal assembly from the car.
3. Here's the pedal assembly...
3. Here's the pedal assembly on the ground. The offset brake pedal doesn't look quite right, but we also discovered problems in several other areas.
4. This close-up of the pedal...
4. This close-up of the pedal assembly shows the badly misaligned pedals. The pin on the brake-pedal arm that joins the master-cylinder pushrod slants off at an odd angle, and metal shavings are evident.
5. Disassembly of the pedals...
5. Disassembly of the pedals begins by removing the large clip used to retain the pedal cross-shaft. Look closely and you can see the remains of a nylon bushing.
6. Considerable damage is...
6. Considerable damage is evident on the other side of the pedal assembly. The clutch and brake-pedal cross-shaft has worked its way through a nylon sleeve and the support bushing. As a result, the cross-shaft was operating against the bracket itself, further wearing away with each cycle of operation. Before long there would've been complete failure of the linkage, resulting in no clutch operation. Looking at these parts after nearly four decades of wear, it's easy to understand why the pedals were misaligned and the pedal-effort level was so high.
7. As we removed the brake...
7. As we removed the brake pedal, the old bushings fell out. The required nylon sleeve inserts are destroyed or gone, and the brake-pedal arm seems like the only salvageable part so far.
8. The other side of the...
8. The other side of the bracket shows how the bushing-support opening looked before the damaging wear began. Two types of pedal-mounting brackets were used by Ford. This type has the flat-sided openings shown here. The other type has a simple round hole, which can easily be repaired with a commonly available rebuild kit that includes a new shaft and bushings. There is no repair kit for our type of bracket, so we contacted Mustangs Etc., a well-stocked shop with a large inventory of used parts. The damage to our pedal mechanism was so widespread that we needed to replace the entire assembly. The main bracket we need went out of production long ago.
9. This clutch-pedal arm...
9. This clutch-pedal arm can't be reused either. The hole in the pedal arm for the clutch pushrod has worn oblong to the extent that the nylon bushing would no longer fit securely.
10. The result of metal-to-metal...
10. The result of metal-to-metal contact during operation can also be seen on the end of the pushrod itself. This pushrod is clearly ready for the scrap heap. A new pushrod is shown at right.
11. Here's the used manual-transmission...
11. Here's the used manual-transmission pedal assembly-complete and in good working order-we obtained from Mustangs Etc. They also had a NOS bracket. While some parts might not be available all the time (as is the case for any used components), Mustangs Etc. or other used-parts houses around the nation are all possible sources. This assembly differs from the original in that it has the round-style cross-shaft bushings. Regional differences in local suppliers to the three different Mustang assembly plants (Dearborn, San Jose, and Metuchen) could account for the existence of the two styles. Also note that if Mustangs Etc. has a pedal assembly in stock, you'll need to exchange your old one as a core.
12. Before we installed the...
12. Before we installed the replacement pedal assembly, we installed new nylon sleeves, or bushings, that we also obtained from Mustangs Etc. White grease was used to lubricate the bushings during assembly.
13. Even though this nylon...
13. Even though this nylon pushrod bushing was in one piece, we replaced it before assembly. We also installed a new bushing at the equalizer end.
14. Before installing the...
14. Before installing the replacement assembly, we made sure the clutch-return spring at the pedal was properly installed and lubricated. Once inside the car, pedal travel is limited and installing the spring is more difficult. This is what the clutch spring looks like for '69-'70 Mustangs. It's slightly different for '65-'66 and '67-'68. The clutch spring can be replaced without removing the pedal assembly, but does require that you reach up under the dash and remove it from there. At this point, we also made sure everything was correctly set up under the hood. Luckily, the equalizer bar between the framerail and engine block was not damaged or worn at its pivot points, and it was cleaned up and reinstalled.
15. The replacement pedal...
15. The replacement pedal assembly is now ready to be installed. You'll need another person under the hood to support the master cylinder and start the fasteners while the pedal bracket is held in position inside. It's also easier to reconnect the brakes at the pedal while the steering column is still out of the car.
16. Reinstall the steering...
16. Reinstall the steering column while another person guides the rag joint back onto the steering box. First install the underdash fasteners to support the column in position while completing other connections.
17. Here we're getting the...
17. Here we're getting the last of the dash trim back into place.
18. A pair of new pads had...
18. A pair of new pads had the pedals looking good. The clutch linkage had to be readjusted by a considerable amount as it had been lengthened to take up all of the slop in the linkage. Pedal effort was cut in half and the car is now much more enjoyable to drive.