A ridiculously cheap clutch mod that has transformed my E85 driving experience!
- Thread starter Conrod
- Start date
GP06Roadster
Senior member
dhobbs said:
Perhaps some hasty design revisions are in hand
dhobbs said:GP06Roadster said:dhobbs said:
Perhaps some hasty design revisions are in hand
Maybe. I was happy with risking the current design.
When I ordered mine I was told that there were so many orders all of a sudden, the seller could barely keep up so there might be a slight delay. It came a few days later, so just give him some time
Edit: For those that want adjustability, there is this which I had on my M2: https://www.mlperformance.co.uk/collections/bmw-z-performance-parts-e85-z4/products/bms-short-throw-clutch-stop
And this for pre-06 cars: https://www.mlperformance.co.uk/collections/bmw-z-performance-parts-e85-z4/products/bms-bmw-vw-mini-short-throw-clutch-stop-upgrade-pre-2006
portculisz4
Member
The female thread on the backstop of my 2004 E85 goes right through the bulkhead so I can place any length M10 bolt if needed. Can't see why the depth of yours would be limited but I suppose (with caution) you could drill out the end and pass an M10 tap through if required.
portculisz4
Member
Best of luck, it should be all clear behind. Not sure why others are persisting with these plastic extension mods. when for a few pence and 5 mins. effort they could implement a more effective and robust solution that is infinitely adjustable.
I wonder which filament these commercial ones are printed with, as I avoid standard PLA for anything intended for cars. It's brittle, and it also deforms in locations subject to heat, such as engine compartments and cabins exposed to the sun. ABS is the most suitable, but is difficult to work with and produces poisonous fumes. PETG was my go-to filament for these jobs, but I'm now using eSun PLA+, which is a combination of PLA and PETG and seems to work well.
The other thing is that most of the commercial stops I've seen have flat heads, whereas you need a round head to cater for the changed contact angle. Otherwsie pressing the pedal when it's against the stop places a sideways rather than a lengthwise force on it, which is underirable for a plastic component, especially if it's made of a non-flexing material.
I guess at £10-£15 it's a disposable item anyway - however, like you, I enjoy the challenge of making things myself!
The other thing is that most of the commercial stops I've seen have flat heads, whereas you need a round head to cater for the changed contact angle. Otherwsie pressing the pedal when it's against the stop places a sideways rather than a lengthwise force on it, which is underirable for a plastic component, especially if it's made of a non-flexing material.
I guess at £10-£15 it's a disposable item anyway - however, like you, I enjoy the challenge of making things myself!
I cheated and used these to pad out the stopper;
https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-25mm-felt-floor-protectors-18-pack/p/0344746
Does the same job and works really well. The black foam ones they do may be better but I already had these and thought I would do a little experiment. Saves faffing with bolts and stoppers. I like to think of it as a composite solution
https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-25mm-felt-floor-protectors-18-pack/p/0344746
Does the same job and works really well. The black foam ones they do may be better but I already had these and thought I would do a little experiment. Saves faffing with bolts and stoppers. I like to think of it as a composite solution
I assume after that the clutch 'felt' better? :roll:Incitatus said:I cheated and used these to pad out the stopper;
https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-25mm-felt-floor-protectors-18-pack/p/0344746
Does the same job and works really well. The black foam ones they do may be better but I already had these and thought I would do a little experiment. Saves faffing with bolts and stoppers. I like to think of it as a composite solution
Received mine today from the eBay seller “robbsclutchstopshop” & fitted in seconds.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254978733765
This is another one of those things, like the CDV valve, that should’ve been sorted before it left the factory. I won’t go as far as to say it’s transformed the driving experience. It’s made it what you would expect of the Z4, before driving one. Clutch engagement is now not 2 inches from the floor, it’s about 5mm.
I’ve only ever driven manual cars, so like to think I know how to change gear correctly. With the CDV & old clutch stop on the car, it was an underwhelming first couple of months of ownership. Lots of jerky starts off the lights, changing gears just felt off so often because there was so much travel in the clutch. This also made blipping the throttle more challenging but not in a nice way.
Removing the CDV & putting in one of Robbs clutch stops have made a big difference. I’ve also got the storm motorwerks gear knob (weighs 500g vs stocks 45g) & UUC transmission mounts & enforcer cups. They’ve all contributed to making the driving experience what I expect a car like this should feel like.
Side note on the eBay seller. Very helpful, eBay cocked up on my end but he made it very easy to resolve. Also informed me of a new size he was trying out for the M & asked me if I wanted the original or try the new before feedback or wait for feedback on the new size before dispatching. This is going that step further in my eyes. Always replied within 5 minutes as well. If you want a clutch stop in the UK have a look at Robbs eBay shop or drop him a message.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254978733765
This is another one of those things, like the CDV valve, that should’ve been sorted before it left the factory. I won’t go as far as to say it’s transformed the driving experience. It’s made it what you would expect of the Z4, before driving one. Clutch engagement is now not 2 inches from the floor, it’s about 5mm.
I’ve only ever driven manual cars, so like to think I know how to change gear correctly. With the CDV & old clutch stop on the car, it was an underwhelming first couple of months of ownership. Lots of jerky starts off the lights, changing gears just felt off so often because there was so much travel in the clutch. This also made blipping the throttle more challenging but not in a nice way.
Removing the CDV & putting in one of Robbs clutch stops have made a big difference. I’ve also got the storm motorwerks gear knob (weighs 500g vs stocks 45g) & UUC transmission mounts & enforcer cups. They’ve all contributed to making the driving experience what I expect a car like this should feel like.
Side note on the eBay seller. Very helpful, eBay cocked up on my end but he made it very easy to resolve. Also informed me of a new size he was trying out for the M & asked me if I wanted the original or try the new before feedback or wait for feedback on the new size before dispatching. This is going that step further in my eyes. Always replied within 5 minutes as well. If you want a clutch stop in the UK have a look at Robbs eBay shop or drop him a message.
When I ordered mine he did say I could wait for the new design or take the existing one. I was happy to go with the original design and it fits on my 2007 car perfectly. I messaged him via Facebook and got a discount too. Good service I say.
For such a small price and an off the shelf product, it was a quick mod to do. I could have engineered something myself, but that would have taken time which I don't have much of (nor patience), so it was the right choice for me.
For such a small price and an off the shelf product, it was a quick mod to do. I could have engineered something myself, but that would have taken time which I don't have much of (nor patience), so it was the right choice for me.
This is for anyone who bought a clutch stop from Robb on eBay.
He’s received a lot of orders because of this thread & said anyone who has purchased off him & not received a partial refund for helping develop or sharing please get in touch because he wants to give a £2.50 refund for each order through the forum.
Future forum orders quote Z4forum when ordering & he’ll also do the clutch stop for £11 opposed to the £13.50 they're up for.
He’s received a lot of orders because of this thread & said anyone who has purchased off him & not received a partial refund for helping develop or sharing please get in touch because he wants to give a £2.50 refund for each order through the forum.
Future forum orders quote Z4forum when ordering & he’ll also do the clutch stop for £11 opposed to the £13.50 they're up for.
I fitted mine last week and it made a huge difference. Also from the same eBay shop. That, together with a CDV delete, Vibra-technics engine mounts and a ZHP knob make this is the best gear-changing experience I've ever experienced in a Z4. Not perfect but a vast improvement from stock.
GP06Roadster
Senior member
Mine came yesterday. "Unscrewed" the oem part and simply screwed the replacement in. Fit is good. Thread is shorter than he oem one. Feels better having less pedal travel. The part feels strong but its quite lightweight - will be interesting to see how it copes.dhobbs said:
Took the car out for a Sunday morning spin and I have to say this cheap fix has not made any difference for me. That's not to say the clutch stop is bad, but that I don't fully depress the clutch pedal anyway. Maybe for me it might be an m10 bolt that can be adjusted to suit my style and clutch biting point.
Please don't let my opinion put anyone off especially as this a cheap mod.
Time to raid the garage for spare bolts.
Please don't let my opinion put anyone off especially as this a cheap mod.
Time to raid the garage for spare bolts.
