Clutch Tube reweld???, AA says to do it.... Options

[rhodyguy]

a little (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/hijacked.gif) re:search feature. i tried and used clutch AND tube AND repair, poster name: brad roberts, 30 days and older. the only one that came up with b as the poster was when jenny bought her car and clutch was in red in the text. the i combined all the words and got the "if you are unable to use..."

i can see how brads method would work if the bracket just popped off. when it's torn away, i can't see how you could drill holes, get to the jagged ends, and make it work.

k

[ThinAir]

Here's Brad's thread. I searched for "Clutch Tube" and any date. It was on page 4 of the results. It's been moved to the Classic Threads section - I think mine should be there too!

Brad's Clutch Tube Front Weld Repair

[mightyohm]

I think the clutch tube should be nominated for #1 design flaw of the 914, since I think pretty much every 914 has this problem at one time or another. #2 must be those plastic fuel lines...

[rhodyguy]

ok. in b's thread the 2 outer holes are to locate the bracket? when he says "clamp the tube" i take he means at the hole for the shifter to keep the cable tube tight to the tunnel? i'm lost with the 3 hole concept.

k

[Cap'n Krusty]

QUOTE (Mueller @ Aug 18 2005, 02:54 PM)

Ernies repair is pretty extream, I guess it depends on how sound your car is.........easy method is to just drill a few 1/4" to 3/8" access holes on side of tunnel and spot weld the tube.....remove shifter, feel for tube, it's pretty simple and should be obvious after that........

TAKE THE CABLE OUT BEFORE YOU DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cut a flap and weld it properly. You just line up the broken bracket and weld away ..... The Cap'n

[scottb]

so i pull the carpet so i can make the cuts for the new rennshift. figure "what the heck, i'll give a push on the clutch and see what happens. SHIT!!!! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif)

it moved!

damn, damn, damn.

no point in installing the new rennshift until i get the clutch tube fixed. hmmmmmm.... maybe now is the time to buy that welder huh? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/welder.gif)

hey kerry, how about a clutch tube repair tech session at the ecc? i got a car in need!

[SirAndy]

QUOTE (Hammy @ Aug 18 2005, 04:28 PM)

but do you think it needs desperate attention in getting fixed back to normal... seems more like an annoyance to me than anything critical.. ?

probably *not* critical, but i welded it shut anyways ...

here are the (blurry) *after* pics ...


all cleaned up and ready to weld:
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-11-1124416905.jpg)


and all welded up:
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-11-1124416925.jpg)

[tracks914]

Has anyone tried a small "U" bolt? It would be stronger than a spot weld, cleaner and the only down side I could see would be if you tightened it too much you could crush the tube. If you were able to drill out the old bracket over the tube and were able to put the "U" bolt through that, I would think it would be the strongest option.
The only down side I can see would be the nuts sticking out the side under the carpet. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/huh.gif)

[flesburg]

1. The clutch cable tube needs to be held so that it does not move fore and aft. That can be most easily accomplished by rebrazing or welding it to the firewall right in front of the engine. The cable needs to be removed, but if you are a good welder and use some shielding, or if your "best friend" is a good welder it can be done with the engine in the car. Cover the gas lines and everything around it with some welding shield or some pieces of leather. Have an air hose handy to blow out any fire you start. The tube was originally brazed, and the brass will cause welding to be a little difficult. Making a bracket from a washer, as suggested above, is a good idea.

2. You also need to keep the tube from moving side to side. That can be accomplished by opening up a small access hole and clamping the tube to the tunnel with a metal cable clamp and a bolt. Make a new cover plate to cover the new "access hole" and screw it on. That way you have an access hole to use in the future, if you ever need it. The tube does not have to be welded in three or four different places. The closer you can get the clamp the the forward end of the tube the better, about a foot forward from the shift mount is where the clutch cable tube ends.

As long as you do a good job on #1 and #2, you should have a permanent fix.

[tracks914]

Looking at Brad's pictures it appears there is only one spot weld on the bottom side of the bracket that holds the front end of the tube. Is this correct?

[Mueller]

hopefully Bowlsby will see this and post pictures....I did the welding of his clutch tube about a week before this years WCC, I think there were 3 or 4 holes in the sizes mentioned above that I used to attach the tube to the tunnel sheetmetal....no laughing at my welds, we had to do the job outside and the welder had a tough time with the long extension cords (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wacko.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/welder.gif)

[GaroldShaffer]

QUOTE (Andyrew @ Aug 18 2005, 02:40 PM)

Take your shifter out, look down, and depress the clutch..... If it moves... You know why... Cheap easy fix is to drill holes and use U clamps or J clamps. Proper fix is to weld it. Try and find the proper location.... thin air basically has it covered to do it properly. GL!! (I did mine.... twas evil....) Andrew

Just had this repair done on my car about month ago. No need to remove the shifter just pull the shifter boot cover off you should be able to see the tube, push in the clutch if the tube moves it has at least one broken weld, mine had the two in the tunnel and a crack at the firewall (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/dry.gif)

I didn't do the repair, Brad Mayuer did (actual Michael did). I believe they did it with the engine still in the car. Good luck. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/welder.gif)

[scottb]

i have been looking for an excuse to buy a welder and this repair could be it.

now here's the rub. i don't know how to weld. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/huh.gif)

if i were to practice on some scrap (got that) and get tacking down, would this be a good newbie first project?

i am thinking that i will do the access panel route so i have a clear shot to do the tacks and then use repair of the panel to try a butt weld and then lay a bead.

wadda ya think? it sounds good on paper....

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/welder.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/welder.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/welder.gif)

[swl]

welding is beyond the limits of what I want to learn - bad memories of shop class. So any repair like this would be a trip to the body shop and who knows what sort of competency the guy who gets the job really has (have to find someone who has had good rustoration done in the area). Has anyone tried the CNC hydraulic approach? Looks like it could be a permanent fix to the clutch tube problem and less risk of becoming a DAPO.
cncbrakes.com

[GaroldShaffer]

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/agree.gif) welding is not my thing either, but I would like to learn (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/welder.gif)

I don't want to quote shop prices for Brad Mayeur, but for just a little over $200 I had the clutch tube fixed and few minor things checked or replaced. I think it was money well spent. YMMV (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)

I would think a qualified shop could do this and it shouldn't cost and arm and a leg. I can't believe how well my car shifts, the broken tube was making it hard to shift in reverse, 4th & 5th.

If you have the time to do it on your own, I say go for it just watch the fuel lines while (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/welder.gif)

[ClayPerrine]

I actually put a u-bolt clamp on Betty's car about 16 years ago when this happened. It's still there. No problems with it since. But it's not the proper way to fix it.

On my car, I used the 911 tranny with the pull type clutch. Now with the clutch pressed against the floor, I can move the cable sleeve forward and backwards. There is no load on the clutch tube.


One other alternative is to buy one of Rich Johnson's hydraulic clutch conversion kits.

[jonwatts]

Regardless of the method (I won't poo poo anyone's creative ideas if they don't have access to a welder) you definitely don't want to wait until it gets to this point or the cursing quotient goes up by a factor of 10.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-2-1112243338.jpg)

[scottb]

with the clarity brought on by careful observation i believe i have a solution that does not involve welding, can be achieved with hand tools and a drill, and should take care of a broken clutch tube for the foreseeable (sp?) future.

however, i have other commitments this evening and shall let all you who attend this thread know the results in the morrow..... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beer.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beer.gif)

(it means i am tired after mucking about in the tunnel!)

[tracks914]

I'm going to fix mine tomorrow. I will post pix and describe.
I intend to first try the "drill and spot weld" and if I'm not happy with the result I might throw in a small "U" bolt for comfort.

[ThinAir]

QUOTE (jonwatts @ Aug 19 2005, 08:04 AM)

...you definitely don't want to wait until it gets to this point or the cursing quotient goes up by a factor of 10.

Yup. For the record, it was a PO that let it go this far. That shiney dot on the left is what's left of the pop rivet that held an add-on pipe for the clutch tube to go over. When I bought the car I did not see the extra piece and of course it hid the damage that you see in that photo. No cursing was involved, but I was NOT a happy camper when I saw what was underneath!