glf-455
20-11-2011, 09:06 PM
So a few weeks back I was driving home from work, slowing down for a stop sign when bang, my clutch pedal sucked to the floor and the engine stalled, after getting it off the road and home again I did some research and found out that a bit had snapped off my clutch pedal, causing the whole thing. Much better than my initial thoughts of something more serious like a wrecked clutch. So I thought I would write this up just in case anyone else experiences this at some point with their mark iv.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0184.jpg
So after pushing it up the curb, all this after my motorbike crash so I'm still a bit weak, luckily a good Samaritan helped me out. Although there was a god awful scrape when I had to push it over the curb. Still want to be a bit lower though.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0185.jpg
Luckily the RAC rung me 3 days prior and said I hadn't paid my renewal that was due 3 months ago. I renewed, best money I have ever spent, you don't plan for these things but they happen.
After getting all the parts (clutch pedal part number 1J2721319C, stop 1J2721332A, Mounting 1HO721357) Ordered in from VW for me I set to work, the parts came to around $100, and took me a couple of hours to do, I'm not the best mechanic and this isn't a pretty job, a lot of lying around in the foot well getting hot and frustrated.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0192.jpg
To start with you need to pull of some interior pieces like the fuse box cover and the lower part of the dash (clips mainly) and I also took of the first part of the interior above the footwell for better access.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0193.jpg
The white box is basically where the piston pushed through the pedal and caused the pedal to pull to the floor. Also the 'stop' I quoted above, it's cheap and not worth just getting a replacement. You can also see the steering column and bolt I will mention later. It's a snug fit.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0196.jpg
Where that little hole was there should be a metal plate, obviously not anymore.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0195.jpg
This is the nut you need to undo, I made a mental not to remember the size, and forgot, but you need to undo that nut and wiggle the bolt out, made difficult by the steering column being in the way, I put it in the reverse to how I took it out so if I ever need to do this again, the issue won't be an issue any more. You can also see a switch that I ended up taking out to give me more room.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0197.jpg
Once you finally wiggle the pedal out. This is what you will have (some replacement parts as well), the bit that looks like a valve spring is basically for the clutch return, I didn't get any photos taking it out, but basically you just need a bit of patience, strength and a lot of sailor tongue so the pedal knows you hate it.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0198.jpg
Remember to put these bushes in the new pedal as it will stop the pedal wobbling from side to side when it is refitted.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0199.jpg
This is the pivot that obviously the pedal pivots on, that bolt will also sit through there nicely.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0200.jpg
This is the stop you need to get back onto the piston, it's hard and you need a bit of strength, I ended up using needle nosed pliers and a rag to protect everything, but I was also weak from the aforementioned accident, you will hear it 'click' or more snap into place not wanting to move again. NB: sorry I forgot to mention taking the old one off, you need to spread it to remove it, that's about all the insight I have I'm afraid.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0201.jpg
This is how the pedal will eventually go back into the car. You can see the clutch return spring, and when you take it off you can see there is a little recess for it to sit in, getting this on was a pig. Also the white bit will now be on the piston, when the pedal goes in that's where it will clip. There is also a black plastic part on the other side of the pedal, I quoted a part number above, this basically activates the switch you would have removed with the pedal.
Unfortunately I stopped taking photos at this point due to being tired and wanting to finish, but I will walk you through the reverse process (much the same as taking it off, but reversed :rolleyes:)
Feed the pedal up into it's home with the pivot inside, at this point I put a thin screw through where the bolt will eventually go, to hold in place but give me movement for fitting the next few parts. Get the piston and clip it into the pedal (see above image with set up of pedal and parts) this can be a pain, but with a bit of wriggling it will go.
The black part that activates the switch I just put that on outside the car, I though of doing it in the car but it wouldn't make anything else any easier.
Once your basic set up is done it will be time to put the pivot bolt through... **Remember you will put it in the opposite to how you took it out so that the steering column is no longer in the way** and you can even use the thin screw to guide the bolt through. GENIUS.
Tighten the nut on the end and check that everything moves as it should and put the switch back into it's home.
From then I started it, in reverse so if anything didn't work then I would jump back out the garage, not into the wall. This will change depending on your situation. Give it a test ride and when it's done but the interior back together. Then you will have a working clutch pedal, sore elbows, back and head, but saved money on labour and learnt something new.
Looking back I had one problem where I dropped the small guide screw I used behind the steering column, there is a bit of plastic trim around the base of it with a torx screw holding it in, I undid this to pull the cover out enough and feel around behind to find whatever may have dropped. Or throw a rag around the column itself, whatever floats your boat.
Hopefully this will give you some insight, if it's unclear I can try and make it easier to read. This is one of those things you can't plan for but it may happen. I also only used my iphone for pics because it was easier than my other cameras. :rolleyes:
Well this is the end, if you got this far. Well done. Sit back. Have a beer and enjoy being able to drive in other gears again.
You will have:
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0252.png
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0184.jpg
So after pushing it up the curb, all this after my motorbike crash so I'm still a bit weak, luckily a good Samaritan helped me out. Although there was a god awful scrape when I had to push it over the curb. Still want to be a bit lower though.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0185.jpg
Luckily the RAC rung me 3 days prior and said I hadn't paid my renewal that was due 3 months ago. I renewed, best money I have ever spent, you don't plan for these things but they happen.
After getting all the parts (clutch pedal part number 1J2721319C, stop 1J2721332A, Mounting 1HO721357) Ordered in from VW for me I set to work, the parts came to around $100, and took me a couple of hours to do, I'm not the best mechanic and this isn't a pretty job, a lot of lying around in the foot well getting hot and frustrated.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0192.jpg
To start with you need to pull of some interior pieces like the fuse box cover and the lower part of the dash (clips mainly) and I also took of the first part of the interior above the footwell for better access.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0193.jpg
The white box is basically where the piston pushed through the pedal and caused the pedal to pull to the floor. Also the 'stop' I quoted above, it's cheap and not worth just getting a replacement. You can also see the steering column and bolt I will mention later. It's a snug fit.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0196.jpg
Where that little hole was there should be a metal plate, obviously not anymore.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0195.jpg
This is the nut you need to undo, I made a mental not to remember the size, and forgot, but you need to undo that nut and wiggle the bolt out, made difficult by the steering column being in the way, I put it in the reverse to how I took it out so if I ever need to do this again, the issue won't be an issue any more. You can also see a switch that I ended up taking out to give me more room.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0197.jpg
Once you finally wiggle the pedal out. This is what you will have (some replacement parts as well), the bit that looks like a valve spring is basically for the clutch return, I didn't get any photos taking it out, but basically you just need a bit of patience, strength and a lot of sailor tongue so the pedal knows you hate it.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0198.jpg
Remember to put these bushes in the new pedal as it will stop the pedal wobbling from side to side when it is refitted.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0199.jpg
This is the pivot that obviously the pedal pivots on, that bolt will also sit through there nicely.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0200.jpg
This is the stop you need to get back onto the piston, it's hard and you need a bit of strength, I ended up using needle nosed pliers and a rag to protect everything, but I was also weak from the aforementioned accident, you will hear it 'click' or more snap into place not wanting to move again. NB: sorry I forgot to mention taking the old one off, you need to spread it to remove it, that's about all the insight I have I'm afraid.
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0201.jpg
This is how the pedal will eventually go back into the car. You can see the clutch return spring, and when you take it off you can see there is a little recess for it to sit in, getting this on was a pig. Also the white bit will now be on the piston, when the pedal goes in that's where it will clip. There is also a black plastic part on the other side of the pedal, I quoted a part number above, this basically activates the switch you would have removed with the pedal.
Unfortunately I stopped taking photos at this point due to being tired and wanting to finish, but I will walk you through the reverse process (much the same as taking it off, but reversed :rolleyes:)
Feed the pedal up into it's home with the pivot inside, at this point I put a thin screw through where the bolt will eventually go, to hold in place but give me movement for fitting the next few parts. Get the piston and clip it into the pedal (see above image with set up of pedal and parts) this can be a pain, but with a bit of wriggling it will go.
The black part that activates the switch I just put that on outside the car, I though of doing it in the car but it wouldn't make anything else any easier.
Once your basic set up is done it will be time to put the pivot bolt through... **Remember you will put it in the opposite to how you took it out so that the steering column is no longer in the way** and you can even use the thin screw to guide the bolt through. GENIUS.
Tighten the nut on the end and check that everything moves as it should and put the switch back into it's home.
From then I started it, in reverse so if anything didn't work then I would jump back out the garage, not into the wall. This will change depending on your situation. Give it a test ride and when it's done but the interior back together. Then you will have a working clutch pedal, sore elbows, back and head, but saved money on labour and learnt something new.
Looking back I had one problem where I dropped the small guide screw I used behind the steering column, there is a bit of plastic trim around the base of it with a torx screw holding it in, I undid this to pull the cover out enough and feel around behind to find whatever may have dropped. Or throw a rag around the column itself, whatever floats your boat.
Hopefully this will give you some insight, if it's unclear I can try and make it easier to read. This is one of those things you can't plan for but it may happen. I also only used my iphone for pics because it was easier than my other cameras. :rolleyes:
Well this is the end, if you got this far. Well done. Sit back. Have a beer and enjoy being able to drive in other gears again.
You will have:
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i324/glf-455/IMG_0252.png