Clutch Cable broke

Thank goodness I came home, because right when I pulled into the drive with my 6 year old son, my clutch peddle went dead to the floor and I found the Wing-nut assembly on the concrete.

I called Mid-America today and ordered a new cable w/wingnut, but it is 89 " and I believe my fiber fab was shortened some 10 inches.

I have never run a clutch cable before, I have the basic instructions from the VW dummies book, but any advice for shortening that cable? Is it necessary?

Thanks,

Jeff R.
Chisago City, MN

i have not shortened my cable yet, so i am very curious as the CMC book (in the library) is pretty hazy on the details.

It's not like a throttle cable since the end is unique. I'd guess there is some sort of clamp thing that would work.

(sorry to hijack the thread, but i'm looking forward to hearing a response to your Q too.

Recall just seeing thread with photo of a swedged end used to shorten a cable last week or so --- thought Kelly Frazer has posted but couldn't find it. Maybe word isn't Swedged?

Here's a couple links -

https://www.speedsterowners.com/forum/readmsg.asp?t=12532

https://www.speedsterowners.com/forum/readmsg.asp?t=1324

https://www.speedsterowners.com/forum/readmsg.asp?t=12129

Take your new VW cable to a sailboat rigger and have them cut it and swedge a new end onto it. Total length should be 77 3/4 in., from the ends of the terminations.

Take along the wingnut adjuster to make sure they put a Metric end on it. I think it's 7mm X 1.0 but not quite sure.

gn

Or you could cut it, over lap the cut and put cable ties. I put two, and just bent up the edges. I'm running a 1700# clutch and no problem for the last 5000 miles. I would stay away from the clutch shortening kit, the one with the nut that screws over the cable. Mine broke at the 500 mile mark.

WOW! You got a whole 500 miles out of yours??

I only got about 300!!

Seriously, those ends where you loop the cable through and crank a nut down over it to hold it in place are really sucky. The nut cuts and frays the cable in short order, then the cable lets go, usually at the worse possible moment.

I've had mixed luck with the 1/8" cable clamps - OK on a dune buggy with a lighter clutch and poor luck on my Kennedy 1700# version.

I still like getting the proper end swedged on at the proper length.

Or.....you could just order the proper length cable from VS for $25 bucks.

gn

How come you guys haven't converted to a hydraulic slave?

I've successfully adapted stock VW pedals to accept a mastercylinder and then used a slave on the transaxle. Works great and no more broken cables.

Larry... How about posting pics etc? Alan

You can get custom shorten Clutch Cables from Vintage Speedsters. Then you don't have to use Clamps or shorten Stock VW Clutch Cables.

Aloha, Kawika

25 bucks at VS.... Carry a spare!

I don't have any photo's but,,, if you go here, and look at SpyderMike's photo's he details how he converted his stock VW clutch pedal to accept a master cylinder

http://www.spyderowners.com/files/thmblist.asp?sf=%2FSpyderMike

Thanks Larry......