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Hyd. Clutch Conversion

Brett Proctor

Well-known member
I contacted the Saco people to see if the bracket for the slave cylinder was included in this kit(didn't see it in the picture).

Got a reply back saying no, its not included. So for $257 you don't get the pedal assy and you don't get the bracket for mounting the slave cylinder.

I was thinking of getting this but for the price they want for it I can't see spending that kind of money for a incomplete kit.
 

Brett Proctor

Well-known member
I guess you could use the stock VW cable mount but for the price they're asking you would think they would include their mount with the kit.
 

vpogv

Active member
That's way too much money for that kit. I thought I had a bookmark with a set up that wasn't nearly as much. Let me dig around.
 

Peter

Active member
I agree, way too expensive. Using that IDEA but using a standard master with remote res' a slab of alloy and a bit of ingenuity it could be hand made for under $50 plus line, I used standard brake line down the tunnel with flexible tail.
The Saco slave saver is a piece of 10mm alloy and a rose joint, about $12 in parts.
I have to say the hydraulic clutch is beautiful compare to cable, so smooth and of course trouble free.

Bit like the pulley throttle system i made for $40, saving $3001 *laugh*

There are all the bits on Ebay, you just have to look.

Although in the UK Forward Metals do off cuts, I guess there must be a similar company in the US.
 

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Peter

Active member
Ademdum;
Further to my last and to stop all that ," Oh yeah, Pete's off on one again", I looked up the spec' and low and behold motorcycle rear master cylinder complete, is just the job. under $10.

So what more do we need? One master cylinder complete, ($9) the pedal stays the same and the hook fits onto the clevis pin so no brainer there. support bracket alloy of course, I would say 10mm thick slab, so 10 x 50 x 250 (3/8" 2" x 10") ($10) should do it and include the 50mm x 50mm (2" x 2") for the clutch bracket off of the end, couple of M8 nutserts for the fixing ($1) and a couple of M6 countersunk screws and nylok nuts ($2) to bolt the thing on with a couple of spacers ($1). Run 2.5 meters of copper brake line and fittings to rear ($15), through hole for clutch cable, to bracket on rear gearbox joint and fit a CNC or similar slave (as low as $35 but as high as $90, your choice) $35) and a flexible pipe ($12). (from Slab) of 10mm x 50 x 50 for the clutch bracket and a M8 rose joint ($6) ( I think around $90-$120 should see a good job.
Just a rough sketch whilst under the influence, so sod the scale. *hmmm* hic, it's late, off to bed.*asleep*
clutch conversion.jpg
 

Brett Proctor

Well-known member
Researched this a little more to find out how you would install it and connect the lines up to it. found out that you will have to cut an access opening into the tunnel to connect everything up to it. Something that I don't care to do.
So Searched a little more and found this kit.
Hyd Clutch.jpg

A tab is welded onto the clutch lever then a hole is cut in the firewall and the master cylinder installed like the brake master cylinder.

Found a couple of master cylinders that look like they may work

This is out of a Daewoo. Found them for around $25
Daewoo Master cylinder.jpeg

This one is out of a Eclipse. Found these for around $50
95-99 Eclipse.jpeg

They both have remote reservoirs so they can be located in a easy accessible place and if a rebuild kit is ever needed there are no worries about finding one. Any auto parts store should have one or can order one unlike after market stuff, if the company goes belly up your screwed trying to find parts or your stuck ordering parts from just them
 

Peter

Active member
I think the idea is to insert the whole assembly through the pedal mounting hole which is why it is on the slim side, and fix with the two pedal assembly bolts, I would think the res' would only need a small hole, say 10mm, to allow the pipe through and fix to the firewall, then fit the pedal assembly back as normal. Or maybe through the front? I dunno.*hmmm* how big IS the hole? I would measure mine but there is a chunk of checker plate over it.

I was thinking
pedal clutch.jpg

But actually I reckon one could with a lot of fiddling mount the cylinder inside the tunnel without the alloy plate (red bit) by fitting the mounting bolts in from the other side and a couple of plain nuts, then having drilled two matching holes, feed the thing through the pedal hole and pop the bolts through the drilled holes for fixing with two more nuts. I would have drilled a hole for the pipe first just ahead of the firewall and threaded a thin wire back so I could pull the pipe through as I loaded the thing in then just pop the container back on.
 
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Brett Proctor

Well-known member
Just a rough sketch whilst under the influence, so sod the scale. *hmmm* hic, it's late, off to bed.*asleep*

So you do some of your better work when its late and your under the influence*laugh*

Further research i found that CNC uses o'rings for seals in their master cylinders, not sure about the slave cylinder. These are ok but not as good as the cup style seals found in oem stuff and the cylinder bores are not harden or lined with anything for endurance .
This being the case I would guess that if brake fluid was used the acidic nature of the fluid would cause premature leaking.

So because of this I've been searching for OEM master and slave cylinders that can be used.
The yards here have a few motorcycles so I'll check those out next time I go

Cost of a OEM master cylinder in the yards here is $11 and a slave cylinder is $5.50

Looking for quality made stuff, not the china stuff so my prices may vary from Peters
 

Peter

Active member
Most of t he bigger motorcycles use a vertical master cylinder with two fixing bolts so plenty to go on.
The smaller bore will give a good mechanical advantage and as a clutch slave only needs an inch of movement at most they should suffice. The master in the bulkhead is a version of what I have without the dual brake cylinders and they should fit with the whole thing in front of the firewall poking just above the cross member and back onto the clutch pedal.
 

Peter

Active member
I think if you hunt around in the yards it could be done for $50 easy, but I would use a new line and connectors.
 

Brett Proctor

Well-known member
One thing I'm finding out is that 99.9% of OEM slave cylinders are push type. With out making some elaborate setup to make this work pull type would be the prefer way to go.

Aftermarket pull type slave cylinders don't have the greatest track record of reliability.

Regardless, aftermarket may be the only way to go for a slave cylinder. These run around $40-$50 but can go higher depending on the manufacturer

still building a system from scratch will be cheaper than buying a kit.

I will be focusing on finishing the rear fiberglass work on the car so this will take a back seat till I finish with that
 

Peter

Active member
One thing I'm finding out is that 99.9% of OEM slave cylinders are push type. With out making some elaborate setup to make this work pull type would be the prefer way to go.

Aftermarket pull type slave cylinders don't have the greatest track record of reliability.

Regardless, aftermarket may be the only way to go for a slave cylinder. These run around $40-$50 but can go higher depending on the manufacturer

still building a system from scratch will be cheaper than buying a kit.

I will be focusing on finishing the rear fiberglass work on the car so this will take a back seat till I finish with that

Too right Brett, so easy to get distracted, that rear end is looking great.
 
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