Improved Clutch Over-Center spring - Rev. 2 SOLD OUT

[Nebraska_e28]

Finally got mine installed. Sadly, the increased force of Ben’s strong return spring seems to have destroyed my old clutch master. After about 5 minutes of testing I heard a loud pop and my clutch master push rod seems to have dislodged itself from the master cylinder. Must have been on its last legs!

New centering spring force is isolated from directional force applied to master. I see no correlation unless something else was suspect.

[SlickDizzy]

As I said in my post, the clutch master must have been on its last legs already. Not blaming Ben's part, just bad timing. Though, my original return spring assembly was rather bent and looked like crap, so perhaps there was an increase in return force just from installing the new one!

Just worked great for 5 minutes and then a loud "POP" and the clutch master push rod was flopping around loose. I removed the rubber boot and it appears the ball end popped out of its socket in the piston.

Pedal box has already been reinforced with David Pepin's brace; I had everything apart last year when I replaced the hard and soft lines to the clutch master, but I never replaced the clutch master itself. I guess I'm going in to take it all apart for the third time...

Mostly just sucks because I wanted to do some driving this weekend!

[revbjeff]

Any idea when you’ll be doing another batch? I need to replace mine and would rather not buy an OEM part if I don’t have to...

[SlickDizzy]

Just to update mine is finally in and working great.

First my clutch master went bad as described earlier. So I replaced that but things still didn't feel right even after hours of bleeding, engagement was very low and "sticky". It was nearly imperceptible but I eventually found my clutch pedal was bent and not allowing the master cylinder to self-adjust.

So my task of replacing the over-center spring turned into replacing most of the clutch actuation assembly, but now everything is wonderful and the part is doing its job very well.

[jsedita74]

you raised price on this?

[BenGerman]

Sorry I haven't been super active on here. Life has taken over in a lot of aspects. We are not dead and there will be another run in later summer / fall.

you raised price on this?

I will have to unless I can come up with some methods to save some money somewhere.
The threaded washer design, bushings and so on made the assembly a lot more complex and therefore expensive. I did honor my initial promised price for the first run.
We will see what I can come up with.

Just to update mine is finally in and working great.

First my clutch master went bad as described earlier. So I replaced that but things still didn't feel right even after hours of bleeding, engagement was very low and "sticky". It was nearly imperceptible but I eventually found my clutch pedal was bent and not allowing the master cylinder to self-adjust.

So my task of replacing the over-center spring turned into replacing most of the clutch actuation assembly, but now everything is wonderful and the part is doing its job very well.

Glad to hear it wasn't the spring, sorry to hear there is more work.

By now there has been a lot more people getting back with me to confirm that the spring works great. Any issues, just get a hold of me!

[revbjeff]

Sounds good. I guess I’ll remove the spring for now and see if that makes the clutch useable again. I don’t really want to buy an expensive OEM part then replace it with yours a few months later.

Thanks for the reply and keep us updated as to when we can order them, I’m definitely down for one!

[BenGerman]

Sounds good. I guess I’ll remove the spring for now and see if that makes the clutch useable again. I don’t really want to buy an expensive OEM part then replace it with yours a few months later.

Thanks for the reply and keep us updated as to when we can order them, I’m definitely down for one!

It will work for the mean time, just be ready to pick up the clutch pedal from the floor with your toes now and then.
I promise I'll try to get them in the line up as soon as possible.

[Randomg]

So I'm finally trying to get my clutch pedal working correctly again. I installed this spring in December and it would stick to the floor, it slowly got better, but not back to how it was before I replaced it, and it would always seem to get stuck when the engine was at high RPM and I tried to shift. I read on this thread it could be the MC and more recently that a bent clutch pedal could cause problems.

So everything's apart, I have the bracket re-enforcement installed so I believe everything is aligned, just installed a new clutch pedal. I believe the spring is installed correctly, it's sitting in it's groove and the Allen head bolt is installed from the driver side. Same problem. What seems suspicious to me is that the clutch will stick to the floor without the MC installed.

So my question is, what's expected behavior when the MC is disconnected and only the return spring is on? Is clutch stuck to the floor expected and the MC is what pushes the pedal back when everything's installed? The preload seems high (I had to take the clutch switch bracket off because the spring by itself wants to push the clutch pedal way past it's resting position). I'd install my old clutch return spring but the end is clearly bent, but comparing lengths, the new one is the same length as the old.

[RonW]

Without the master cylinder connected, the only spring affecting the pedal is the over center helper spring. Note the name, "over center".

By design, once you push the pedal more than an inch or so ("over center"), the helper spring helps you press the pedal; it helps your foot push against the clutch return spring. If you've removed the master cylinder, the clutch return spring is out of the equation, so there's nothing pushing the pedal back up.

Once the pedal is fully released, the helper spring keeps the pedal fully up. This is so there's no pressure on the master cylinder, and also so the clutch cruise control switch is depressed and your cruise control will work.

So:

• Pedal not pressed: helper spring pushes the pedal up.
• Pedal pressed: helper spring pushes pedal down.

[Randomg]

Thanks Ron, sounds like I need a new MC, I guess 220k miles isn't a bad life.

[BenGerman]

Ron already answered the question, thanks!
Hope you can get the new MC in soon, let us know how it goes.

[williamtii]

Looks like I need one of these. Intermittently the pedal does not return all the way and i need to lift it up with the tip of my foot.

When do you think you will start another run?

[BDKawey]

Looks like I need one of these. Intermittently the pedal does not return all the way and i need to lift it up with the tip of my foot.

When do you think you will start another run?

you've got other problems than the spring

[BenGerman]

Looks like I need one of these. Intermittently the pedal does not return all the way and i need to lift it up with the tip of my foot.

When do you think you will start another run?

Check for air in the system first. How old are your master and slave? When was the last time you bled the system?

[subconscious533i]

How do I get on the list for one of these ?

[funkycharms]

How do I get on the list for one of these ?

+1 here

[BenGerman]

I'll be making it public here, as soon as I have a rough timeline!

[BenTomm17]

Ben
Count me in for one. Ben

[JHCE24]

Ben,

Count me in for one when you are ready to sell from the new batch. Use "jhclark@bowie-cass.com" to communicate. I have a variety of payment methods available.

Jim Clark

[Klammchowder]

Count me in for one as well please!

[austin8753]

I have a customer who opted not to use his spring kit. It is for sale.

EDIT: SOLD

[BenGerman]

Couple of exciting news:

1.) I still have 3 springs left over. If anyone needs one, just send me another PM please. There have been several requests since I sold out.

2.) We are working on Rev. 2.0. This time made from Aluminium. Once I have more updates I will
Post them here.

[RondoAcapriccio]

I'll be interested in the revised set.

[edosocho]

Please include me for one of the Revised 2.0 versions.

Thank you,

Joel

[Ju@n]

Awesome product!
Spring went in and pedal feel changed a ton!
I think the standard one I had before collapsing had some issue as well, because it even feels better than before it broke.
Thanks!

[BenGerman]

Glad you got it and it works!!
Not a lot of time at the moment but Rev. 2 will be coming soon!

[TCBimmer]

Planning to dump the slushbox this spring and bolt in a manual transmission, so count me in for REV 2!

[glade]

In as well

[BA in CT]

I need one as well