RTS clutch in a metro
Turbo Mini Forums

well guys, its been a while since I last posted. Life takes over and the toys take a back seat.

Anyway, as some of you know, i've drifted a little into Metro ownership. Really wanted a nice original Turbo but cant justify the cost of a bad one, never mind a good one these days. I've picked up a GTA shell and an MG metro and going to build a replica for now.

Anyway, onto topic, i'm working on the engine and box spec at the moment. Not going with mega power as I want it to be be a nice road car we can use. I'm going to use a good standard turbo bottom end I have with an MG metro cam, crosspin diff and standard box. Head will be standard for now and I will run an intercooler. Power is clearly going to have to be limited to keep the box internals safe.

Now to the topic point, has anyone run an RTS in a metro with cable clutch? how has it performed? I'm looking to try and keep the car relatively standard so would like to avoid installing the hydraulic clutch if I can help.

Also, i've no AP parts that I used as the basis for the one in the mini. How are people getting on with the borg & beck and Valeo based kits?

I havent, but I will say Ive had a fair few broken cables in metro's, the bit on the end that attaches to the pedal is plastic and shits itself pretty easily.

thats said at the time I was running a preverto clutch, so the ratio;'/;oadings wer all higher than normal, probably not RTS hard though....

I did consider looking into a metal end but never got around to it.

I'd go with Joe's answer.

Standard cables fail in many of last millennium cars (been there, done that in my old Cossie).

There is a very good reason most mainstream manufacturers have gone back to hydraulics.

Albeit with concentric release bearings but is there any car on the market with a cable clutch now ?

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Yeh I run one. It's been fine. The plastic bit has held up for 5 years ik. I carry a spare just in case. Clutch isnt too heavy with the cable and it saves a bit of weight too.

Oh and I was meaning to make a cable with brass clevis insted of the plastic. Theres alot of benifit to the cable so think it's worth time uprating it.

I swapped over to hydraulic. I made my RTS with the existing turbo spring and a spring from a 998, and the clutch needs a good bit more effort to operate. Obviously I couldn't say whether the cable is up to it or not, but the extra effort needed wouldn't make me want to test it long term. If slater has been running it with no problems I'm probably just being over cautious.