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Installing a clutch master in 10 minutes WITHOUT cutting a hole in the fender
I've seen references to "the string method" but never any photos. So here yea go...
It took longer to fish the string through and tie the knots.
Attach blue hose first - I like to clamp it but make sure the hose can easily rotate 360 degrees around
Attach the hard line into the MC, leave the nut a turn or two loose
Use one long piece of string, fish one end through each hole for the bolts
Fish a bunch through, you should see it under the car, pull it down to about ground level
Take the portion of the string from the interior and run it out through the door, at the bottom so you can easily grab this end while under the car
Fish the string through the holes in the clutch master - be sure to get them orientated correctly or you will install it upside down
Tie each end of the string to a washer (versus tying the string directly to the master)
Grab the string hanging out the door and start to pull with one hand, while helping locate it with the other hand
Once the master is roughly in the correct location, pull the "door string" tight and close the door. This will hold everything in place as you climb under the dash
From here it's just wiggling things around until you get at least one hole lined up.
Once the first hole is lined up, cut the string but keep them tight in your hand. Take the end that is not lined up yet and wrap it around the clutch pedal.
One hand grab the snout of the master, now let the other piece of string to fall through the hole and out of the way - install first bolt
With the first bolt loosely installed, use a small screwdriver to align the second one
Have a beer
My #1 mistake was forgetting to run a bolt through the holes in the master first to clear the paint out....that made starting the bolts a bit tricky due to the paint in the threads.
STOP CUTTING HOLES IN YOUR 928 TO MAKE THIS JOB "EASIER"
I've seen references to "the string method" but never any photos. So here yea go...
It took longer to fish the string through and tie the knots.
Attach blue hose first - I like to clamp it but make sure the hose can easily rotate 360 degrees around
Use one long piece of string, fish one end through each hole for the bolts
Fish a bunch through, you should see it under the car, pull it down to about ground level
Take the portion of the string from the interior and run it out through the door, at the bottom so you can easily grab this end while under the car
Fish the string through the holes in the clutch master - be sure to get them orientated correctly or you will install it upside down
Tie each end of the string to a washer (versus tying the string directly to the master)
Grab the string hanging out the door and start to pull with one hand, while helping locate it with the other hand
Once the master is roughly in the correct location, pull the "door string" tight and close the door. This will hold everything in place as you climb under the dash
From here it's just wiggling things around until you get at least one hole lined up.
Once the first hole is lined up, cut the string but keep them tight in your hand. Take the end that is not lined up yet and wrap it around the clutch pedal.
One hand grab the snout of the master, now let the other piece of string to fall through the hole and out of the way - install first bolt
With the first bolt loosely installed, use a small screwdriver to align the second one
Have a beer
My #1 mistake was forgetting to run a bolt through the holes in the master first to clear the paint out....that made starting the bolts a bit tricky due to the paint in the threads.
STOP CUTTING HOLES IN YOUR 928 TO MAKE THIS JOB "EASIER"
If the last step was moved to the first step...do you feel this would change the end results in any way?
Also, you say attach the blue hose first...but I see a black hose attached and clamped?
Besides these two issues, granted I have others, but they do not apply here, nice write up!
Brian.
Same here, live in the boonies, takes longer to find and wait for some one...than it takes to do it myself, with a little improvisation.
Plus, there is a certain amount of pride that comes along with being self sufficient.
Brian.
The hose is blue, but between the flash and black background it looks black. If you look at the liner of the hose where it goes on the nipple you can see the blue. :-)
If done right, the hole cut for the blue hose can't be seen without dis-assembly of the inner fender liner, or high intensity lights, a mirror and a lot of contortion. I cut the hole and it doesn't bother me a bit. There's no structural affect, there's no cosmetic affect, there's no affect whatsoever except that there's a saw line in the inner body where there used to be a stamped steel lining. It's sealed against elements, lets in or out no more or less water/air/heat/cool, and if I have to do another blue hose, avoidance of removing and installing the clutch slave with it's endless bleeding process is time well spent doing other things.
If done right, the hole cut for the blue hose can't be seen without dis-assembly of the inner fender liner, or high intensity lights, a mirror and a lot of contortion. I cut the hole and it doesn't bother me a bit. There's no structural affect, there's no cosmetic affect, there's no affect whatsoever except that there's a saw line in the inner body where there used to be a stamped steel lining. It's sealed against elements, lets in or out no more or less water/air/heat/cool, and if I have to do another blue hose, avoidance of removing and installing the clutch slave with it's endless bleeding process is time well spent doing other things.
Oh, and think of the weight savings! Cutting a hole in the fender provides performance benefits....
Very nice, will come handy for those that work totally alone. I usually try to use my wife for something like this and stuff like bleeding the brakes.
The hole cutting is to replace the blue hose not the master, or am I wrong?
You are not wrong. But looking at this now, Maybe removing the master to install the blue hose might work just fine.
Originally Posted by docmirror
If done right, the hole cut for the blue hose can't be seen without dis-assembly of the inner fender liner, or high intensity lights, a mirror and a lot of contortion. I cut the hole and it doesn't bother me a bit. There's no structural affect, there's no cosmetic affect, there's no affect whatsoever except that there's a saw line in the inner body where there used to be a stamped steel lining. It's sealed against elements, lets in or out no more or less water/air/heat/cool, and if I have to do another blue hose, avoidance of removing and installing the clutch slave with it's endless bleeding process is time well spent doing other things.
Considering the amount of time it would take to remove the master cylinder, it might be equal or less than cutting the hole. And I think now, it's worth keeping my GT all original as possible.
In 20 years when the hose MIGHT need replacing, will you still be doing the wrenching? or even still have the car? I always try to figure out cost benefit analysis before doing such repairs. I replaced mine with transmission cooler hose. I don't think it will ever need replacing.