built ford tough (well so they say)

antilooped · 07-03-2006, 09:31 PM

Hey guys,

well i got the pedal box out today, took me a couple of hours, got it out found a nasty surprise (see pictures) that clutch bar is holding on by an absolute thread. Cracked all the way around im so lucky i got to it now, rather than 100k/hr and the pedal rips off :(

They gonna charge me $86 for a new box so should be okay... Now i gotta get it back in! eek!

sfr rob · 07-03-2006, 09:38 PM

wow, man... that should be an alarming thing for all AU manual owners!!!!

**Peuty** · 07-03-2006, 09:43 PM

Yeah, mines a manual, i think it might be happening too.

How hard was it to get the box out?

XR6Stu · 07-03-2006, 09:49 PM

Mines a manual and it did happen to me. I was in Geelong ( I live in Bendigo) when my clutch pedal snapped off under my foot. 4 hours later, and much dodgy gear changes, Im back home and not happy! Mines occured aorund the 180,000 ish mark.

sfr rob · 07-03-2006, 09:56 PM

oh man...
how did you manage to drive like that stu?
If the pedal snapped off.... how did you shift??

xd5.8l · 07-03-2006, 10:13 PM

I recommemd all AU owners to weld a thick metal strip/rod from one end of the box to the other where the fulcrum bolt swivells. This will box the structure off and make it more rigid (eliminate flex). What were they thinking using body panel steel to support a cable operated clutch system!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Olympus · 07-03-2006, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfr rob

oh man...
how did you manage to drive like that stu?
If the pedal snapped off.... how did you shift??

It is possible to drive a manual car without a clutch.
Bunnyhop it into first gear by starting the car in-gear and then just kinda clunk it in to the next gears. Did it in my old Galant with a fully loaded trailer behind it also. :nutsycuck

antilooped · 07-03-2006, 10:31 PM

great idea xd ill prob do that, but im not sure how hard that will make it to get the box back in.

Peuty -> took me 2 hours, i went to the self serve wreckers and removed one out of an old AU taxi as preparation, but its hard to get in a undo the bolts, you need a good set of tools, and a load of patience, just undo all the nuts you can see, lower the steering column so the wheel rests on your front seat, then disconnect the clutch pedal, remove it, do the same for the brake, then work the box around until you can find a space to get it out, this stage is the most time consuming coz the looms get in the way, but ull get it with patience. Dont forget to d/c the battery - you dont want any airbags bursting if you knock something too hard under there!

JC · 07-03-2006, 10:50 PM

I wouldn't get a replacement one - it will be just as weak as the original. You are better off getting that one welded, and supported as suggested above.

And who says autos are crap?!

**Peuty** · 07-03-2006, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

And who says autos are crap?!

Me, still.

Looks like I have some fun times ahead of me.

DENKO · 07-03-2006, 11:04 PM

hey is it all au's?? or just series 1? because i have a series 2 s pack manual

INJECTED_250 · 07-03-2006, 11:14 PM

just weld a big X accross the back of the pin :> THere weak as ИИИИ

loxxr6 · 07-03-2006, 11:15 PM

Any AU manual can have this problem occur.

It goes back to E series cars I think - whenever Ford changed the clutch system.

Mine had the firewall split but my pedal box is yet to be welded up. Its a b@stard.

INJECTED_250 · 07-03-2006, 11:17 PM

been the same since XD/XF...

svo347 · 07-03-2006, 11:25 PM

E series has the same prob also including the cracked firewall.
Mine had both and i can tell your not a fool mate, just get it welded n braced and you wont look back.....

svo347 · 07-03-2006, 11:28 PM

get a washer thats bigger than the original welded pivot, insert over and fully weld inside n outside, turn over and to the exact same thing.
no dramas and the pedal still fits , just need to take off 2mm with a file from the plastic bushes

outback_ute · 07-03-2006, 11:29 PM

Hmm on seeing that I will definitely checking mine - & expecting to find similar because the clutch pedal is on a bit of an angle

XR6-VCT-2000 · 08-03-2006, 09:17 AM

Makes you wonder how they pass these things through roadworthy from factory sometimes ! - thats a real cheap and nasy efford by Ford imo , lucky you got to when you did or yeah it does look like it was about to snap off. Cheap nasty stuff like that 'should' (unfortunatelly its not though) be covered by Ford on any of their cars like that , second hand or new until the problem has been rectified. It's strange how over the years - for most road cars the automatic transmissions have improved heaps but the manual designs haven't really changed a bit ! - still old issues like this with manuals and also frying clutches, poppin out of gears etc etc .
Personally unless you like pushing the clutch all day or doing a ripper burnout, i can't really see much point to a manual these days, since the first 4 speed autos out by ford ( the Ford Fiad 4 speed auto ) which i owned 1 too in my XE , I have driven all my 4 speed auto's like a manual without any dramas or damage to the auto ... allthough alot of the old 3 speed autos (borg warner etc etc) i lost Reverse, 1st and 2nd gear in a few autos ..lol.. But the manual / auto thing is still a personal choice - so whatever/whichever you please ;) .
Good to see you got to that problem before it got any worse anyway.

tufLTD · 08-03-2006, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by antilooped

Hey guys,

well i got the pedal box out today, took me a couple of hours, got it out found a nasty surprise (see pictures) that clutch bar is holding on by an absolute thread. Cracked all the way around im so lucky i got to it now, rather than 100k/hr and the pedal rips off :(

They gonna charge me $86 for a new box so should be okay... Now i gotta get it back in! eek!

A common problem with EA to EL Falcons. Seems they haven't sorted it out with the AU's!

Lumpen Proletariat · 08-03-2006, 06:12 PM

The same thing has happened with the EB XR8 I've just bought although it's been re-welded and then crack along the (poor quality?) welds. The clutch pedal is very skew-iff now.

Can you please tell me where you are getting a pedal box for $86? It's not new for that price is it? The mechanic rang Ford in Grafton and they was $350 for the privledge and I emailed a friend who words at Ford spare parts in Canberra and he said they're just over $200. Unless thats for pedals and all too?

Wouldn't mind some help, part numbers, prices what have you please!

This one I will get re-enforced and braced from the get go!

Cheers,
Brendan

**Mechan1k** · 08-03-2006, 06:30 PM

It's not a Ford thing guys .... have seen this on several different model vehicles ... what makes it fail quicker is having an uprated clutch as well with a stiffer pedal feel.

I have seen this happen on Mitsus and Toyotas before

XR6Stu · 08-03-2006, 08:29 PM

"It is possible to drive a manual car without a clutch.
Bunnyhop it into first gear by starting the car in-gear and then just kinda clunk it in to the next gears. Did it in my old Galant with a fully loaded trailer behind it also" thatgs the one. Most of the drive wasnt too bad, just comin thru some of the smaller town and trying to down shift by knocking itinto nuetral, then revving the motor to the correct RPM for the gear I wanted. As for an up shift, allyou do is pop it out of gear, and hold firm, bot not harsh pressure, and as the RPm drop to the correct point, it was slip into gear. Goof fun for something to do wehen feeling lazy, but not good when your trying to get home ona dark night with a road full of traffic!

blue terra · 08-03-2006, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by antilooped

Hey guys,

well i got the pedal box out today, took me a couple of hours, got it out found a nasty surprise (see pictures) that clutch bar is holding on by an absolute thread. Cracked all the way around im so lucky i got to it now, rather than 100k/hr and the pedal rips off :(

They gonna charge me $86 for a new box so should be okay... Now i gotta get it back in! eek!

thats exactly what happened to mine last week. except mine came through the firewall. dropped it off to ford cos they were 2k away and it burnt the clutch out in that time.
and i did what olympus said to do start in gear. but i went 2nd cos i no it will pull and had no chance of changing gears.

XR6-VCT-2000 · 08-03-2006, 10:29 PM

your right , its not just a ford problem , but just because cheap cars have cheap setups , u'de think the au would at least have something a bit better for its price ! , and to uphold the Ford name.

shepv8 · 09-03-2006, 09:53 PM

I just checked mine and and I think it may have already been welded, although I cant be sure cause its bloody hard to get right up and have a good look. I did notice a heap of flex in the box when you push the clutch with my hand. It definately needs bracing.
Are auto and manual pedal boxes the same????????
I dont like the chances of getting a manual AU pedal box from the wreckers.
If I get one I will get it strengthened and ready to go, just in case.