Xantia clutch clip metal???

Post by **RichardW** » 17 Jan 2008, 07:52

ISTR a discussion where somebody suggested that if the clip was fitted the wrong way round then the metal part got pinched between the clutch and pedal and it then led a very short life. Having only had to fit one which lasted till the car died, I've no idea if this is true or not.

There is a description on the net somewhere of a taxi driver making a fairly simple metal clip out of an angle grinder spanner. I'll see if I can find it later.

Now onto a super light hydraulic clutched HDi, so no more clip worries for me

Post by **CitroJim** » 17 Jan 2008, 07:58

RichardW wrote: Now onto a super light hydraulic clutched HDi, so no more clip worries for me

I know Richard, having both a hydraulically clutched Activa and 2.1TD and a cable clutched 1.9TD, my 1.9TD seems to have an incredibly heavy clutch. It's near the end of it's life though and will be replaced as soon as the weather improves, along with the clip.

The downside of our lovely light clutches is that if anything goes wrong with the hydraulics, they cost an arm and a leg to sort out. I wonder why they did not take advantage of the main hydraulics to operate the clutch?

lolingram · Post by **lolingram** » 17 Jan 2008, 11:03

In the technical sense, a well designed clutch cable transmission should easily outlast a clutch, or even the vehicle. In this case, the attachment to the pedal was designed by a five year old - hence the problem.

Hydraulics would be a good option provided we are not stuck with DOT fluids...

The downside of our lovely light clutches is that if anything goes wrong with the hydraulics, they cost an arm and a leg to sort out. I wonder why they did not take advantage of the main hydraulics to operate the clutch?

lolingram · Post by **lolingram** » 17 Jan 2008, 11:11

In the technical sense, a well designed clutch cable transmission should easily outlast a clutch, or even the vehicle. In this case, the attachment to the pedal was designed by a five year old - hence the problem.

Hydraulics would be a good option provided we are not stuck with DOT fluids...

The downside of our lovely light clutches is that if anything goes wrong with the hydraulics, they cost an arm and a leg to sort out. I wonder why they did not take advantage of the main hydraulics to operate the clutch?

slim123 · Post by **slim123** » 17 Jan 2008, 16:58

Hydraulic clutch.......

Me for one could never understand why Citroen has a marvelous hydraulic system fitted to the car, yet still uses a cable to operate the clutch...Mad

The first thing that Maserati did when fitting the Citroen system to thier cars was to operate the clutch with it.

Even on the later Xanta's with a hydraulic clutch, it is kept totally seperate from the main hydraulic system, it dont even share the same fluid!!

Regards
Slim.

lolingram · Post by **lolingram** » 17 Jan 2008, 17:29

Ford for one, hide the clutch slave cylinder INSIDE the bellhousing on one of their models... how about that? Nowt wrong with a well designed cable.

Hydraulic clutch.......

Me for one could never understand why Citroen has a marvelous hydraulic system fitted to the car, yet still uses a cable to operate the clutch...Mad

The first thing that Maserati did when fitting the Citroen system to thier cars was to operate the clutch with it.

Even on the later Xanta's with a hydraulic clutch, it is kept totally seperate from the main hydraulic system, it dont even share the same fluid!!

Gregg1100 · Post by **Gregg1100** » 17 Jan 2008, 23:03

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone has seen my wizard of a drawing showing an idea for a metal clutch clip.

. Click on the link. I know the drawing is basic, but the idea is there. It's what I am going to knock up---must be 500% better than a plastic one, where the sides of the metal bit barely grip the bell end of the cable.
Unless the cable itself breaks at that point, my clip mod will last forever.
Greg

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 17 Jan 2008, 23:50

slim123 wrote:Hydraulic clutch.......

Me for one could never understand why Citroen has a marvelous hydraulic system fitted to the car, yet still uses a cable to operate the clutch...Mad

The first thing that Maserati did when fitting the Citroen system to thier cars was to operate the clutch with it.

Even on the later Xanta's with a hydraulic clutch, it is kept totally seperate from the main hydraulic system, it dont even share the same fluid!!

Regards
Slim.

yep but it get worse on the C5 with brakes, steering and suspention as three seperate systems
regards malcolm

smokegetsinyereyes · Post by **smokegetsinyereyes** » 19 Jan 2008, 21:50

Greg, had a look at your drawings, have a few of my own, I've showed them to a machine man in my work and he said he should be able to sort somthing, at the moment the mill and lathes are being moved about, so it may be a few weeks. gonna go ahead anywy and fit a new cable and clip in work to-morrow and see what happens in the meantime, I do a brave few miles in a month 3000 in Dec mostly finish up in rural back roads, so would'nt like it to snap uot there in the sticks.

Cheers Neill........ 94 TD LX.

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 20 Jan 2008, 20:37

slim123 wrote: I know that some folks have mentioned that it has happened after the new clutch has been fitted but, how long was the clip in place whilst the old clutch was in? Also what about the quality of some clutch kits? There is one very common aftermarket brand that I wouldn't fit. What about the quality of the workmanship in fitting the new clutch, I can think of one case where a chap had his clutch done and it was still heavy, just because the fitter diddn't even pull the arm out of the bell housing, clean, grease and fit it back. (I call them fitters as some of these chaps at the mass garages are not mechanics, they simply fit parts)

In my own humble opinion, fit either Valeo or LUK nuffin else except genuine and I think that you will find that a genuine clutch is a re-boxed and more expensive Valeo.

When I replaced the clutch on my '94, it was replaced with a Valeo one. I took apart the arm and greased its bearings, I greased the gearbox output shaft as per the instructions. Afterwards, the clutch on that car was light, I thought at the time it was about as light as the accelarator pedal on the car, i.e. feather light.

I was suprised that with everything being as it should be and the clutch being so light the clip still broke, as I mentioned earlier it was the metal that broke this time and not the plastic.

Perhaps my conclusion is that despite the job having been done properly and the clutch being light and the clip being the stronger variety it still broke.