Clutch cable snapped.

davewithington · Post by **davewithington** » 20 Apr 2010, 19:22

Driving along through Stoke this afternoon, change down for traffic lights and bang - clutch cable goes. Drove back home avoiding traffic wherever possible, clutchless changes up and down, starting in gear, usual thing, we've all done it, found when I looked that the cable had actually snapped just before the pedal. I'm sure that isn't repairable.

Just ordered a new cable and clip, might as well change both while I'm doing the job.

One question. Do you have to take the pedal off to do the change, as pivot bolt was inserted from the brake pedal side, and looks as if I would have to remove the brake pedal to get the bolt out. My Haynes manual says that the just removing the clip will enable the cable to be changeed, mind you it also advises removing the dash to "provide adequate clearance".

Not doing that.

Post by **CitroJim** » 20 Apr 2010, 20:51

Yep, clutch pedal has to come off, which means removing its pivot bolt. You'll either be lucky and find the nut on the "easy" side or on the "wrong" side if you get my meaning...

It can be done even then with a bit of lateral thinking.

No need to remove dash.. Lie upside down in the footwell with ratchet spanners, a torch, Blutak and a good supply of PERCYWATSIT and you'll be fine. An assistant is useful...

spider · Post by **spider** » 20 Apr 2010, 21:36

Without having seen these, I'm going to assume they are similar to the 405 clutch clip ? (no reason to ask other than furthering my knowledge)

My first one took me about 2 hours .

, although I ended up doing so many of them I had it down to about 20 minutes typically.

Post by **CitroJim** » 20 Apr 2010, 21:55

spider wrote:Without having seen these, I'm going to assume they are similar to the 405 clutch clip ? (no reason to ask other than furthering my knowledge)

If the 405 clip is like the 205 one then no, the Xantia one is different Andy!!!

The 2045 clip is an absolute walk in the park in comparison.

The clip is not part of the cable. The cable end is a bullet that clips into the clip and then the clip hooks into and is pinned to the clutch pedal.

This is the clip..

And this is the pedal mechanism...

The problem comes from the placement of the pedal pivot bolt nut. Sometimes it's hard against the brake pedal box and cannot be easily removed...

vince · Post by **vince** » 20 Apr 2010, 22:05

Is that something to do with it being a LHD design originally Jim?

If the bolt is hard up against something how do you get it out?

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 20 Apr 2010, 22:09

Your meant to remove the Brake pedal First!! They reverse assembled them in factory!

Then when someone has been there before you can cleverly assemble it in the opposite way, and guide the nut between the brake pedal and clutch pedal, and put the bolt through..

Its a sod of a job, you need to be quite lexible - litterally!!

I think all my customers have had all theirs done now, so I shouldn't need to be dooing one again for some time!

Paul

Post by **RichardW** » 21 Apr 2010, 09:32

Info on the job here

Only had to do it once, that was enough

but the toughest part was cutting the bolt, so if you can manage without, it will be much easier. Interestingly, Jim's diagram shows the bolt in the 'right' way around

spider · Post by **spider** » 21 Apr 2010, 11:09

CitroJim wrote:If the 405 clip is like the 205 one then no, the Xantia one is different Andy!!!

The 2045 clip is an absolute walk in the park in comparison.

The clip is not part of the cable. The cable end is a bullet that clips into the clip and then the clip hooks into and is pinned to the clutch pedal.

Ah. No it's not like the 205, its a separate plastic part joining the pedal and the cable, it looks similar to the Xantia one you posted a picture of and described actually. Unbolt pedal shaft etc.

Pleiades · Post by **Pleiades** » 21 Apr 2010, 13:29

Dave.

The clip aint to bad a job, I can do them now quite quick, although I have done quite a lot of them!!

You can get the bolt out if you remove the brake light wire connection from the brake pedal, then push it right up as if you are trying to force it out through the speedo!!

Then the bolt will come out as long as one of the flats is in line with the brake pedal.

You will also need a maglite torch to stick between your teeth whilst you hands are busy with the spanners, this also helps to muffle the swearing and stop it being heard next door.

Put it back the other way round.

Jim.....

The clips that I have in stock, all have the metal clip on them. Do they not come complete any more ??
Regards
Martin.

Post by **CitroJim** » 21 Apr 2010, 14:41

I do enjoy the supplementary function of the Maglite Martin

Indeed the job can get a tad verbal on occasion....

Pleiades wrote:Jim.....

The clips that I have in stock, all have the metal clip on them. Do they not come complete any more ??
Regards
Martin.

There was a time when some from GSF came without the metal clip. That was one such... I believe GSF stock now has the metal clip included

Those lacking the metal clip are useless really as when the plastic bit breaks the metal bit gets bent all-shapes and beyond reuse...

HDI · Post by **HDI** » 21 Apr 2010, 16:13

Glady I have retired from clip replacement now I have my S2 110 !!
Did 3 or 4 on S1's and it is one the most undesirable jobs on any car I have ever worked on !! I would even rather do a clutch change on a Mitsubishi Evo !!
After the 1st one I always cut the bolt head off with a an air hacksaw , then replaced with a new bolt from the other side. Of course I never had the benefit of this , it would be the subsequent owner / owners !
There is a job on my S2 that I'm not looking forward to though , the oil temp/level sensorneeds replacing and it looks like the exhaust manifold needs removing !! Who in Citroen is responsible for such STUPID design ??!!

Xantidote · Post by **Xantidote** » 21 Apr 2010, 17:07

Aaaaaaaaagh!

Read Dave's post last night, little realising that I was to be afflicted with same problem this morning!

Got home just like Dave, reading the road a long way ahead, and selecting a route with roundabouts, and least number of T junctions & traffic lights, to minimise stops. Used 1st & 2nd gears.

Replacement items awaited courtesy of GSF (thanks Vince). The failed item wasn't the cable or the plastic clip, but the metal clip that slides into the plastic clip - half of one of the metal sides that locates the end of the cable had broken off and disappeared. In the last few days, I had felt just a very slight "click" from the pedal as one gently applied first pressure, and I wish I'd investigated immediately - so be warned!

Problem was probably exaccerbated by being a heavy clutch (Valeo), even when first fitted (which was to try and replace the car's original heavy clutch).

Post by **CitroJim** » 21 Apr 2010, 17:12

shhhhhhh

Don't post too loudly about this problem or all the 1.9TDs in the country will be going down with it.....

I really do wonder if all of us sitting here smug with our hydraulic clutches and torque converters are really better off without the clip. If we get problems it's BIG aggro, much moreso than a mere clutch clip...

davewithington · Post by **davewithington** » 22 Apr 2010, 20:18

Changed the cable this afternoon, new cable came in the post this morning from an eBay seller, reasonable I thought at £11.

What a b**tard of a job the first time you do it. Took me several albeit leisurely hours, but probably do it in under an hour if there is a next time. Didn't take the pedal off, didn't feel like it today. The worst bit was deciding just where the pedal end of the cable went through the bulkhead.

Lovely light and smooth action now, but what a weird method of cable adjustment! I'm used to just taking the slack out and easing of a turn, not measuring the pedal travel. Still, learn something new every day - keeps the brain young, and as I got my bus pass a couple of weeks ago - it was free, so I'm having it - I need the brain exercise.

flying clutchman · Post by **flying clutchman** » 23 Apr 2010, 14:33

I'm not sure which is the worse job, changing the cable or the clip assembly. This design was indeed a development of the one used on the 405. Seems a mental decision as they were always breaking. (still got one in my van) Unfortunately Citroen decided that they could cure the problem by pinning them to the pedal, thereby making an akward job twice as bad. There's no need to cut off the pivot bolt. Lift up the brake pedal and remove the plastic plunger from under the pedal. With the aid of a sturdy bar you can now push the pedal low enough to wriggle the bolt out of the clutch pedal. Obviously the bolt goes back in the other way round!