Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Has anyone with a Plus 2 fitted the QED concentric slave cylinder kit to a Lotus 5 speed gearbox? Or in fact any alternative clutch slave cylinder mechanism. I find the clutch on my 1973 Plus 2 very snatchy. As I plan to take the engine and gearbox out to fix oil leaks on both, I could instal it at the same time with the hope this mod might make the clutch lighter and more progressive, rather than the on/off operation it has at the moment. Best Regards.

....and if you ever have to work on the slave cylinder it's an engine out job......

John

All modern manual drive cars are built this way - so I guess reliability is a given.
I intend to go this route when I get around to fitting a T9 box.

I also use a McLeod unit on my T5 conversion with no failures so far.

We should have an emoticon for knocking on wood...

Tom

Tom,
I've found McCleod clutches on the net. I'm not sure their products are avaialble here in the UK. I assume from your post that a T5 is alnernative gearbox. If so, what car is it from? Did you fit it yourself?
Regards
Graham

gwiz22 wrote:Tom,
I've found McCleod clutches on the net. I'm not sure their products are avaialble here in the UK. I assume from your post that a T5 is alnernative gearbox. If so, what car is it from? Did you fit it yourself?
Regards
Graham

the T5 is the Borg Warner 5 speed as used in the Sierra Cosworth this side of the atlantic, I believe it was a common fit to Mustangs in the States?

Mark

gwiz22 wrote:Tom,
I've found McCleod clutches on the net. I'm not sure their products are avaialble here in the UK. I assume from your post that a T5 is alnernative gearbox. If so, what car is it from? Did you fit it yourself?
Regards
Graham

Hi Graham

Please have a look at the following couple of posts, it took all winter to burn the subject out and summer is here and its time to drive a bit while the weather lasts.

TomR 's Elan TTR chassis with T5 gearbox
http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/viewtop ... ght=#80126

General 5 speed gearbox talk, 8 pages of posts
http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/viewtop ... sc&start=0

Here's some photos of my twincam with the Voigts T9 attached. The clutch actuator is working fine except for fluid weeping out of the hydraulics input, so engine and gearbox need to be split to tighten up the joints. I'll be taking the engine completely out as I've a few other little jobs to do that'd be easier without the clutter. I think the concentric actuator is from a Mondeo, but not sure. It uses the clutch spring from the 4 speed box so you may have to replace the thrust bearing and clutch assembly also.

Allan Voigts may know whether this can be fitted to a standard box.

All the best.

Sean.

I`ve got the Voight conversion with the MONDEO centrifugal slave which lasted 5000 miles without leaking. The replacement, supplied by Voight, lasted about 100 miles. My complaint to Voight brought forth the nugget that only one of the 3 clutch cover plates Lotus used is compatible. Thanks Alan. A new cover plate and still neither of the 2 Mondeo slaves fitted, but the shorter of the two needs a spacer. Oh yes Voight says, didn`t you know? My request for a contribution to the labour costs involved met with no response. Why didn`t he have the bell housing casting made with provision for an accessible exterior slave cylinder and a fork? Previously I`d recommended this conversion but not now and I certainly wouldn`t recommend a centrifugal and inaccessible system.
Jim

I fitted a ford concentric slave cylinder (mine came from a Scorpio) along with a type 9 gerabox approx 10 years ago, I have never had any trouble, I used the standard 4 speed clutch cover and modiifed the front bearing carrier such that an alloy adaptor could bolt to it which then carried the slave cylinder.
The only problem I had was with the Sierra clutch disc having thicker linings than the original Lotus one, this required some shims to be placed between the clutch cover and the flywheel.

Jim and Sean,

could you care to detail mis-matches, causes of failure?

Also, how does Alan Voights's conversion ensure concentricity of the bearing/actuator with the gearbox input shaft. Without concentricty, you will get sliding/rubbing between the clutch fingers and the bearing surface. I'm asuming that the bearing is in continuously contact with the clutch but essentially unloaded (apart from soft axial spring).

Regards

Gerry

Burton supply a range of concentric products to fit many of the variants mentioned. I'm sure a phone call will get you the correct fitment for a specific gearbox/bellhousing.

https://www.burtonpower.com/product_main.aspx?home.aspx

I agree with the many others here about accessability.
It was among many reasons why I chose to stay with my Elan gearbox & clutch operating system when I did put the Zetec engine in it.

A centrifugal slave sounds interesting though.
How do they work?
Take her for a spin & she'll do anything for you?

Cheers
John

John (DJ Pelly), I think the slave is concentric (ie annular and wrapped around the gearbox input shaft) rather than centrifugal.

Regards

Aah so it is fun then