Make Mini-Cooper Clutch Easier To Push?

Sep 17, 2007 17 Replies

Hi,



My daughter wants a Mini-Cooper but finds the clutch pedal takes much too much force, especially the "S". Is there an adjustment or an aftermarket replacement that would require less foot effort? She will be living in Boston where you can spend a lot of time on the clutch.



She has also driven the RSX (including the "S") which has more horsepower without having such a heavy clutch.



Thanks, Gary


Have you considered giving her a membership in a gym?

R / John

I don't know for sure, but there is probably some spring that can be changed out. Anyone have more knowledge on the subject?

"Gary Brown" wrote

All the posts I have seen (mostly on roadfly's Mini forum) say that the clutch is "light". Minis have hydraulic clutches so there is no adjustment or spring to change. To change the feel, you'd have to change both the master and slave cylinders; you're talking about several hundred dollars at least.

FloydR

You mean hydraulically operated clutches, I think, and even with those sometimes the operating arm is external and you can modify the leverage point. I have no idea if the new minis are like that or not.

If all the minis you've tried have a stiff clutch then her leg might ache for a little while but should get used to it. When I go skiing my left leg is always fine and my right aches very quickly.

Your question demonstrates an appalling ignorance of the subject matter. Are you aware of that?

Technically, he is correct though.

Yes, but he had the foresight to acknowledge his ignorance and ask in a newsgroup. Your answer demonstrates your ignorance full stop.

Bit of string probably, although BMW will have redesigned it by now.

I wonder if any original mini part is still used in the current model?

Well, I was trying to get this thread moving in the right direction. At the time of my post, the responses were IMO smartass answers (auto, gym membership). Yes, I do admit my ignorance on this subject - I have never been in a MINI or know anything about them. I have owned 2 BMW's though and

2 VW's and know more about those makes. The important thing, again IMO, is getting the answer for the OP. If I sound ignorant in the process it's no big deal as long as the person with the question gets a valid answer.

If you mean the proper Issigonis designed Mini I'd say the only interchangeable parts would be some of the light bulbs.

I like the BMW Mini as a car but it's simply not a Mini as envisaged. It's a large small car tight for interior space - the exact reverse of the original.

In my youth I had some 4 Minis - all vans - and had as much fun driving them as anything legal. They were the first vehicles I owned that could be driven flat out all day without breaking down. Or braking, come to that. ;-)

Well, that's why he came here... to cure his ignorance.

That said, it might be possible to loosen the return spring a little bit but it won't make a huge difference in the feel. It might make enough to satisfy her, though.

Personally, I think the clutch pedal on the Mini is pretty light and I'd prefer something that took a little more force. Chacun a son gout and all that.

--scott

Haven't they gone LED? I will check - a mate has just bought the latest one.

I'll grant you that, but the appalling ignorance remains.

Ok, you *had* to drive them flat out everywhere. They'd go all day without breaking down, but then wouldn't start in the morning :-) Actually, my bro's BL one wouldn't but my Mk1 Morris with electric fuel pump would start first time on the button.

Great cars to drive but I remember the rust, the electrics, the subframe mounts, the steering balljoints, the hub balljoints, the "king" pins, the trailing arm bushes, the waterpump hose, ... ...

I splashed out on a very nice brand new 1973 Clubman 1275 GT, and put a full length Webasto sunroof in it. Then my drunken bitch of an ex-wife promptly drove it full on into an old Land Rover that was parked perfectly innocently on the side of the street and wrote it off. When she got home, the thing that worried her most was that she had lost one of her shoes. I miss her *so* much.

I have a few other 'real' Minis in the same timeframe, in various states of tattiness and/or tune. They were definitely some of the most fun cars at the time.

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