From RonStygar_at_aol.com Thu May 18 23:40:08 2000
From: RonStygar_at_aol.com
Date: Fri, 19 May 2000 02:39:28 EDT
Subject: <E36> Lets remove the clutch pedal slop and side to side play
To: dale_at_unofficialbmw.com

The stock BMW E36 clutch pedal is molded. The 18 mm molded bushings OD (outside diameter) mounting hole in the pedal is tapered inward and not really round. It varies up to .012 inch on the pedals I've checked. The molded bushings are slotted, I assume to accommodate the untrue hole in the pedal. Further adding to the problem is that the 14 mm machined pin that these bushings go over in the pedal mount bracket is not centered. On some cars it sticks out more on the clutch side and on some it sticks out more on the brake side. Normally this does not show up as a problem. If on the clutch side, it does show up as a problem when you have your foot on the clutch pedal and stretch to reach something on the right side of your car. In this case the rubber cap on the stock clutch stop gets removed. Most people wouldn't notice this.

If on the brake side it doesn't show up. The brake pedal normally doesn't go down to the floor and because of that, there is no stop.

If you have an aftermarket adjustable clutch stop, the clutch pedal ends up going off the left side of the clutch. Depending on who's stop you are using, it will remove the stock rubber cap off the buffer stop (if not glued) or will go by or knock the glued on red cap off the stud.

This problem was on my things to do list. It went up to the top of the list when Joe Harrison asked me to help him out and come up with a solution. He was missing runs autocrossing his Z3 coupe when the clutch pedal went past the left side of the stop and did not return.

One solution is to make the clutch stop larger. Like a two by four, this would work, but you would end up losing the stock look. I assume you realize why you would want to maintain the stock look. The problem is in the clutch pedal and its mounting bushings.

We reamed out the clutch pedal bushing hole making it round. The stock bushings are not full width and have concave slots, I assume, for lubrication. We are using full width, full contact Delrin AF bushings. Delrin AF is impregnated with Teflon fibers. Its color is a chocolate brown.

I'm told that it is not available in black or white. There is a Delrin Teflon powder available in white (not the same).

The bushings will solve the slop problem. We include a couple of spacers to help solve the side to side problem.

Since we have no idea how much the 14 mm mounting pin is off center, we have no idea what spacer to include. On the pedal holder I purchased as a model a .060 inch spacer worked. On my M coupe a 1 mm spacer (.0394 inch) worked. Keep in mind that the slop of the stock bushings and the side to side is the problem. If there is side to side with the stock bushings the bushings come out of the clutch pedal. Since the stock ones are concave in the middle you lose some of the flange edge contact point. Since the new bushings are full width and full contact, the side to side is not that much of an issue. If the side to side varies .060 inch max., it really doesn't matter with the 1 1/4 inch stock buffer cap stop.

This should also eliminate the clutch squeak problem some people are experiencing. This is assuming that the squeak is being caused by the stock mounting bushing.

(Ron is selling a kit ($75.00 including shipping) which includes a modified clutch pedal, mounted reamed Delrin AF bushings, spacers and mounting clamp)
(Ron is now selling a similar kit ($80.00 including shipping) for the brake pedal.)

For Joe Harrison's review connect to: http://www.bimmer.org/z3coupe/messages/archive/msgsy2000w16/12666.html

For some help on the install see the following pics. The car shown in some of the pics is my '00 Z3 M coupe. Your car may vary. Although not clear, I've included the BMW instructions at the end.

Another article on installing Ron's clutch pedal.