Damaged Clutch Pedal Assembly

[timot_one]

So, all this time I kept thinking there was something wrong with my hydraulic clutch system.  I would push the clutch pedal all the way to the floor, yet the clutch wouldn't fully disengage.  The clutch would start to engage very very low, about 10% up from the floor, instead of the 50%-75% I am used to.  I bled the system, adjusted the clutch pedal free play, replaced the master cylinder, replaced the slave cylinder.  No matter what I did, the problem always came back.  I was about to replace my clutch line today with a SS one I bought from k-tuned, and when I started to unbolt the clutch master cylinder, I saw this!!

All I can say is, WHAT THE FUCK!!  I'm on my way to get it straightened out and re-welded by my friend.  Honda wants $100 for the part and $400 for labor.  Fuck that.  It took me 15 minutes to unbolt.  There's no motherfucking way I'm going to pay them 3 hours of labor to remove 2 nuts, 1 bolt, a cotter pin and a bolt, and disconnect 2 sensors.

[alpha]

Holy shit!  I didn't realize that was possible..  Good find!

[sherker55]

Tim in pics 2 and 4 I can see hairline fractures on the vertical aseemblies perpendicular to the bolt holes

[timot_one]

I'm pretty unhappy about it all.  I didn't have enough time to have it welded today, so my car is disabled right now.  The plan is to fix it so it's driveable until a new clutch pedal comes in.

[CrackerTeg]

Holy fuck Tim! How the hell does that shit happen? Do you stab the hell out of your clutch when you drive or something? Or could you blame the 150k miles the chassis has?

[timot_one]

No to both.

[CrackerTeg]

Damn. That's fucking crazy man.

[NVA-AV6]

Tim, get a couple 8mm fender washers as well to help spread the load, also what clutch do you have in the car, if it is a AM upgrade this could have not been honda's fault, but the extra pressure of the presure plate causung this.

[timot_one]

Thanks for the tip Paul.  Will do on the fender washers.  I do have an ACT HDSS clutch.  To be honest, this is the first time I have ever seen this happen with anyone that has had an aftermarket clutch.  I have always had a spongey feeling clutch pedal, even with the OEM clutch before the tranny swap.  Either way, this pedal is going to be re-welded for a temporary fix until the new pedal comes in later this week.  I will definitely take your advice and use the fender washers.  I guess it's a good thing my friend that's going to do the welding works in a body shop.

[Mike]

Good find man at least now you know what it is.

[NVA-AV6]

Thanks for the tip Paul.  Will do on the fender washers.  I do have an ACT HDSS clutch.  To be honest, this is the first time I have ever seen this happen with anyone that has had an aftermarket clutch.  I have always had a spongey feeling clutch pedal, even with the OEM clutch before the tranny swap.  Either way, this pedal is going to be re-welded for a temporary fix until the new pedal comes in later this week.  I will definitely take your advice and use the fender washers.  I guess it's a good thing my friend that's going to do the welding works in a body shop.

Not necessarily, MOST body guys know how to make "pretty" welds, not necesarily strong welds.

[timot_one]

I hear what you're saying Paul, but my point was that I was not doing any of the welding (because I don't know what I'm doing) and that my friend would have plenty of fender washers lying around his body shop. I do trust my friend and his experience.  He's been doing body work and working on cars for the past 25 years.  For a temporary fix, I'm content with the welds.  I've already got a new pedal ordered and should have it by Tuesday.  I re-installed the old pedal a few hours ago and it feels a million times better.  Here's a few pics of the fix.

[NVA-AV6]

Not bad, but definatly would have helped more to TIG weld it, a good tig job and you would not have needed a new peadal assy.......

Oh, looking at the pics again, he probably should have removed the plastic bushings for the pedal return spring, they metled a bit...

[CrackerTeg]

Not bad for a temp fix. At least you're back on the road.

[timot_one]

You're absolutely right Paul.  We both knew this was a temporary fix and is not intended to be a permanent solution.  At the most, my friend spent about 30 minutes hammering it back and then welding it.  When it comes down to it, paying $60 for a replacement pedal assembly isn't that bad.  If it was going to be fixed properly, the spot welds would have been drilled out, the plate that was damaged would have been removed and hammered flat again, and then it would have been re-welded again.  Labor cost to do that would have been well above the $60 that I'm paying for a new pedal.