'In Tunnel' SACO hydro clutch kit

[wildman1]

I tried search and said fk it, so:

anyone running the SACO in tunnel hydro clutch kit for a street Beetle? I have a 69 Autostick and will be converting to 4spd this winter. I know about the clutch tube, it has none, and can fab one to work. I am very curious to know if the SACO kit works w/o flaws for daily use and abuse?

Thank you.

1969 VW Bug, 2387, Rancho box, big tires.

[Stripped66]

I've got one. It makes a Stage 2 clutch feel pretty dang light.

1) Buy it direct from SACO; PimpPride sells them on EBay for about $70+ more than SACO sells them
2) Buy the slave cylinder mount from CB Performance. This replaces the ball-nut on the transaxle side of the slave cylinder with a heim joint. This will eliminate binding.
3) Determine which throw-out arm you have on your transaxle. If you have the later, longer throw-out arm, you may need to find an early, shorter arm (make sure it fits the diameter of your cross-shaft). Conversely, some replacement clutch hooks are longer. You're going to be removing your pedal-cluster anyway and clutch-hooks are cheap and easy to replace. Here's the issue: if the throw-out arm is too long, or the clutch hook is too short, the slave-cylinder may not have enough travel to actuate the clutch.
4) A 4" hole saw provides quick and easy access to the tunnel near the pedal cluster.
5) Take your time. Relax, get out of the car and go swear for a bit. The install is pretty straight-forward, but you're going to have to wedge yourself headfirst into the driver's and passenger's footwell to modify the tunnel and install the master cylinder. It's uncomfortable, cramped, and a PITA.
6) Bleed the slave cylinder while it is off of the transaxle. I read somebody's account that the slave-cylinder was self-bleeding and you simply open the bleeder and pump the master cylinder until the air bubbles are out. This isn't the case. It bleeds like a standard brake cylinder.

Anyway, that's what I remember from my install back in the spring. I only wish I had done it sooner instead of dealing with my clutch tube separating from the front and middle mounts inside the tunnel...twice! [/i]
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[wildman1]

Many thanks for your review/advice/input and tips!

I will be getting a Rancho trans and can have them supply the short arm I am sure. SACO also sells the anti bind mount, is that the same as CB's? Have you had to look at it since the install, is it pretty trouble free and accurate?

[marekv8]

I had a SACO unit in my street car for less than a month. While the basic premise is sound-- the actuating arm for the tunnel-mounted master cylinder was a bit too "mousetrap game" for me. The hook that formerly pulled, now pushed and vice-versa. The bottom line for me is that clutch actuation was inconsistent and the set-up seemed more like a backyard rig than a nice piece of performance engineering/machining. The kit is now in my son's box of "robot parts" for future use. Installation, as stated earlier, is extremely hairy and painful.

I did, however, continue with the hydraulic clutch premise and installed a Tilton pedal assembly with push-rod actuated masters forward of the bulkhead and remote reservoirs. This was a night and day improvement, although it unfortunately made the SACO install seem like a picnic.

[turboblue]

[mpate]

I would put in a hydraulic pedal assembly in replace of the whole pedal assembly. Far superior and tons stronger.

[marekv8]

Easier said than done on a pan-based street car. It was a major undertaking.

[wildman1]

Seems that the good 'ol clutch tube is still the best way to go.

[turboblue]

[speedyshift74]

Did you already check your pan to see if there was already a tube in it. Some of the Auto stick cars had one from the factory,

[bsprajc]

I tried the kit and although the quality of the components seem good, the whole deal just didn't work out for me:

* Unable to get the system to bleed
* Pedel to master cyl setup is funky. Needed to adjust the push rod out so far that it would eventually bind
* The instructions sucked ass! You need to be mechanically compitent to figure this thing out, just look and stair and figure it out. Far from Bolt-On
* Took a few days to install

In the end, I ripped it out and went with the clutch cable.
I still have the set available for cheap (minus the fluid line)

The good part is now I have a hole in the tunnel, so if my clutch cable break, I can install a new cable through the hole without having to unbolt the pedel assembly.
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1968 Type 1 body on 1970 Pan with 2164cc

[wildman1]