If you are changing more than 1 tooth on the newer assembly you want to adjust the clutch rod and I think each tooth is like 20% adjustment. I would always ensure your clutch rod angle is level and make any adjustments. If your clutch rod is not angle you could be introducing additional stress and cause issues with the master cylinder.

 

Thanks for telling me to check the rod angle. It was pretty bad, but wasn't due to the AFP adjustment. The shop I took it to install (Corner 3 Garage in case anyone's wondering) apparently didn't bother looking at it. It was bad enough I had to loosen the side bolts and drop the whole pedal down almost an inch to get it level. The rod was also pulled a bit too far out by the return spring, so I adjusted the upper switch again to make sure the MC seal doesn't get stressed by the clutch pedal return.

If the install wasn't such a PITA I would've done it myself...once again confirming the old adage - you want it done right, you gotta do it yourself.

 

^ thank you, that is a great suggestion. my main concern is preventing wear so i will definitely check that.

 

My install was also not done 100% right by the tech and caused the master to give out and leave me stranded. Good job on straightening the rod and that will make sure to keep the master in OEM geometric form. I agree that we should just do it ourselves and take our time but get it done right the first time. Ryan told me if AFP is high then bracket will be low and if AFP is low bracket will be high. This will help maintain the correct angle.

 

I sent Ryan an email and he basically reiterated that sentiment. I'm currently at 90% AFP, but it might be a bit too soft for my own liking. Might adjust it again this weekend, jury's still out on that one.

 

Just ordered mine!
Can't wait to install it and
Will be referring to this post a lot when installing, thanks for all the tips

 

I installed the pedal yesterday, and had some time around town and on a mountain drive to the in-laws to get a feel for the difference. It's pretty dramatic.

Since I had one of the first v3 units, a lot of the work was already done for me. The unit was almost fully assembled (I had to attach the pedal). It was also pre-set with out of the box settings: 75% AFP with take-up about 1-1.5" off the carpet.

The install was fairly easy, but very fiddly. Getting under the dash isn't easy when you're 6'2", and some major contortion is needed. I took out the driver's seat and still wished for better access. I truly do not understand how you guys do it by leaning over the door sill! Once in, I tested and was completely happy with the default settings. Ryan does not recommend AFP over 75 for stock clutches, so I will not be touching that. The engagement zone is wide, and starts low in the pedal travel. The pedal feel is also very linear from top to bottom. No more of that varying resistance as with the stock pedal.

I was able to feel the difference in the very first gear changes of the very first drive. It is MUCH easier to get a smooth start from rest, and the ever-jerky 1-2 shift is now butter (both lazily putting about and under more intense driving). I didn't try launching the car, but I feel like it would be much easier to get it off the line quickly, as well. The way it grabs and where it grabs feels so much more natural than the stock setup.

For those like me that are used to manual transmissions, the best way I can describe it is that it simply lives up to my expectations of a manual transmission. It no longer feels like you're driving with a prosthetic leg. I always felt awkward with the stock setup. I rarely was able to get it moving as smoothly as I would like, whether moving quickly or not. I HATED the 1-2 shift, as it always seemed to lurch about. I would stall the car way more than I would like when performing low speed manuevers like crawling up a driveway. All of this is gone. It feels good. Starts are smooth. Shifts are smooth. I really really like it, warranty be damned.

The one issue I had was that the pedal was not coming all the way back up to fully depress the upper switch that controls the cruise control. I had to pull the pedal up with my toe to get it to fully come up and engage the switch. I sent Ryan an email, and he replied very quickly with a solution. He said it was because I overtightened the two bolts that lock in the angle of the MC rod / compress the assembly from the sides. Sure enough, loosening them a total of 1/4 turn fixed that issue completely, and it came back up fully.

I'm not sure how long I'm allowed to gush about this product, but it really changes the car for the better. Ryan is a great guy and has great customer service and a great product. I cannot recommend it highly enough. And with the v3 unit needing essentially no setup, it's really a no-brainer now.


TL;DR - It's awesome. If you have a 6MT, you owe it to yourself to get this mod.

 

Mine should be shipped by Wednesday, I can't wait! Always hated the clutch in this car and changing the spring only helped so much. should be a good ol' time since I'm 6'4"

 

Excellent review, lobuzz311!

What does this mean here? How does that translate into the previous models? And what's his reasoning?

 

On the v3, there are 5 notches in the little adjustment window corresponding to 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 AFP. It comes preset at 75. It's simply a visual for seeing how much it's adjusted vs counting the number of turns.

This is from the install sheet's tuning section:

 

What % would be stock?

I'm also experiencing a rubber popping noise when letting off the clutch pedal a few inches. Anyone else experience this? I'm talking with Ryan now to resolve it.

 

Remember this graphic from comments back?



Would *higher* AFP (75 - 100) be achieved by turning the dial counter-clockwise, thereby widening the effective engagement? Because that's where I like it... full counter-clockwise, and then one turn back (just because).

The question I'm getting at is this: is my preference as described here the same as Ryan's recommended "75" setting? Or should I adjust it further to avoid his concerns, since I'm using the OEM clutch?

What I would like to know from Ryan is how he v2 AFP **** adjustment equates to his new "75" recommendation.

 

So from that graphic, 0 is stock and 100 is max engagement width.
Rochester, I don't know if your all the way minus one turn puts you in any out of spec configuration. Thanks to the set it and forget it nature of the v3, I am much less knowledgeable about how the changes effect the mechanism.
Perhaps an email to Ryan is in order...

 

Think I might finally get this, from the feedback here this seems like a *must have* type mod for 6MT.

How much are folks paying for the install, for those that didn't DIY?

 

lobuzz311, Thank you for your excellent review. I'm happy to hear you're enjoying the new pedal assembly.

Rochester, the 0-100AFP on the Rev 3 is the identical range to the Rev 2 as there is no linkage geometry differences between the two models. So an equally setup Rev3 will feel identical to and equally setup Rev2... Just the R3 will be much quicker to install and more intuitive to tune.

On the Rev 2 the AFP **** has a total of 10 turns adjustment from 0% which is stock linkage point. So going 10 turns CCW to 100% and then backing off 1 turn =90% AFP on your setup. The 70-75% initial setup point I recommend starting at with a factory clutch is simply where 95% of people will have a perfectly drivable setup with very noticeable improvement right out of the box. In my past experience going higher then about 85% with the factory clutch can lead to the engagement becoming too low for some people, however as all clutches are slightly different and with differing amounts of wear the only thing that really matters is that the clutch is fully disengaging. So technically anyone can run 100% with their setup IF when you depress the clutch you're getting complete disengagement and don't feel any excess resistance going into first or reverse from a stop or grinding on shifts. I make sure to put that in there as in past I've had people with completely clapped out old clutches install and grumble or complain when they can't run 100% without issues since it's highly dependant on the health of your clutch. As well certain aftermarket clutch types engage/disengage more abruptly and require a lot less CSC stroke to completely disengage which is why I say they are free to go right to 100%

Hope that helps understand the AFP setup based on application. As well Rochester your graphic that you posted is spot on in understanding how the AFP affects the engagement range. Fully locked will always be at the top of the stroke when all hydraulic pressure is released. Increasing the AFP moves the initial friction point lower and lower, spreading the distance between initial friction and fully locked points giving better modulation ability.

Cheers!
Ryan Morgan
RJM Performance Inc.