How To: Free Clutch Spring Removal in 15 Minutes - A must do for manual trans!
 

Starting a new thread as my old account was banned and I have received multiple requests asking for picture links to be fixed. Figure we can just let that thread die, and start fresh!

The twins have a clutch spring that greatly reduces the strength needed to push the clutch in. This is actually a really neat idea from Toyota/Subaru, and it is the first time I’ve seen it used and it does a great job. However, this also leaves the pedal without any feel, making it much more difficult to drive smoothly. This spring can be removed with relative ease, and in under 15 minutes with a little know how.

Tools Needed:

• Needle Nose Pliers
• A flashlight
• Screwdriver

First, lets familiarize ourselves with what is under the dash.

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6...bfddffe19c.jpg
Circled in red is the spring assembly we are going to remove.

You’ll want to slide the seat all the way back and place the flashlight so that you can see what you’re working on. I also cleaned the spring at this time, it’s fairly caked on from the factory.

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6...be6c1f743e.jpg
E-Clip is circled in red.

Looking at the assembly from the passenger side of the car, we see a clip (specifically called an “E” clip) that holds the stud in place. We will need to remove this.

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6...e1654378eb.jpg
Needle nose pliers positioned to remove clip.

Twist the E-clip so that the opening faces down. Using the needle nose pliers, one tong on each side of the clip, gently push up or hit the handle with your hand. Be careful not to lose this clip.

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6...cd68dfcf7f.jpg
E-clip removed

With the E-clip removed, we are now able to remove the stud. The spring has considerable pressure, as I’m sure you’ll see, which makes removing this stud difficult. Depressing the clutch pedal (pedal on the ground), releases some of this pressure. Push the clutch pedal all the way in, and with the needle nose pliers, push the snout (E-Clip side) towards the drivers side. This should give enough room for you to use the needle nose on the other side of the stud. Using the pedal as leverage for the pliers, pull the pin the rest of the way out while the clutch is depressed. Next, using the flat head, push on one of the legs of the clutch clevis upward. This will take some force but it will come off!

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6...bdb48ab933.jpg
All the components off the car.

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6...f51da4f4f7.jpg

Re-assemble and push the E-clip on with the needle nose or the flat head. Both methods should work well. This is not necessary but I felt I was less likely to lose everything this way if I wanted to revert back *Hint: NO ONE DOES!*

Thanks for reading and let us know if you have any questions.

Previous thread: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84622

General consensus from previous thread: This is the best free modification you can do to a manual transmission FRS/BRZ/GT86 to make the clutch pedal *feel* more like a normal clutch.

After owning my car for 3 years, I decided to finally do this mod. I should have done it a long time ago, I like the pedal feel alot better and i'm sure driving will be smoother shifting between 1st gear to 2nd gear. Anybody on the fence should quit waiting and do this mod. It is not that hard to do.

I read somewhere that this is actually bad for the car, can someone chime in on this? I actually wanna try this, but I don't wanna break anything in my car over something as simple as this.

nope, not bad for car at all.

Plenty of us have this done, myself included (for probably 35k now? and over 2 years)

That's all the assurance I need, before I do this. How does this affect aftermarket clutches that most of us are probably going to be installing in the future like ACT for example?

I did this as soon as I could after I bought the car. I just couldn't feel feedback at all it was so light. It's just a nanny for under 25 guys with delicate feet.. jk of course :P

The purpose of the spring is to help people with depressing the clutch pedal to the floor. When you remove the spring, you remove the help, making the pedal harder to depress. So in the future, if you put in a heavier clutch, the pedal will feel that much harder to depress.

Just do more squats.

Did this mod last year and haven't regretted it since.

As to those who are worried about the clutch being too heavy after going aftermarket, I'm pretty sure there is an aftermarket helper spring (I forget who makes it) that still maintains the clutch feel while not making it as vague as the original.

It'll have higher pressure vs a clutch-spring-installed car, but the upside is you'll know what the hell your clutch is doing!

It's made by MTec:
http://www.ft86speedfactory.com/mtec...l#.VvBOZXNrnqA

In before that guy starts posting about how this does nothing and you should change your clutch slave instead...

:D

In all seriousness, I'll reiterate what I posted in the other thread, by saying that this is one of the best mods I've done to my car in terms of driving enjoyment, and it's relatively simple, and FREE (besides time spent, of course). Do it!

I did, and I agree. The clutch feel is much improved. Well worth the effort. :thumbsup:

And also in all seriousness, I swapped out the slave cylinder before this mod, then reinstalled it. Could be my ignorance, but didn't feel much, if any, difference. Maybe I'll try again.

This really is a must for our cars. I thought I'd just forgotten how to drive because I could never get a feel for the clutch pedal when i first bought it. Removed the spring about six months ago and it was a whole new car.

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I did this mod a couple months ago. Definitely worth taking the time to do it. The clutch feels alot more traditional now IMO.

Can anyone out there give feedback on pros and cons of full spring removal versus replacement with the MTec spring?

kbye started a thread on 4-17-15. Go to Search and type in mtec clutch spring and scroll down until you see it. I don't know how to link too well. it has what you're looking for. good luck!

It's so much easier to find the catch point without "bouncing" a shift.

Like someone said above, I felt like a n00b driving this car. and this was after 4 years in a BMW E90, which has the notorious CDV (clutch delay valve) that also makes you feel like you don't know how to drive stick properly.

I don't understand the need for OEM's to put this crap in. If you're buying a stick shift and you don't know how to drive it properly, DON'T BUY ONE!! No need to water the cars down for those of us who do, "just in case".

Thanks! I found the thread, and I think I'm going to go for the MTec spring. I really struggled when I first drove the car, having come from other manuals with heavier clutches, but I've got used to it fairly quickly. Would still like more resistance/feel though, so I'll give MTec a try.

I know exactly how you feel about that clutch and I have the Mtec spring but have not installed it yet. I did however change over to the 3/4" diameter slave cylinder recommended by Ultramaroon in his long thread and it is a different car now. BTW, I still have the OEM spring in place and have not tried driving without it as I want the pedal to come all the way back up.

Popped the spring out over the weekend. I don't know why I waited so long to take it out. Pedal movement isn't as easy as it used to be, "like a real clutch should be" and engagement is much more predictable, highly recommended and fully reversible 👍 thanks OP!

Have yet to do the spring removal but now I'm wondering just which one is the mod that nets a better feeling clutch...? Difficult to answer, I bet.

There is a second part to this mod that really make the stock clutch feel perfect for virtually everyone: clutch pedal height adjustment.


I have "clutch modded" +30 cars so far, and have gotten nothing but rave reviews. Remove the helper spring, then lower the pedal to be about even with the brake pedal. The goal here is to get rid of most of the extra travel the pedal has near the floor. This lets you use the clutch while keeping your heel on the floor and is an absolute MUST for all MT owners. The guide for doing this can be found here:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8040


I've been driving on this setup for 30k miles and have had no issues with clutch chatter, unusual signs of wear, or any other problems. I've owned/driven a lot of manual cars over the years, and since doing this mod, this is one of the best clutches I've ever had the pleasure of using. Reducing the height also will extend the life of your clutch pretty significantly.


It's free and it's reversible. Stop reading this, go out to your garage, and do it right now. 15 minutes at most. You'll be glad you did :)


EDIT: For those curious about this spring, it has been in all WRX/STI clutch pedals since mid-2000s. Subaru just kept the same design for the BRZ. Problem is, the WRX/STI have VERY heavy clutches, so helper springs are pretty much a must. The BRZ's clutch is comparatively very light, and so the helper spring is really unnecessary. Seriously, why are you still reading this? Go fix your clutch!

Can someone with RHD model and removed the clutch spring please provide some guidance on how to do it?

Wont it be the same, just other way around....

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I think it was covered in the other thread. If memory serves, this is very hard to do on RHD models since there is a large metal plate blocking access to the spring in that configuration.

This morning I drove my 2004 Mini Cooper S for the first time since picking up the BRZ a couple of weeks ago. I couldn't believe how heavy the clutch felt in comparison! And when it was my daily driver, I was totally used to it. Just goes to show how easily we adjust between different clutches.

I think somewhere between the two would be ideal, so the MTec spring is likely the way to go for me.

I've been looking for this! Thank you sir.

I removed the spring today and I can't tell you what a difference it made. I've been driving a manual for 20 years and when I got my BRZ I had a hard time engaging the clutch at the right time. I was either slipping it or letting in too hard. With the spring removed I can feel exactly where the clutch engages. It makes it easier to pull out from a stop and to shift smoothly.


I can't comment on other springs but to say that it would probably make the clutch press easier while giving less feel. I would recommend just removing your factory spring first and then if the clutch is too stiff, adding an aftermarket spring. The more spring tension you use, the less clutch feel you are going to have. I prefer it with no spring at all.

If you think the pedal is too stiff once the spring is out, like I said, lower the pedal. Will fix all of your problems :)

Just removed the spring. Unless you are in stop and go traffic with pencil legs, or have a 550whp pressure plate, do this mode now! Feels much more linear and predictable like others have said. The spring seems to assist mostly at the end but our clutches begin to disengage close to the firewall so this spring is torture.

So to all who liked this mod, good on you! I spent 6 months with no spring and decided it should go back in. The slop on top was just too much for me.

On another note, if anyone wants the spring back in, it's no easy task! http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...1475bdbafd.jpg


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:clap:

Oh wow you really wanted that back in lol creative

Guess I know what I'll be doing today when work slows down..... Glad I found this post, I though it was just my driving skills slipping a bit... .Why make it so numb Toyota?? Whyyyy??

I thought the same thing too. When I bought my 2016 and took it for a test drive, I was a little embarrassed when I took it back to the dealership and all you could smell was the clutch. I had the hardest time engaging the clutch properly and it turns out it was just that stupid spring. Taking it out makes the clutch feel a lot more like my Ford Ranger. Which I like...

Just did this mod yesterday along with the clutch pedal height adjustment. I'm still on the fence. =/

a little background: when I bought the car I noticed the lack of clutch feedback but after 3-ish months of daily driving I adapted pretty well with muscle memory and relying on other things (ears, rpm, butt dyno) to engage to clutch.

anyone else in the same boat as me I'd recommend adjusting the clutch pedal height BEFORE doing this mod. I kinda wish I did and looking at Kronos's post I'm gonna have a fun time trying to put the spring back in.

I'll probably drive around without the spring for a couple of weeks though, who knows, maybe I do like it.

How To: Free Clutch Spring Removal in 15 Minutes - A must do for manual trans!
 

Yeah man it was pretty brutal haha. Took about an hour to get it all back in properly

Can you elaborate on what you didn't like? The slop on top (I'm assuming of the pedal travel) isn't something that people have mentioned... Or at least I haven't come across it.

When you remove the spring, the pedal doesn't return completely to the top. If you lift up on the clutch with your foot, the pedal will come up about an inch or so. The spring pulls against the pedal and causes it to rest at the very top of its travel. When you remove the spring the pedal will rest slightly lower.

It doesn't affect anything though. If anything it removes some of the slop at the top by causing the pedal to rest at the beginning of its travel. As soon as you press on the pedal, the clutch starts moving. By using a spring, the pedal rests higher and will move an inch before it begins to do anything. You just don't feel it with the spring because it makes the pedal numb.

Also, doesn't most of the slop go away once the up switch is adjusted?