Clutch return spring removal

[Fishbone]

Originally Posted by D_Thissen

Tried to do this today, could get the Damn pin out. I tried with the clutch pedal depressed also. Anyone have any tips?

After removing the e-clip, use a small hammer or end of your rachet etc... and knock the pin until it moves out so that you can get a screwdriver on the head of the pin and pry it out. Probably need to use a pair of pliers here too.

I used only a pair of needle nose pliers and wiggled both the pliers and clutch pedel (when depressed) and out came the pin.

[spicyricecake]

Originally Posted by Aozora.BRZ

After taking the pin out I almost got a hernia trying to remove the spring. Locking Pliers saved my day as it was so easy to remove with them using this process.

It has been a week after removing the spring and adjusting the pedal height and I can't understand why the car did not come like that stock.

I learned MT on this car so I was already adapted to the original setup, but this mod instantly improved all my shifting activities. I can up/downshift so smoothly now. I can take of from stoplights faster as well.

No more guessing where the clutch engages. I just want to drive and drive...

BRZ is also my first MT transmission. I've been told that since I learned stick with the spring, I wouldn't like the removal. I'm considering doing this again though since I can't seem to shift smoothly. Can you elaborate a bit more on your experience?

[churchx]

spicyricecake: best mod to smooth out manual shifts is seat time/experience . You have to get it in habbits/reflexes and then it happens naturally w/o any mechanical modifications, just like with riding bycicle you think you want to go faster or slower or brake and hands/legs do their job without extra thinking, same with MT car. Of course, many commented positively on clutch pedal travel adjusment for easier to find grab point, you can do that, but even without it all come with time. You had your first MT car just for half a year, don't worry, it will grow in naturally, just drive more and more, by time you will just think of just what you want car to do and legs/hands will do needed action "by themselves", be it smooth clutchwork, be it downshift for overtake, be it hitting of clutch to slide rear out, be it stop and go traffic in jam hours, be it feathering pedals to drive in winter, by time maybe even advanced techniques like accel blipping, rev matching and so on .. i don't find it "more work", i find it "more engaging fun" and agree to saying of one friend "AT gets me from A to B. MT lets me drive".

[GT86_PRAGUE]

Originally Posted by D_Thissen

Tried to do this today, could get the Damn pin out. I tried with the clutch pedal depressed also. Anyone have any tips?

Brute force.

[Aozora.BRZ]

Originally Posted by spicyricecake

BRZ is also my first MT transmission. I've been told that since I learned stick with the spring, I wouldn't like the removal. I'm considering doing this again though since I can't seem to shift smoothly. Can you elaborate a bit more on your experience?

Originally Posted by churchx

spicyricecake: best mod to smooth out manual shifts is seat time/experience . You have to get it in habbits/reflexes and then it happens naturally w/o any mechanical modifications, just like with riding bycicle you think you want to go faster or slower or brake and hands/legs do their job without extra thinking, same with MT car. Of course, many commented positively on clutch pedal travel adjusment for easier to find grab point, you can do that, but even without it all come with time.

I agree with churchx's advice. The other point is that I did both changes at the same time (pedal travel and spring removal) so it is hard for me to judge which gave me a bigger improvement.

If anything I would suggest you start by just adjusting pedal height and see how it feels first. Try to drive somebody else's car with the spring removed if you can find them through the regional forums as it is harder to return back to stock.

I think the height adjustments allows you to find the grab point easier and is the biggest contributor to the improved shifting. The spring is more to improve the feedback throughout the travel back and seems to be more beneficial for situations when driving slow speeds for modulating, but it does add some weight to the pedal. It is minor but if your leg still gets tired from working the clutch I would hold on this change.

I am not saying that overnight I am now shifting like a pro. It took me a long time to get consistent even before doing these changes.

[spicyricecake]

Originally Posted by Aozora.BRZ

I agree with churchx's advice. The other point is that I did both changes at the same time (pedal travel and spring removal) so it is hard for me to judge which gave me a bigger improvement.

If anything I would suggest you start by just adjusting pedal height and see how it feels first. Try to drive somebody else's car with the spring removed if you can find them through the regional forums as it is harder to return back to stock.

I think the height adjustments allows you to find the grab point easier and is the biggest contributor to the improved shifting. The spring is more to improve the feedback throughout the travel back and seems to be more beneficial for situations when driving slow speeds for modulating, but it does add some weight to the pedal. It is minor but if your leg still gets tired from working the clutch I would hold on this change.

I am not saying that overnight I am now shifting like a pro. It took me a long time to get consistent even before doing these changes.

Thank you and churchx!

I am pretty good at all (i can heel-toe/revmatch no problem), I just have jerks every now and then in first/second gear still and I want to elimiate that completely.

I'll try out the pedal adjustment though thanks!

[churchx]

spicyricecake: btw, i can also suggest some exercises for clutchwork that i advised when i recently let friend of mine learn MT driving on mine regarding clutch work - for example to start going without stalling or overrewing (<2500) in 3rd or 4th gear. When one manages to do that he should be way less prone to stall in first gears. Or start going at 1st but w/o using accel at all w/o stalling, just watching rews and maybe slightly pulsating a bit clutch (what i often do in slow moving traffic jams). Of course, these exercises shouldn't be overused, as load on clutch with them might be higher and too long, and they are also more for initial skills for first month of driving ever, when it's common to stall car on start, not after already half a year. As for smooth daily driving without any notchiness on shifts, one can instead of quick clutch engage for higher gears for faster shifting rather depress clutch gradually, almost like at start going from stop, of course with apropriate simultaneous accel work to match rews, when done properly, it might feel almost as smooth as with AT. Of course, then there is a bit of sometimes NOT wanting it to be smooth, for that hit in back, for tire squeal, for getting intentionally rear sideways in middle of turn with clutch hit & overrew, to get smile on face

[Blue Gt]

My son and I just did it in maybe 20 minutes and re-assembled the clevis without the spring. I agree the car is way easier to drive, like it should be. Now I don't have to worry about others smoking the clutch disc. I used one long narrow flat blade to pop the E clip, one long large flat blade to push out the pin, a std channelocks pliers to pull the pin and the big Craftsman blade and soft mallet to pop out the clevis end.

What really helped is my boy straddled the console and depressed the clutch pedal so I could pull the pin out with the pliers. I am now looking for a recommendation on pedal height. thanks, DP

[ajcarson11]

It has been a few weeks since i've performed this mod and i (like another member in this thread) am now noticing that the clutch tends to engage very close to the top of the pedal travel. VERY close. Is this a problem? Should I raise my clutch pedal up?

The clutch pedal sits barely at level with the brake pedal while in neutral. When I put it in gear, I notice that the pedal will only return to slightly below the brake pedal. The engagement point occurs RIGHT before I completely remove my foot from the clutch after switching gears. Any thoughts?

[fika84]

Originally Posted by ajcarson11

It has been a few weeks since i've performed this mod and i (like another member in this thread) am now noticing that the clutch tends to engage very close to the top of the pedal travel. VERY close. Is this a problem? Should I raise my clutch pedal up?

The clutch pedal sits barely at level with the brake pedal while in neutral. When I put it in gear, I notice that the pedal will only return to slightly below the brake pedal. The engagement point occurs RIGHT before I completely remove my foot from the clutch after switching gears. Any thoughts?

The return spring has nothing to do with when the clutch engages. What you are noticing is that the clutch pedal isn't returning as high because the spring isn't pulling it up there. Should be nothing to worry about, but if it does worry you, you could adjust the pedal so it engages closer to the ground and/or bleed the system just to be safe.

[ajcarson11]

Thanks Fika -- I just thought it was funky that the entire clutch travel is probably 6-8inches, and the first 3-4 inches from the floorboard up are dead, followed by clutch engagement in the last 2 inches or so. It looks like if i I lower the engagement point any farther that the pedal has trouble returning as firmly/quickly.

I'll just learn to enjoy it! Just wish there was an adjustment to get the engagement closer to the floorboard without lowering the pedal any farther.

[HunterGreene]

So this is probably all in my own head, but has anyone else noticed after removing the spring that the gear engagement seems a bit more notchy? I didn't do anything other than remove the spring. My biggest fear is that the clutch is partially engaged even with my foot all the way to the floor. However, I haven't noticed any car movement when I have the pedal down, foot off the brake and the car "in gear."

[sato]

Originally Posted by HunterGreene

So this is probably all in my own head, but has anyone else noticed after removing the spring that the gear engagement seems a bit more notchy? I didn't do anything other than remove the spring. My biggest fear is that the clutch is partially engaged even with my foot all the way to the floor. However, I haven't noticed any car movement when I have the pedal down, foot off the brake and the car "in gear."

I might have the same concern, but then again, I'm no expert (and I replaced the transmission grease recently)

Sent from my A1P using Tapatalk

[rburrow87]

Removing the spring is not going to move your clutch engagement/disengagement point. The only thing that will do that is adjusting the pedal height.

I was surprised what a difference it made removing this spring. It's so much easier to switch between the BRZ and the Miata now that I can actually feel when I'm close to the grab point.