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I have a 2002 Z06 with 26000 miles on it. While shifting the clutch pedal made a clunk noise, I felt the pedal make a funny jerk, and then everything was fine. I found a part of the clutch pedal return assist spring lying on the floor of the car, broken. Right now the clutch feels and works like normal. It looks like it will be a pain to replace the spring.
Is the spring really necessary? Could it cause any problems to keep driving the car without a good spring installed?
Last edited by Kmcoldcars; 07-11-2010 at 10:00 PM.
I removed mine about 3 years ago, and have noticed no difference. The only thing it does is assist depressing the clutch pedal, and if your not really weak of leg, you won't notice the difference.
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__________________ Phone: 484-334-8833 Owner of CULTRAG Performance
I have talked with the local Chevrolet dealer and with a Corvette specialty shop that comes highly recommended. They both say the spring helps to raise the clutch pedal from the floor. Virtually everyone on the forum says it helps with pushing the pedal down. The manual says that to remove it you need to push the pedal down to take the tension off of it, which would mean down is the relaxed position. Since springs like to go to their relaxed position it would indicate the spring helps with depressing the clutch pedal.
The spring is only $ 9.00 from the dealer and I have ordered one. Do I really need it?
I have talked with the local Chevrolet dealer and with a Corvette specialty shop that comes highly recommended. They both say the spring helps to raise the clutch pedal from the floor.
BUNK! Look at how it's installed. There is no way it helps raise the clutch pedal. No, you don't need it.
BUNK! Look at how it's installed. There is no way it helps raise the clutch pedal. No, you don't need it.
Its a dual assist spring and it helps hold pedal depressed past the downward halfway point and it ALSO helps raise the pedal up once past the upwards halfway point.
So yes it does both...its designed that way...
Not needed tho IMHO as long as you can verify pedal does remain at top of its travel while at rest which ive never heard of one not.
Last edited by Z06supercharged; 07-14-2010 at 11:28 AM.
Took the spring out probably 5 years ago and never looked back. I personally didn't like the feel of the clutch with the spring when I was on a road race track.
Its a dual assist spring and it helps hold pedal depressed past the downward halfway point and it ALSO helps raise the pedal up once past the upwards halfway point.
So yes it does both...its designed that way...
Not needed tho IMHO as long as you can verify pedal does remain at top of its travel while at rest which ive never heard of one not.
Crawl under there and look at it. It's a simple coiled over the pedal shaft spring with no engineering to let it do anything but push the pedal down. It is not an over the center dual purpose spring.
Its a dual assist spring and it helps hold pedal depressed past the downward halfway point and it ALSO helps raise the pedal up once past the upwards halfway point.
So yes it does both...its designed that way...
Not needed tho IMHO as long as you can verify pedal does remain at top of its travel while at rest which ive never heard of one not.
I bought a new spring for $ 9.00 with tax from the dealer. I put it in today. The installation was not too difficult, other than the uncomfortable position I had to be in and the blood running down my arm. It appears that the only thing the spring does is to help depress the clutch pedal.
Just for reading enjoyment:
--------------------------------------------------- Subject: Removal of the Clutch Over Center Spring
Models: 1997-2004 Chevrolet C5 Corvette
2005-2008 Chevrolet C6 Corvette
Equipped with a Manual Transmission
Condition/Concern:
It appears that some Corvette owners are removing or disconnecting the clutch over center spring on their vehicles.
This is not a recommended practice and customers should be advised of the implications of such an action.
Recommendation/Instructions:
The clutch master cylinder has a compensation port that is positioned within 1 MM of the top of the stroke. The compensation port allows internal pressure in the clutch hydraulic system to be exhausted into the master cylinder and also provides for system refill as the clutch disc wears.
One purpose of the over center spring is to return the clutch pedal to the very top of the stroke to expose the compensation port. The second purpose of the spring is to provide for the designed clutch pedal feel.
Removing or disconnecting the spring may allow the clutch pedal to hang in an at rest position with the piston short of the compensation port. If the internal pressure is not exhausted the CSC may get stroked too far and a clutch hydraulic system failure may result. The C5 clutch hydraulic systems were built by AP. The C6 systems were manufactured by FTE. Also, the pedal must be in the full up position, with the compensation port exposed, to bleed properly.
Anytime a dealer gets a hydraulic system complaint, the tech should inspect to insure that the spring is in place and properly connected. Related customer complaints might include poor shift performance, improper clutch release or transmission synchronizer damage.
The clutch pedal spring broke on my 2002 Z06 also, so I decided to replace it today to be safe. Before I installed the spring, I did notice the clutch pedal did actually droop a hair when it was all the way up - you could pull it up a few millimeters with your hand. So the info from GM above seems valid.
After installing the spring, the pedal was firmly up all the way. I actually like the feel of the pedal with the spring installed ... I think it gives the pedal a more linear feel through it's travel.
Installation was pretty easy .... I followed Kmcoldcar's description. I put some white grease on the coils and on the tang and ends where there's friction before installing. The key is install the two open ends of the spring into the two brackets first, then pop the center tang into the pedal arm's cutout when the clutch is pushed all the way down to the floor. It's a little tricky to get under there, but you can simply pop the tang into the pedal arm with just your hand when the pedal is all the way down.
07-11-2010, 09:57 PM
Z06 clutch pedal return spring
BUNK! 
