9 replies to this topic

[rexy]

As title suggests - who has done an under dash clutch master cylinder installation on an LX hatch?
What parts did you use?
What problems did you encounter?
Set up would preferably work with hadfield slave cyl setup (holden V8)
Also looking to not add new holes or bolts to the firewall.

[ls2lxhatch]

There is a picture of the Mal Wood under dash clutch master in this thread. The bad news is the price which is around $600.

You may be able to make something based on the VE master cylinder.

[dattoman]

Neither will successfully run the CRS slave though due to hydraulic ratios
The underdash is usually used for concentric slave cylinder type setups inside the bellhousing
You simply need more volume to get the travel required unless you mod the slave down to a smaller size

The 600 includes the pedal too ... handy if you don't have one (unless its exchange)

[myss427]

A friend of mine has modified the VE pedal to suit his hatch ( running a hydrolic thrust bearing) He used the Torana pedal and bolted the slave unit to the side of the mount. Very neat conversion, the hose comes out through the existing hole in the firewall. I am going over this weekend to take pictures, going to do this to mine. Will post up when I have them.

[Heath]

^ That sounds nice

[Lima31]

What is the master cylinder used in the Mal wood setup, is it Ford BA? can it be bought individually?

Looks like this

 mwmc.jpg   70.62K   14 downloads

[Lima31]

Nice

[Lima31]

Just finished installing a Mal Wood underdash unit to suit LH/LX. (If anyone wants the Dellow fork, slave, master cylinder and reservoir it replaced (all in good working condition) to suit LH/LX let me know).

Here are my tips to install without removing the steering column:
- There are four bolts to the assembly, a bolt at the top [A]; two securing the master cylinder, one long bolt with socket head [b] at the pedal end and another hex headed bolt going through the far end [C]; and a large bolt which the pedal pivots on [D]. Bolts and nuts A to C are all 10mm socket or 5mm allen key.
- Before you install, put the unit on a bench.
- take bolts A and B out.
- Install and remove bolt B into its threaded nut several times to make it easier to wind in, you can't fit the assembly in easily with it attached so you need to do it with the pedal in position.
- Trim about 6mm off bolt B, otherwise it's too long to get a socket over the nut to tighten fully.
- Trim bolt D down to the nut face, otherwise it's too hard to squeeze past the steering column.
- Bench bleed the cylinder with both hoses attached, don't even try doing it in the car, it's on too steep an angle to get all the air out.
- Fit the rubber grommets to the hoses. Then plug the ends neatly so they can be pushed through the firewall.
- Now remove any loose carpet in the footwell.
- Remove the foot operated high beam light switch, two screws.
- Clear any loose wiring in the vicinity, you really have no room between the vertical section of metal the frame mounts to and the steering column.
- Now stretch your back as this is the uncomfortable bit.
- To install, the two points that bind the most on the under dash area is the big nut on bolt D and the top left of the frame. If you ordered the straight quick connector from Mal Woods, it is longer than ideal and when installed it will press hard against the firewall and be bent sharply at 90 degrees, still seems to work however.
- It will rub and foul on installation, carefully push it through keeping plenty of slack on the hoses connected. The ~90 degree connector on the low pressure side (to reservoir) is plastic and will break easily (I found out the hard way), not to mention cannot be replaced on its own probably meaning another master cylinder assembly(!)
- Once you have the assembly in position, I recommend installing bolt A with its aluminium spacer first and putting the end nut on loosely so you can install the aluminium spacer for bolt B without risk of the spacer falling out.