MFE,
I agree with you 100% on the usage of ford parts. I try to stick with them if I can. I bought the Ford quadrant and adjustable cable for my 83 (w/king cobra clutch), the clutch works/feels great, better than my 86 with the stock cable and HD clutch.

 

I had the same thing happen to me. After driving a friend’s car with a stock clutch and a properly adjusted cable, I knew my car needed a change.

When I replaced the stock clutch with a stock replacement, I lubed all of the pivot points and setup the stock cable properly. The pedal effort is "normal" again.

 

Hmm. I replaced my clutch at 137K and did not replace the cable. I thought the king cobra was stiff. I kept the king cobra on there till about 250K when I broke the shift fork on the T45 and replaced it (it was not shifting nice anyway). The new clutch is an 01 cobra 11 inch with a ford cable, upr quadrant and firewall adjuster. When I first put my foot in on the clutch, I thought I had messed something up and the clutch was not being actuated. I wonder if the king cobra was not as stiff as it seemed and some of it was the cable.
Erich

 

Yep I had an adjustable cable on my car and put in a OEM cable from www.buyfordracing.com and it was so much softer and smoother!

 

MFE,

Just to be clear, was it part # MMCL-11 that you used?

 

Wow. <filed to memory and bookmarked>

 

MFE,

Just to be clear, was it part # MMCL-11 that you used?

Yes, that's the one.

 

That's good to hear. I was thinking it might be the one specific to our cars that is about twice as much. Thanks!

 

It's a good bit longer than the factory stocker, and the little bracket in the engine bay is no longer located properly so I left mine off, but the effective length is the same...which is a good thing, because the aftermarket adjustbale ones tend to be too long. For instance when I used the Steeda cable (which I believe was just a repackaged one the same as a dozen other "brands"), I had to use the 2nd hook on the quadrant, dial the adjuster nuts at the clutch end all the way in, cut some of the remaining threads off to clear the cable cover, and back the firewall adjuster 2/3 out to get the clutch adjustment right. This one slipped into place on the clutch fork, used the first hook on the quadrant, and the firewall adjuster is nearly all the way in. I adjusted it by feel until I felt real tension on the adjuster, and did not have to make a single adjustment after test-driving it.

 

GOOD NEWS!

 

i've had a bbk cable & quadrant for awhile now, been pretty happy.

but i'm also using one of my company clutch's, which have a light pedal
feel. i was using a RAM HD and i kept snapping cables.

 

What about a Ford Racing adjustable clutch cable? How does that compare to the MM Ford cable? Once I installed a FMS quad, adjustable cable and firewall adjuster a few years ago, I can't say i've ever had a problem where I felt my clutch pedal was too hard. I ran a FMS HD clutch for 4 years fyi. I just ordered a promotion blueprinted FMS HD pressure plate. I guess if need be I'll order the MM ford cable when I get my car running. Will this cable work with a FMS quadrant and steeda FW adjuster?

 

Hey MFE - good post!

Just one question, since MM does not have a pic of the cable on their site, what does the end of it look like that attaches to the clutch fork? Is it a threaded adjustable end, or is it a "bit" end that looks like the stocker?

I'm still having issues with my clutch engaging too high after a complete clutch job, so I'm thinking (as you stated in my thread in the 94/95 tech) that my quadrant and/or cable is beat... I've looked at MM's clutch accessories and do purchase their products, I was just unsure of the design of the cable supplied with their kits or even the single cable purchase alone.

Does it come in a Ford wrapper too?

thx!

 

Cobra Jet, it's not an adjustable cable, I have it also, MFE is correct, it's great and long enough to clear LT's if you have them

 

Short story is the people who say there's no substitute for the real Ford part, are exactly right.

Too bad the same can't be said for the Ford quadrant+pawl.

 

It came in a box, I don't think it was Ford ID'd, and it had a MM part number sticker on it. The fork end is not adjustable, it's the same type of nipple as the stocker AFAIK.

If you look at the comparison pictures here you can see the exact cable I used to have and the one I have now.

The outer sheathing on my old one is inexplicably wearing through so that the wound metal shield is plainly visible in a few spots, especially down near where it enters the trans. I would have assumed the wear is from the outside, but it had nothing to rub on so I don't know if it's just environmental deterioration or what, but my 120k stocker didn't look like that when I pulled it off in the first place.

Interestingly enough, the actual cable part of the Ford cable is much thinner than the other one, but that apparently doesn't matter as much as just making sure the damned thing works smoothly in the first place. I also believe that the inner plastic sleeve and the cable itself move together, (gray sleeve on the top one, tan sleeve on the bottom one), so that the wear is not between the metal cable and the sleeve, it's between the sleeve and its next most outer sleeve, which on the Ford is another plastic sleeve and on the aftermarket is the metal shielding. If that's the case it's just one more piece of evidence that the Ford one is just superior in every way.

 

whats that cable cost?

 

whats that cable cost?

$60 from MM. There is another alternative, which I always will chime in about, as I agree, EVERY adjustable cable I've ever used completely sucked. You can get p/n FMS-M-7553-A302 from Summit for $63, which comes with an OEM cable, as well as a new clutch fork. This is what I have, with UPR's firewall adjuster / quadrant and I'm really happy with it.

 

i got the ford cable from summit that IS adjustable, it made my spec1 clutch so much nicer than the same clutch in my buddy's car with a pioneer replacement cable. THAT was like flintstoning it!

 

p/n FMS-M-7553-A302 is much less expensive when bought through GEFracing

 

Hey MFE (or anyone else who knows this) I got the same cable the other day in case my BBK adjustable ever snaps (I like to be prepared). My question is, how easy is it to replace it? I recently swapped the AOD out for my 5 speed, so I know very little about clutch cables/clutches, etc. A shop did most of the swap for me. If it's something I can do in my driveway I will put the Ford cable on ASAP. I also have a BBK adj quadrant with the cable I'm using now. My clutch pedal does seem to be kind of tough to press, but again, I don't really have anything to compare it too, this is the first stick I've owned or driven, and I thought they were all like this. Thanks for any info.

Scott

 

It really wasn't that bad, maybe an hour including getting the front end on and off the jackstands. The hardest part is fishing the new one onto the hook on the quadrant, but again, not too bad, I didn't even pull the front seat to get it done like I did when I installed the quadrant. Just have to pull a contortionist move or two for a couple minutes. The quadrant and cable end are actually above the gas pedal so when you go in there with a flashlight now you know where to look.

Under the car you use an 8mm wrench to undo the bolt holding the inspection cover over the cable end, pop the cover off, and figure out what kind of cable end you have. If you have a firewall adjuster dial it all the way in to give you as much slack as possible and you can then slide the cable end over to the larger part of its slot and pull it out of the fork. If it's an adjustable cable you'll need to undo the adjuster nuts first.

Then take a 5/16 wrench and undo the bracket holding the cable to the drivers side of the engine bay, push the cable forward and off the quadrant, and pull it all out. Take note of how it's routed past the engine mount and oil pan first. Then get the cable hooked onto the quadrant (push it ALL the way through from the fork end first, and tape it in place if need be, so you have slack), pull it tight, route it down to the clutch fork, slip it in place, and make any adjustments at the firewall if need be. If everything is non-adjustable you may find you need to pry the clutch fork forward a bit to get the cable seated.

 

Not that it matters, but I think the MM "universal" Ford cable is just a '96 and later Mustang cable. Don't quote me on that, but it is what I've heard.

It was just as easy to buy the FRPP cable/fork kit for $50 since I sold the new fork for $20! If you buy the cable alone (E4ZZ-7K553-A) from the dealer, you pay about $160, and it is the very same cable in the FRPP kit. I've tried three or four aftermarket cables and they are all junk. Although the new Ford cables are made in Taiwan (they used to be made in Canada), they are still the best ones out there as far as I am concerned.

 

OEM 1
Aftermarket 0

 

I highly recommend that people stay away from the replacement Ford piece that comes with the fork. Mine broke in 4 months. Been rocking the MM universal with good results. I have the Cobra clutch and think it is generally stiff compared to others. I have also used stock and FRPP adjustable. The FRPP cable was incredibly stiff. Terrible. The end of the MM universal is unadjustable. It has the half ball end thing.

Here's a pic compared to the FRPP cable:

And here's the stock replacement Taiwanese cable: