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gerico
Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2004
Posts: 322
Location: Carlsbad, CA
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 Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 8:31 pm Post subject: anybody used a "soft clutch" |
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Have any of you guys used one of these? If so, what's the verdict?
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=748311
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`70 street Ghia, 2276 NA
Thanks to:
Darren at DRD Racing
Jason at VW Paradise
Bill at Shear Speed
Kevin at KCR trans |
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Terry Cloyd
Banned
Joined: March 23, 2004
Posts: 2218
Location: Valley Center "SO CAL"
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| Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 8:43 pm Post subject: Re: anybody used a "soft clutch" |
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What size pressure plate do you run? |
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Bruce
Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2003
Posts: 17605
Location: Left coast, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 12:32 am Post subject: |
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OMG! What a mickey-mouse contraption!
Why not do this much simpler solution for less than half the money:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=473781
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| overheard at the portland Swap Meet... wrote: |
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joescoolcustoms
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
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| Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 1:02 am Post subject: |
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WOW! 
Get Bruces long arm and reduce it 40% then get the "Mickey Mouse" unit and reduce it another 50%. You could have a 70% reduced peddle pressure and run a KEP Stage 3 on the street as a DD.
Then the wife could drive it to the store.
Now if someone could come up with a device that would make dual 48 IDA's act like a single 34 PICT, I could have it all. 
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Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
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Mongo63
Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2007
Posts: 1358
Location: prison city, IL
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| Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 1:13 am Post subject: |
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Ricky Rat indeed! Long arm it and be done!
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Southside Buggistas VW & kit car club
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Terry Cloyd
Banned
Joined: March 23, 2004
Posts: 2218
Location: Valley Center "SO CAL"
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flashburn2020
Samba Member
Joined: July 25, 2005
Posts: 35
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| Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:15 am Post subject: |
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| If someone changes over to a longer throwout arm, is clutch pedal travel affected? I guess pedal effort is easier (?) but takes longer pedal travel to activate clutch?? |
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The Noof
Samba Member
Joined: January 25, 2005
Posts: 4346
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| Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:26 am Post subject: |
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| flashburn2020 wrote: |
| If someone changes over to a longer throwout arm, is clutch pedal travel affected? I guess pedal effort is easier (?) but takes longer pedal travel to activate clutch?? |
Yes...travel is traded for leverage.If everything else works as it should, it's seldom an issue.I have had to back the pedal cluster stop plate a little to gain a little more travel on my own car, and thats with a Stage III kep and turbo disc. |
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Bruce
Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2003
Posts: 17605
Location: Left coast, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:29 am Post subject: |
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| flashburn2020 wrote: |
| ... but takes longer pedal travel to activate clutch?? |
That is correct. A buddy of mine was telling me one thing he hated about his car with a Stage 2 clutch was that the engagement was either on or off, he had no control in between, so street driving was not fun. When he put the long arm on, he had full control of how the clutch engaged. Plus a lighter pedal.
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| overheard at the portland Swap Meet... wrote: |
| ..... a steering wheel made from a mastadon tusk..... |
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MAYHEM
Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006
Posts: 1813
Location: Warm and sunny coastal CT
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| Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:31 am Post subject: |
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I think the long arm is a great solution to a heavy pedal.
Seems to me that a pulley, by simple engineering theory, would be very effective for this type of application as well.
And OldSpeed is not known for "junk".
I have no need for it, as I only run 1700#. I actually like the heavier clutch pedal feel. Now, at 2100# it may be a bit too much.
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The Noof
Samba Member
Joined: January 25, 2005
Posts: 4346
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| Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:35 am Post subject: |
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| Long arm and a Stage III are still easy to manipulate.A good lady friend of mine has no trouble whatsoever with the clutch in my car.It's smoother and more progressive than a Stage I with a short arm.Thanks to Bruce...lol |
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Terry Cloyd
Banned
Joined: March 23, 2004
Posts: 2218
Location: Valley Center "SO CAL"
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Alan_U
Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2004
Posts: 1762
Location: Vancouver, BC Canada
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| Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 9:23 am Post subject: |
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Bruce's OE long arm with a stage 1 with black magic disc (a perfect transmission grenade combo) was an insanely soft pedal like my all original 67.
Now with a stage 2 with my trusty copperhead the long arm is perfect.
The arm from Bruce is a no brainer.
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mynameistory
Samba Member
Joined: January 13, 2008
Posts: 268
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| Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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Agreed... 1776 turbo with stage 1 and copperhead with bruce's long arm pedals as nicely as my stocker.
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Daddybus
Samba Member
Joined: June 15, 2000
Posts: 1662
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:19 am Post subject: |
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Installed the kit in my '67 bus (type 1 IRS). It took longer than 10 minutes. I suppose that if I had a lift and the clutch cable wingnut was already off the cable and the cable was new and clean and I only had to replace one nut (swing axle kit), then I could've installed it in ten minutes. Since my bus is converted to IRS, I needed to swap out the bowden tube bracket. It took a while to get the wing nut off the cable, then one of the bowden tube bracket studs backed out with the nut. After reinstalling the stud, the bracket went on without a hitch. The guys at Old Speed told me that I could've just drilled a hole in my old bracket and installed an 8mmx1.25 bolt. I bought the bracket so I could keep my old one as a spare. No need to disasseble the pulley, just slipped the cable through, then guided it back, around, then back through the other side of the pulley. Installed one nut on the end and then installed the wingnut. Took up the slack at the cable end and then installed the second jam nut. Adjusted the wingnut as stock.
The verdict...
you penny-pinching macho, he-man 2300# clutch dudes who are trading increased pedal travel for the benefits of using a longer lever arm...dust the cob webs off your wallets and spend the $$ on this kit.
Being a former science teacher, I examined the physics involved in the soft clutch kit. There are two basic ways of getting a mechanical advantage...use a longer lever arm (you cheap skates know that one already) or use a pulley system (the softy clutch kit). The pulley system in the soft clutch kit effectively spreads the load over two cables instead of one. For you knuckle-dragging doubters...let me ask you this...which is easier...lifting an engine with a longer pry bar or lifting an engine with a chain hoist (pulley system)?
If you install a soft clutch kit, you'll wonder what happened to your pedal pressure. My clutch is only an OG 1700# Kennedy. (Before you macho he-man 2300# haters pipe up...I have a dodgy left knee that acts up from time to time.) The soft-clutch kit makes my knee a non-issue. The clutch pedal is feather light with a decrease in the pedal travel needed to engage/disengage the clutch.
Good job Russell |
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joescoolcustoms
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:31 am Post subject: |
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I had intended to try this out on my Baja build, but you beat me to it. Having left knee problems also.
I would much rather go this route than remove another pivit arm from a throw out shaft on a installed tranny.
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Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race
Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.
Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone |
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gerico
Samba Member
Joined: May 20, 2004
Posts: 322
Location: Carlsbad, CA
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 12:20 pm Post subject: |
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Daddybus,
Thanks for the report. Being a charter member of the "Over the Hill Gang" and also having a funky knee, I appreciate the input.
_________________
`70 street Ghia, 2276 NA
Thanks to:
Darren at DRD Racing
Jason at VW Paradise
Bill at Shear Speed
Kevin at KCR trans |
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Bugorsh
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2004
Posts: 1358
Location: SoCal
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 12:34 pm Post subject: |
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The physics of the kit makes sense but the clutch cables were not designed to have that severe a bend in them. I'll bet you'll be changing it soon and often.
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joescoolcustoms
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 12:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Bugorsh wrote: |
| The physics of the kit makes sense but the clutch cables were not designed to have that severe a bend in them. I'll bet you'll be changing it soon and often. |
I would bet you would wear out a boden tube before wearing out a cable running across a smooth rotating pulley. My garage door cables are less than half that size and they have been in service for 12 years carring industrial rated doors and show no signs of needing replacing and they see more use than my VW does.
As you state, time will tell.
_________________
Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race
Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.
Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone |
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ACTION IS GO
Samba Member
Joined: May 08, 2008
Posts: 178
Location: SoCal/Dana Point
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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I have the Old Speed Soft Clutch on both my cars and it is an easy install and works stellar. And travel is not traded for leverage.
Just another quality engineered part by Russell. |
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