Clutch cable replacement

[Toller]

Was out two weeks ago for last run of the year and encountered problem with clutch no longer functioning and had to have friend tow the TDR home. Thought cable was broken, ordered new one for 68 Beetle and found two issues. Original cable had just become disconnected from the clutch pedal hook. As I already had new cable in hand decided to proceed with replacing old one. Second issue was new cable was too long, probably due to relocation of pedal assembly   So I cut the cable, drilled 5/64″ hole in threaded rod and crimped and using Weld Bond reassembled the cable so I could use the wing nut. Problem now is adjusting the cable to correct length so that I can shift. Found if cable was too long just ground gears trying to get into reverse but could sh*t into 3rd and 4th. Shortening cable (tightening wing nut) now let’s me shift into reverse but there is an expensive noise when clutch is engaged. Still encountering some problems with shifting into 1st and 2nd. So question is is there a perfect adjustment technique or is it done by trial and error?

David B Dixon
Port Perry ON CA
Sabine

[KentT]

Does your TDr have the Bowden tube on the transmission that the clutch cable comes through? If it is missing or is improperly seated in the mounting bracket, it can produce symptoms like you describe.

Similarly, the clutch cable must run through a tube inside the tunnel. If that tube is missing, or if it has broken loose, allowing it to move, you can have similar symptoms.

Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...

[newkitman]

I agree with Kent here. The Bowden Tube also has an adjustment procedure to ensure the correct play/give. Its adjusted to the proper value by adding or taking away a washer between the Bowden Tube and the transaxle bracket the tube goes through.
This is covered in the Haynes manual for your year VW.newkitman2015-11-10 17:00:01

Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The Shack

[Toller]

Bowden tube in place and seated into tube in tunnel. After reading posts in Samba and 2-3 other sites added washers between Bowden tube and bracket on transmission but did not make a difference to performance. What should be the orientation of the clutch lever when the clutch pedal is not engaged and the cable is properly adjusted? In drawings in Muir and Haynes it looks to be at 12:00.

David B Dixon
Port Perry ON CA
Sabine

[newkitman]

Clutch arm should be vertical.

Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The Shack

[edward ericson]

Turn the wing nut until the pedal give you about 3/4 inch free play before engaging the clutch. Assuming the pedal assembly is still good–that the “hook” part isn’t broken, the attachment isn’t cracked or anything–that should give you decent clutch. You can fine tune it further from there if needed. 

I found that i had to turn the wingnut a lot further than I’d thought to take up all the slack in my new cable. But it wasn’t that hard. 

Hope you get it squared away soon.

Also a tip for others: The cables must be shortened, but David did it the hard way. The easy way is to get a couple u-shaped cable clamps sized to fit the clutch cable’s thickness. Feed the new clutch cable through, feed the screw end through the arm on the bell housing, and then loop the loose cable to take up the slack, and clamp the loop where the cable crosses itself. The extra material will not hurt anything or snag on anything over the transaxle, and the U clamp(s) gives you an extra measure of adjustability plus a potential repair part if the cable ever frays in a spot you can fix with some overlap–which never happens, but you never know.

That is how Bridget’s clutch cable was done when I got her, and the single clamp on it never loosened or gave any problem. 

edsnova2015-11-11 21:54:11

[Toller]

Thanks for reply Ed re adjustment, I am still doing the trial and error to balance between gear grind and being able to shift into all five gears.  Everything I have read appears on the surface to make the replacement and adjustment of the clutch cable a simple no brainer.  Which I should qualify for.  Will continue to make adjustments before I go looking for a VW mechanic who can remedy the problem.  No where near the number of VW specialists here in Canada as there appears to be in southwestern US. 

David B Dixon
Port Perry ON CA
Sabine

[Joel atkins]

Check your clutch pedal.mine did the same as you discribed.after new clutch .pedal .throw out bearing and cable it turns out to be a cracked clutch pedal the was bent .replaced pedal worked great.

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