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Comments on 5 speed clutch pedal pressure?

fxnick

New Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
Messages
27
Loc.
manchester, nh
Hi, i swapped the mazda M5OD into my 68 over the summer. Im using the stock clutch master and slave from the 96 f150 i got the tranny from.

My problem is the clutch pedal is insanely stiff, like push the seat back stiff, Almost not even driveable.
I put the master through the speedo hole, drilled a hole in the clutch pedal and used a hiem joint on the clutch rod.
And as far as i can tell the master, slave and the way its connected to the pedal is the same as the kit BCB sells for the zf swap(everything interchanges between the zf and the mazda)

Anyways heres some pics of my setup.
Whats everybody else using for a clutch setup with their zf or mazda? and is your pedal really stiff? Thanks!

IMG_2351.jpg

IMG_2350.jpg
 

Past_Miner

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Oct 22, 2003
Messages
1,020
when I first installed my ZF I had the same problem you describe. I also had a similar installation. It was so stiff that my wife was basically unable to drive the bronco. When I later bought my current bronco and swapped the ZF into it I built a mount that uses a bell crank like the stock brake booster does. I sized the crank to add some extra leverage to the master cylinder to lower the pedal pressure.

The stock Ford mechanism in the pickups uses a very large moment arm to operate these master cylinders. That particular arrangement is hard to modify to fit into a Bronco so it isn't a very good source for a fix. I know a lot of people run the linkage just like you have it, but it never worked well for me.

I have attached a picture of my mount. I built it several years ago before I had many good tools so it is what it is. Ugly or not, it has worked well for the last 8 years.
 

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  • Offset Clutch Master Cylinder Bracket.jpg
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Desert Thrasher

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 14, 2001
Messages
2,353
I just did the ZF swap and my clutch is very nice and smooth. Moves easy. Maybe you mix matched the slave and MC bore size? I know there are a few different MC bore sizes to choose from.
I had this problem when I first did my hydraulic clutch setup using Wilwood MC and Slave before the ZF. I used a 1" bore MC and it was damn near impossible to press in the clutch, switched to a 3/4" and eventually a 5/8" which worked great.
 

bigmuddy

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 28, 2004
Messages
7,001
Loc.
Marthasville Missouri
No issues with my clutch pedal and master as far as pressure. Mine does have quite a bit more pressure than the stock 3 and 4 speed clutches used with the 3 spd and 435 trannies.

Ben
 
OP
OP
F

fxnick

New Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
Messages
27
Loc.
manchester, nh
when I first installed my ZF I had the same problem you describe. I also had a similar installation. It was so stiff that my wife was basically unable to drive the bronco. When I later bought my current bronco and swapped the ZF into it I built a mount that uses a bell crank like the stock brake booster does. I sized the crank to add some extra leverage to the master cylinder to lower the pedal pressure.

The stock Ford mechanism in the pickups uses a very large moment arm to operate these master cylinders. That particular arrangement is hard to modify to fit into a Bronco so it isn't a very good source for a fix. I know a lot of people run the linkage just like you have it, but it never worked well for me.

I have attached a picture of my mount. I built it several years ago before I had many good tools so it is what it is. Ugly or not, it has worked well for the last 8 years.

Thats a good idea i might end up making something like that.
I see you have the style master with the hose coming straight out, i read somewhere that style has a smaller bore than mine. Finding one of those was my next option, but if you had the same problem , damn.


Desert Thrasher, what master are you using with the zf, the 5/8 wilwood?
 
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