Daemione Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Anyone ever had a problem with where their clutch bolts into the pedal assembly? I was driving around today, and when I depressed the clutch I heard a fairly loud crack from the pedal box - no more clutch. Took a look under there, and the fulcrum where the pedal meets the metal has cracked so it can no longer push the clutch clevis far enough to disengage the clutch. I stopped by a local repair shop that I saw on the way home, and he took a look at it . . . "huh, kind of a bad design - really thin metal that the clutch is levering against". I tried to convince him to rig me up a push-rod with a handle that I could use with my left hand, but he wouldn't do it. Did quite a bit of searching, but didn't find anyone mention this happening to them before . . . was this just a fluke thing, or should I be worried about it happening on a replacement pedal assembly as well? I'm working tomorrow on pulling out the assembly, already have the steering wheel off and the dash mostly apart so it hopefully won't take very long. I'll take pictures of actually what happened once it's out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mario_82_ZXT Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 My random guess would be you have a leaky windshield that has been leaking for an eternity. The area probably kept recieving moisture and it has rusted and weakened, causing the failure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daemione Posted January 14, 2011 Author Share Posted January 14, 2011 No rust visible from what I can see . . . the one part of the break I can get a finger on is completely clean & sharp. I'll find out tomorrow for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daemione Posted January 14, 2011 Author Share Posted January 14, 2011 Wish I had a better camera than just my phone, but you get the idea. Top & outside brackets are completely separated, the small inside bracket is almost torn through, and the inside pivot is halfway torn off. Any opinions on if it's fixable? I'm bringing it to a local guy later today so he can see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Yeah, terribly crappy weak design, it only lasted....40 years My guess: get another pedal cluster and it won't repeat in your liftime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daemione Posted January 15, 2011 Author Share Posted January 15, 2011 Yeah, terribly crappy weak design, it only lasted....40 years My guess: get another pedal cluster and it won't repeat in your liftime. Well, 32. I actually found an affordable used one earlier today, and ordered it. Hopefully will get here by Tuesday or Wednesday so the car won't have much downtime. And while she's laid up, I've got a new set of brake lines & a thermostat to install. Plus the dashboard I can fix all the cracks in while it's out . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinpieces Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Looks like a rather simple fix, find a guy with a MIG welder. Probably the spot welds let go and then the stress crack developed. Happy Motoring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daemione Posted January 15, 2011 Author Share Posted January 15, 2011 It's the inner pivot point that I'm skeptical can be easily fixed. It'd take a VERY precise weld to patch up without locking the pivot action at the same time. Although unbolting the clutch pedal completely from the assembly would lessen that risk, I'm not sure how much faith I'd have in a bodge fix like that. If I had my own sandblasting/welding/grinding equipment, I'd absolutely do it. But I found a replacement assembly for less than the cost of an hour of labor. Although I'm very tempted to try and reinforce the new one before installing it, though. If I never have to take apart another dash to pull a pedal assembly, I'll be very happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt K Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Ha! That's a common shortcoming on the S13 240SX, especially on drift cars. Weak enough that NISMO made an upgraded one for it. I had quite a few buddies back in Okinawa have this happen, back in my S13 days. Funny that it can happen to the older Nissans as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Likely old design was updated using significantly downcosted materials, and as a result didn't last as long as the previously extant version using 'old' technology. Result: Fatigue Failure becomes a 'commonplace' occurance in something formerly utilitarian and never given a second thought. Engineering in lightness is not necessarily a good thing. If you want to keep a car for a while anyway... I just like the guy commenting it's a 'poor design' because it failed in 32 years. What's the last thing HE designed and put into production with that kind of longevity? Empty-Headed Comments always entertain, if not provoke outright ridicule from me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluezx Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Looks like a classic case of planned obsolesence, all thats left to do is scrap the car and buy a 370z. Those bastards! On a serious note, if it makes you feel better take the broke part and the "new" replacement to your guy and have it reinforced at the spot welds. Just make sure there is clearence for the new one to fit properly. I'd also clean up any surface rust on both sides of the firewall from any brake fluid exposure with some rust converter while it's all easy to get to. Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 machine the works from billet aluminum...no titanium, for weight savings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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