Quote:
Originally Posted by ace996
1.The "strut" absorbs energy (more effort in the initial travel) and releases it as the pedal reaches full extention. This is to allow holding the clutch pedal down easier.
2.I have not noticed a decrease of travel, this 20% of which you refer. The pedal moves exactly the same distance as it did before. Once fully released, can you pull the pedal back an additional distance?
3.Have you noticed any lateral movement or additional sideways movement of the clutch pedal? I checked this after the previous post and found very little sideways movement, but never compared it with the 'strut' connected.
An aftermarket telescopic component is really not needed, in my very humble opinion. But if you have concerns, it wouldn't be hard to slip a metal sleeve(a tube) over the strut's internal sliders (without the spring) and have that make any concern over lateral support be quelled.
Check all your cars, most of them have these types of springs and they are not used as "lateral support". fThey are used to try to keep the clutch depression effort uniform throughout the range of pedal movement (because the internal "spring" in the clutch becomes harder to press the more it is disengaged), and the manufacturers typically do not achive their goal. The pedal effort often times, especially in the M3, causes an uneven feel of pedal pressure and leaves a very disturbing, difficult to "pinpoint" point of engagement on release. This is maddening, at least to me, and detracts from the driver/vehicle interface. My solution...yank the spring. Every car I've owned over the last 8 years (roughly 9) have had this done...(except my Subaru STI and Lotus Elise...those felt fine)...and clutch "feel" was improved significantly. The most improvement was on a C5Z06 and my current M3.
Come to think of it...the greatest improvement has been on the M3...that spring absolutely ruins the clutch feel. The feel has been improved so much that I am no longer looking to install a "clutch-stop"...it's, IMHO, no longer needed.
Yep, an absolute "must do free mod" for the M3...
Glad to hear you guys like the mod.
Be good,
TomK
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As for the travel, after the spring is removed, if you tap the clutch, now it's loose. It used to be pretty solid.
The "strut" definitely provides some lateral support, because it adds another support near the pedal. It's like a beam that can take load sideways. Think of the entire clutch arm as a catilevered beam, with the "strut" there is an additional support point near where force will be applied. W/o the "strut" it is only supported at the top, which creates a longer moment arm.
Most of you didn't try but with the spring on, lateral movement of the pedal is more restricted. But I don't think w/o the spring there would be a big problem.