Clutch Cable Stuck in the middle After Bowden Tube

Hi, I was driving my bug then the clutch pedal hit the floor, so i
thought the cable broke, so i bought a new cable, I took out the pedal
assembly then it turned out the clutch shaft Hook thing broke, So I
Jacket up the car, took out the wing nut on the back, and I decided to
change the clutch cable while I was at it. Then I went to the front of
the car and started pulling the cable as it said on a manual, It
started to get harder and harder so i thought it got stuck in the
bowden tube, I went to the back of the car disconnected the tube, but
the cable had already passed it. I have been trying various ways to
pull/push this stupidly placed cable , with pliers, with vice grips and
hammer, with a hook but the cable only gets more damaged as I try and
pull/push it out more.

Im stuck here, any suggestions/ideas or should i take it to an
expensive vw mechanic?

Thanks guys
Camus

On 3 Apr 2005 15:34:48 -0700, "Camus" >
wrote:

>Hi, I was driving my bug then the clutch pedal hit the floor, so i
>thought the cable broke, so i bought a new cable, I took out the pedal
>assembly then it turned out the clutch shaft Hook thing broke, So I
>Jacket up the car, took out the wing nut on the back, and I decided to
>change the clutch cable while I was at it. Then I went to the front of
>the car and started pulling the cable as it said on a manual,

If the cable was broken then you wouldn't have had to remove the wing
nut. You should have been able to pull the cable out in 2 pieces.
One from the front, one from the rear. You sure the cable even broke?
Could be that a weld broke on the tube inside the tunnel that holds
the cable into place. I'm sorry. I realize that doesn't answer your
question but the reason I ask is that if a weld broke and not the
cable then you may need to take it in to a mechanic if you can't weld
it back yourself.

It
>started to get harder and harder so i thought it got stuck in the
>bowden tube, I went to the back of the car disconnected the tube, but
>the cable had already passed it. I have been trying various ways to
>pull/push this stupidly placed cable , with pliers, with vice grips and
>hammer, with a hook but the cable only gets more damaged as I try and
>pull/push it out more.
>
>Im stuck here, any suggestions/ideas or should i take it to an
>expensive vw mechanic?
>
>Thanks guys
>Camus


---
"There's nothing wrong with a little shooting as long as the right people get shot."
- Inspector Harry Callahan

Camus wrote:
> Hi, I was driving my bug then the clutch pedal hit the floor, so i
> thought the cable broke, so i bought a new cable, I took out the pedal
> assembly then it turned out the clutch shaft Hook thing broke, So I
> Jacket up the car, took out the wing nut on the back, and I decided to
> change the clutch cable while I was at it. Then I went to the front of
> the car and started pulling the cable as it said on a manual, It
> started to get harder and harder so i thought it got stuck in the
> bowden tube, I went to the back of the car disconnected the tube, but
> the cable had already passed it. I have been trying various ways to
> pull/push this stupidly placed cable , with pliers, with vice grips and
> hammer, with a hook but the cable only gets more damaged as I try and
> pull/push it out more.
>
> Im stuck here, any suggestions/ideas or should i take it to an
> expensive vw mechanic?
>
> Thanks guys
> Camus
>
I wonder if some rubber part of the Bowden or the seal went along
with the cable end to get stuck.
I don't see any other option but brute force, unless you can cut
an access panel in the tunnel.

Speedy Jim
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/

Shag wrote:
> On 3 Apr 2005 15:34:48 -0700, "Camus" >
> wrote:
>
>
>>Hi, I was driving my bug then the clutch pedal hit the floor, so i
>>thought the cable broke, so i bought a new cable, I took out the pedal
>>assembly then it turned out the clutch shaft Hook thing broke, So I
>>Jacket up the car, took out the wing nut on the back, and I decided to
>>change the clutch cable while I was at it. Then I went to the front of
>>the car and started pulling the cable as it said on a manual,
>
>
> If the cable was broken then you wouldn't have had to remove the wing
> nut. You should have been able to pull the cable out in 2 pieces.
> One from the front, one from the rear. You sure the cable even broke?
> Could be that a weld broke on the tube inside the tunnel that holds
> the cable into place. I'm sorry. I realize that doesn't answer your
> question but the reason I ask is that if a weld broke and not the
> cable then you may need to take it in to a mechanic if you can't weld
> it back yourself.
>
> It
>
>>started to get harder and harder so i thought it got stuck in the
>>bowden tube, I went to the back of the car disconnected the tube, but
>>the cable had already passed it. I have been trying various ways to
>>pull/push this stupidly placed cable , with pliers, with vice grips and
>>hammer, with a hook but the cable only gets more damaged as I try and
>>pull/push it out more.
>>
>>Im stuck here, any suggestions/ideas or should i take it to an
>>expensive vw mechanic?
>>
>>Thanks guys
>>Camus
>
>
>
> ---
> "There's nothing wrong with a little shooting as long as the right people get shot."
> - Inspector Harry Callahan


He said the cable did not brake, but wanted to change it anyway..
Enough of that...

It seems you got a serious problem, the thing you did not mention
trying, was to twist/turn the cable.
Make sure you twist it the right way, not to "Unwind" it, I would try
manually with a wisegrip first, if you get it loosened up I would cut
the cable and chuck it hard to a power drill, again watch for correct
rotation.
When/if it starts to rotate you can manipulate it back and forth..

J.

On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 01:07:07 +0200, "P.J. Berg" >
wrote:

>Shag wrote:
>> On 3 Apr 2005 15:34:48 -0700, "Camus" >
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Hi, I was driving my bug then the clutch pedal hit the floor, so i
>>>thought the cable broke, so i bought a new cable, I took out the pedal
>>>assembly then it turned out the clutch shaft Hook thing broke, So I
>>>Jacket up the car, took out the wing nut on the back, and I decided to
>>>change the clutch cable while I was at it. Then I went to the front of
>>>the car and started pulling the cable as it said on a manual,
>>
>>
>> If the cable was broken then you wouldn't have had to remove the wing
>> nut. You should have been able to pull the cable out in 2 pieces.
>> One from the front, one from the rear. You sure the cable even broke?
>> Could be that a weld broke on the tube inside the tunnel that holds
>> the cable into place. I'm sorry. I realize that doesn't answer your
>> question but the reason I ask is that if a weld broke and not the
>> cable then you may need to take it in to a mechanic if you can't weld
>> it back yourself.
>>
>> It
>>
>>>started to get harder and harder so i thought it got stuck in the
>>>bowden tube, I went to the back of the car disconnected the tube, but
>>>the cable had already passed it. I have been trying various ways to
>>>pull/push this stupidly placed cable , with pliers, with vice grips and
>>>hammer, with a hook but the cable only gets more damaged as I try and
>>>pull/push it out more.
>>>
>>>Im stuck here, any suggestions/ideas or should i take it to an
>>>expensive vw mechanic?
>>>
>>>Thanks guys
>>>Camus
>>
>>
>>
>> ---
>> "There's nothing wrong with a little shooting as long as the right people get shot."
>> - Inspector Harry Callahan
>
>
>He said the cable did not brake, but wanted to change it anyway..
>Enough of that...

My fault. I read it as the hook thingie breaking off as he was
removing the pedal assembly and stuff and that he decided to go ahead
and replace the cable while the car was still jacked up. In that
case, I guess he just needs to employ the Strength Of Kong (tm) to
remove the cable.

>
>It seems you got a serious problem, the thing you did not mention
>trying, was to twist/turn the cable.
>Make sure you twist it the right way, not to "Unwind" it, I would try
>manually with a wisegrip first, if you get it loosened up I would cut
>the cable and chuck it hard to a power drill, again watch for correct
>rotation.
>When/if it starts to rotate you can manipulate it back and forth..
>
>J.


---
"There's nothing wrong with a little shooting as long as the right people get shot."
- Inspector Harry Callahan

The last time this happened to me I unbolted my bench vise, clamped it on
the protruding end of the cable and swung it so it acted like a big slide
hammer. A couple of swing did the trick. The culprit was greasy sludge in
the tube; way too hard to pull through by hand, but no match for 20 pounds
of momentum.
--
Russell

"Camus" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi, I was driving my bug then the clutch pedal hit the floor, so i
> thought the cable broke, so i bought a new cable, I took out the pedal
> assembly then it turned out the clutch shaft Hook thing broke, So I
> Jacket up the car, took out the wing nut on the back, and I decided to
> change the clutch cable while I was at it. Then I went to the front of
> the car and started pulling the cable as it said on a manual, It
> started to get harder and harder so i thought it got stuck in the
> bowden tube, I went to the back of the car disconnected the tube, but
> the cable had already passed it. I have been trying various ways to
> pull/push this stupidly placed cable , with pliers, with vice grips and
> hammer, with a hook but the cable only gets more damaged as I try and
> pull/push it out more.
>
> Im stuck here, any suggestions/ideas or should i take it to an
> expensive vw mechanic?
>
> Thanks guys
> Camus
>

Im gonna try twisting the cable in the morning but i dont know how to
do this using a power drill , so I am going to do this with vicegrips,
Do you guys think the cable got stuck causing the hook shaft on the
clutch pedal to break in the first place?

Another thing i was trying was inserting the threaded side of the new
clutch cable from under the car where the bowden tube connects, in
hopes of pushing the
stuck cable towards the front of the car, but still it wouldnt move.

Im running out of ideas and hopes

Camus


Shag wrote:
> On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 01:07:07 +0200, "P.J. Berg" >
> wrote:
>
> >Shag wrote:
> >> On 3 Apr 2005 15:34:48 -0700, "Camus" >
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>Hi, I was driving my bug then the clutch pedal hit the floor, so i
> >>>thought the cable broke, so i bought a new cable, I took out the
pedal
> >>>assembly then it turned out the clutch shaft Hook thing broke, So
I
> >>>Jacket up the car, took out the wing nut on the back, and I
decided to
> >>>change the clutch cable while I was at it. Then I went to the
front of
> >>>the car and started pulling the cable as it said on a manual,
> >>
> >>
> >> If the cable was broken then you wouldn't have had to remove the
wing
> >> nut. You should have been able to pull the cable out in 2 pieces.
> >> One from the front, one from the rear. You sure the cable even
broke?
> >> Could be that a weld broke on the tube inside the tunnel that
holds
> >> the cable into place. I'm sorry. I realize that doesn't answer
your
> >> question but the reason I ask is that if a weld broke and not the
> >> cable then you may need to take it in to a mechanic if you can't
weld
> >> it back yourself.
> >>
> >> It
> >>
> >>>started to get harder and harder so i thought it got stuck in the
> >>>bowden tube, I went to the back of the car disconnected the tube,
but
> >>>the cable had already passed it. I have been trying various ways
to
> >>>pull/push this stupidly placed cable , with pliers, with vice
grips and
> >>>hammer, with a hook but the cable only gets more damaged as I try
and
> >>>pull/push it out more.
> >>>
> >>>Im stuck here, any suggestions/ideas or should i take it to an
> >>>expensive vw mechanic?
> >>>
> >>>Thanks guys
> >>>Camus
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ---
> >> "There's nothing wrong with a little shooting as long as the right
people get shot."
> >> - Inspector Harry Callahan
> >
> >
> >He said the cable did not brake, but wanted to change it anyway..
> >Enough of that...
>
> My fault. I read it as the hook thingie breaking off as he was
> removing the pedal assembly and stuff and that he decided to go ahead
> and replace the cable while the car was still jacked up. In that
> case, I guess he just needs to employ the Strength Of Kong (tm) to
> remove the cable.
>
> >
> >It seems you got a serious problem, the thing you did not mention
> >trying, was to twist/turn the cable.
> >Make sure you twist it the right way, not to "Unwind" it, I would
try
> >manually with a wisegrip first, if you get it loosened up I would
cut
> >the cable and chuck it hard to a power drill, again watch for
correct
> >rotation.
> >When/if it starts to rotate you can manipulate it back and forth..
> >
> >J.
>
>
> ---
> "There's nothing wrong with a little shooting as long as the right
people get shot."
> - Inspector Harry Callahan

Camus wrote:
> Im gonna try twisting the cable in the morning but i dont know how to
> do this using a power drill , so I am going to do this with vicegrips,
> Do you guys think the cable got stuck causing the hook shaft on the
> clutch pedal to break in the first place?
>
> Another thing i was trying was inserting the threaded side of the new
> clutch cable from under the car where the bowden tube connects, in
> hopes of pushing the
> stuck cable towards the front of the car, but still it wouldnt move.
>
> Im running out of ideas and hopes
>
> Camus

Get a steel rod at BigBox, the size of the tube (maybe 1/4") and drive
it in from the back.

Speedy Jim
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/

In article . com>,
"Camus" > wrote:

>
> Shag wrote:
> > On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 01:07:07 +0200, "P.J. Berg" >
> > wrote:
> >
> > >Shag wrote:
> > >> On 3 Apr 2005 15:34:48 -0700, "Camus" >
> > >> wrote:
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>>Hi, I was driving my bug then the clutch pedal hit the floor, so i
> > >>>thought the cable broke, so i bought a new cable, I took out the
> pedal
> > >>>assembly then it turned out the clutch shaft Hook thing broke, So
> I
> > >>>Jacket up the car, took out the wing nut on the back, and I
> decided to
> > >>>change the clutch cable while I was at it. Then I went to the
> front of
> > >>>the car and started pulling the cable as it said on a manual,
> > >>

I know that if you try to pull the cable out the front w/o unseating
the Bowden tube, the threaded end will not make the bend/sag. and
it will jam in the tube. is that it?
>
g adds.
MONEY , what a concept

On Sun, 3 Apr 2005 21:18:11 -0700, "Russell Barr"
> wrote:

>The last time this happened to me I unbolted my bench vise, clamped it on
>the protruding end of the cable and swung it so it acted like a big slide
>hammer. A couple of swing did the trick. The culprit was greasy sludge in
>the tube; way too hard to pull through by hand, but no match for 20 pounds
>of momentum.

I like that idea. Maybe it would work if you'd tied the protruding
end of the cable to a strap and then wrapped the strap around the
bench vise while it was still bolted to the bench and then pushed the
car away from it to jerk on the cable. That should be *plenty* of
momentum. The cable would come out then, one way or another. Might
take the tube with it... or rip the vice off of the bench. :-)


---
"There's nothing wrong with a little shooting as long as the right people get shot."
- Inspector Harry Callahan