sdparks

The purpose of a clutch pedal stop is to eliminate any extra clutch pedal travel past the point of clutch disengagement. I found the clutch engagement point in the tC vague and difficult to time. Also, the clutch pedal felt uncomfortably far away when fully depressed. I had a clutch pedal stop in my 325i, liked it, and thought the tC needed one as well. I couldn’t find one for sale, so I made one. Works great, and would be a nice compliment to a short shifter.

Here’s how I made it. You can get everything you need at a hardware or home improvement store, except perhaps the foam and rubber sheet, which I had lying around, and originally ordered from McMaster-Carr.

Parts:
-1” or 1-1/2” long elevator bolt (2” is too long) with ¼”-20 threads
-1/4”-20 nut
-1/4” lockwasher
-1” long 4-40 machine screw
-1/16” adhesive backed foam
-1/16” adhesive backed rubber

Special tools:
-1/4-20 thread tap
-4-40 thread tap

The elevator bolt has a large flat head that will become the new stop. We just need a hole to screw it into.

Have a look under the dash at the stock setup. Remove the existing stop pad. Luckily, there is already a hole that we can use for the stop, and it is even the right size. All it needs is to be threaded.



Tap this unused hole with the ¼”-20 thread tap. Space is tight under there. Try to keep the tap as perpendicular to the face of the hole as possible. I found that a 12-point 7/32” socket fit the tap well enough.



Here’s the hole with shiny new threads.



To give the new stop a little cushion, and to prevent the sound of metal-to-metal contact when the pedal hits the stop, cut out a circle from the foam sheet and stick it onto the head of the elevator bolt.



Put a nut and lockwasher on the bolt and screw it into the threaded hole. You’ll need to carefully adjust the stop later, but for now screw it all the way in, at least so the stand off is less than ½”. It is shown here with a flat washer, but I changed to a lockwasher later. For an OEM look, use a black oxide coated bolt and grade 8 nut and lockwasher.



Now, because the clutch pedal doesn’t move down as far, it doesn’t depress the clutch disengagement switch. This switch ensures that the car can’t be started unless the clutch is disengaged. We need to extend the length of the switch.

Use the 4-40 tap to thread the inside of the switch post. Again, Toyota was nice enough to make the hole the right size, so no predrilling is required.



Screw the 4-40 machine screw into the switch post. The length of the screw sticking out of the switch post should be long enough to engage the switch when the pedal is pushed down against the clutch stop, but not so long that it pushes the end of the switch post any deeper than flush with the metal body of the switch.



If you think it looks better, you can put a nylon spacer on the screw after final adjustment.



To prevent noise when the pedal arm contacts the switch, cut out a circle from the rubber sheet and stick it to the backside of the tab that depresses the switch.



Proper adjustment of the stop is very important. If the stop is too high, the clutch will never completely disengage, causing clutch wear.

Adjust the stop with the car running and in first gear. Let up slowly on the clutch pedal and see how much travel you have before the clutch begins to engage. Keep the door open because you may be able to hear the clutch beginning to engage before the car starts to move. Adjust the stop out until you have at least ¼” of pedal travel before even the slightest hint of engagement. Give yourself even more extra travel if you tend to let the pedal creep upwards when you are stopped in traffic. When you have the adjustment correct, hold the bolt still and tighten the nut.

Any time you adjust the length of the clutch stop, double check that the length of the screw in the switch post is correct.

Here is the completed installation.



You may find shifting awkward at first because the clutch begins to engage so soon, but you’ll quickly get used to it.

Limey

Ohhhh hang on this is what i was asking about a few weeks back.

So this removes that spare inch of nothingness the clutch pedal has, and also reduces how far it has to travel.

Is it uncomfortable in terms of daily driver, stop-go traffic?

Can you see any issues, with the sort of changing where you "stamp" on the clutch. Not that I drive like that you understand.

sdparks

This mod will reduce the extra pedal travel 'below' the point of engagement, but not the extra travel 'above'. If you really have 'nothingness' at the top of the pedal stroke (feels like you're pushing against nothng but a light spring), maybe there is something wrong, like air in the hydraulic circuit.

Once you get used to driving with the stop, it is better in all types of driving. I've driven the car on the track with this mod and it really helps.

Kaeon

Will Add to the tech...

Voltairecim

But how do you start the car. You know how the clutch has to be ALL the way in, even past the catch point. So how does that work with the stop?

Serialk1llr

Read the article He shows how to build an extension for clutch engagement sqitch doo-hicky thing-a-ma-jig

raamaudio

Superb!!!! dang fine article and absolutely correct on being a real performance enhancement. Quicker shifts, more acurate clutch engagement, can really help reduce missed shifts which can save you alot of money in the long run, maybe short run as well.

Thanks, just one more thing we have not done yet that is on our list of to do, you just did 75% of the work for us buddy

Rick

aarontrini85

wow i love you

hahaha i cant wait to get off work now a new free mod for tc

Serialk1llr

Aftermarket paart idea: Clutch Stop. Maybe out of a block of plastic or rubber, something more sturdy and fixed, to handle long-term use. Could screw it into that open hole maybe. First one to fab this baby has my money for sure, because I really dislike the slack in the clutch. It feels like 6 inchs between engage/disengage and the floor

DTRUONG_112

love free mods.

aarontrini85

i did this and all i can say is wow i love it lol one of the best mods i have done on my tc so far lol and it cost me 1.75 in hardware at the ace that is 2 block from my house lol with the trip and the browsing in ace it was still just a 20min project most the time spent at ace lol


thank you so mutch sdparks



you made my clutch in to a on off switch lol

squarrel

I did this mod. Nice improvement when shifting! Thank you much sdparks!

I made a booboo tho. Somehow I think i busted the spring on the clutch disengage switch, so now it does not pop out anymore! I was worreid this would cause no-shifts, but I test drove it with no problems. I am curious what exactl does this switch do anyways? It seems like all the functionality is in the clutch pedal assembly but the disengage switch doesn't do much of anything.

sdparks

The switch makes sure that you have the clutch disengaged when you start the car so the car doesn't lurch forward if it is in gear. Be careful! Your car now thinks the clutch is always disengaged.

Limey

It's funny, I've never driven a car that had this until I drove cars in the states.

In Europe it's assumed that you check it's not in gear, or you press the clutch before you turn the ignition.

I still have the habit that I wiggle the gear stick left and right before turning the key.

It's probably added by car manafacturers to protect them from the "McDonalds Hot Coffee" law suits.

Serialk1llr

aarontrini85

ok ok no one do this till i figure out wtf happend to my car lol

this morning i smelt some clutch so i took out the washer becouse me bolt was as low as it goes then i started the car and it ran fine

then i got out of work at 5 and my car wouldnt start but the battery is fine so i checked all the fuses and couldnt find any thing poped so i checked the switch for the clutch and it was broken. i tried to take it off but you cant with out a socket wrench. so i decided to try and check the wires for voltage and the power wire has nothing right now...


im a little confused and realy stuck at work lol


its a 1 hour drive home so im not sure what the walk will equate to lol but some of my friends are coming to pick me up


any ideas on how i can fix this any helpe would be grately appreciated or an explination of how this switch works i dont think these to wires are supposed to make contact becouse i tried that and got nothing not eve a spark or poped fuse


hmmmmm.......

sdparks

Man, that sucks...

It may be that there is no voltage to the switch unless you are actually trying to start the engine. Did you check the wires while turning the key to the start position? Be sure you are in neutral if you try that.

The switch may be broken if you shortened the length of the stop but didn't shorten the switch extension, which would cause the switch to be pushed in too far.

I have edited the DIY to change the length of the switch extension from 1/2" to whatever it takes to activate the switch properly.

raamaudio

We did our car today and I noticed a slight bit of off angle contact on the switch from the tab that pushes it in. It was not very severe but over time I knew it could lead to extra wear and possibly eventual failure.

I just grabbed one of my big channel locks, vise grips or a cresent wrench would work just fine as well, and bent the tap so it hits flush on the switch, no side load on it now at all, took all of 2 minutes max.

I do not expect any problems

Rick

squarrel

I still haven't noticed any side effects from busting the spring on the disengage switch. The clutch seems fine -- I feel no grinding or friction when shifting. The car turns on just fine. I looked underneath and the switch is pushed in about 1.2 inch further than it should be.

aarontrini85

ok i fixed part of it the reason there was no power is becouse the starter fuse popped so i replaced that and cut the 2 wires for the switch and connected them now she starts up almost fine


my cd player doenst turn on

my sunroof wont open

my speedo doesnt work or the speedo on my rsm

my abs light is on

my break light is on

my maint. req. light is on

other then that she is all good im sure these are due to more fuses but ill have to check that tomorrow becosue i need sleep lol i have to wake up in 6 hours