Stiff clutch pedal
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No Lotus Elan here, but l have recently finished a very thorough restoration of a 1966 Lotus Super 7. I also have two other 7’s. I installed a somewhat modified Lotus Twincam in the car. The engine markings indicate it came from a Cortina Lotus. The clutch master cylinder is 5/8” diameter and the slave is (I recall, but need to check this) 3/4”. The clutch pressure plate and disk came from the boxes of old new parts included with the car (disassembled since 1988) which was in pieces when purchased, so I used them. They appeared to be normal type components, and there was no indication they were of a competition type.The pedal action is smooth, but very heavy. I first drove one of these in1965 and expected a heavy pedal pressure, but not this heavy. I just ordered a Wilwood 1/2” master cylinder with remote reservoir. It will bolt right up. This is the only master I could find with a bore that small. The remote reservoir will be beneficial as I used a Triumph Spitfire dual brake master for safety reasons and there is a clearance issue with it’s reservoir and the fill cap for the clutch master. If my math is correct, the smaller bore master moves 36% less fluid for a given about of travel, so the pedal pressure will, hopefully, drop by about the same amount. I think there is enough extra pedal travel distance to allow for the additional movement needed. If I haven’t used faulty logic, this might be a way of improving the heavy pedal issue. Of course, I’m human, so maybe this won’t work, and would appreciate any feedback. Thanks!
- Lotsats
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Lotsats,
You are now 59 years older than you were in 1965, of course the clutch is heavier! Stairs are steeper, and things I squirreled away in the garage are now too heavy to move. I never thought this would happen, but it has!
Hope this helps,
Richard Hawkins
You are now 59 years older than you were in 1965, of course the clutch is heavier! Stairs are steeper, and things I squirreled away in the garage are now too heavy to move. I never thought this would happen, but it has!
Hope this helps,
Richard Hawkins
- RichardHawkins
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Fit the correct 7/8" dia slave cylinder and see what you think.
Alan
Alan
Alan.b Brittany 1972 elan sprint fhc Lagoon Blue 0460E
- alan.barker
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3/4" slave cylinder is correct (or at least original) in the Seven S2. Depending on which resource you look at, the master should be 5/8 or 3/4 (Lotus parts list says 5/8, Girling parts books for S2 says 3/4, DBE catalogue says 3/4).
No reason not to try a smaller bore master or larger bore slave for less pedal pressure, as long as the trade-off stroke length works.
No reason not to try a smaller bore master or larger bore slave for less pedal pressure, as long as the trade-off stroke length works.
Henry
69 Elan S4
65 Seven S2
69 Elan S4
65 Seven S2
- SENC
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