Servo to clutch?

[accord83]

I'm a bit of a raspberry and my left leg has a habit of going on strike, therefore I want to fit an electric actuator to the clutch arm, with a switch on the gear knob. Has any one any ideas on an actuator that has: The throw, is not instant in acting, the strength, is 12 volt, and is cheap.

I had a disabled friend who had a vacuum system fitted to his Escort Cosworth back in the day, it was instant and every gearshift was like being hit on the head with a piece of 3x2 so it need to be damped. I'm no sparky so I'm chucking it out for ideas.

It's for a 1300 xflow gearbox. Cheers, John.

[katana]

have you got any use of your leg at all cos a hydraulic system could be made as light as you like? I think you may struggle trying to 'engineer' something 'fly by wire' that allows the numerous ways you need to operate a clutch - is an autobox an option?

[over_head_cam]

I'd be worried about the reliability of electrical actuation. Would something hydraulic be better maybe? I'm sure I've seen a hydraulic clutch operated by a lever on the gearstick before. Vacuum is free power of course, and I'm sure it could be controlled

[accord83]

I have lower back disc damage, and also in my neck (2 separate injuries) my left leg works but gets tired quickly and too many gear changes sends my back into spasm and the pain down my leg makes it about much use as tits on a bull. The neck injury causes my left arm to occasionally pack in completely when over exerted.

 I had considered a cable change on the gear lever, like a motorbike clutch, but I wonder if I would have the power in my left hand to squeeze it, hence thinking about a simple switch, actuator only system.

The reason I'm thinking about this is that it's not going to improve and although I can cope (ish) normally, on Sunday I got stuck in a traffic jam and I was completely fubarred by the time I got home.

Fitting an autobox would be a major undertaking, and also remove all the Mk1 Escort goodness.

John.

[katana]

Certainly not a cable operated lever on the stick but hydraulic would work. I've used bike clutches that are normally a good 4 finger pull reduced to 1 finger with a master cylinder change so anything would be possible although if your arm is wonky as well.........

[accord83]

Many years ago when I was an apprentice one of my tutors had a Hillman imp he fitted hydraulic actuated choke linkage to (because he could) It ran off an electric pump and the choke was then just switched on, and went off automatically on a thermocouple when the engine got warm. Every thing on his car was a bit weird, but he had a lot of time on his hands as he kept getting banned.

 The problem is getting the speed of the actuation right, too fast = whiplash, too slow = excessive clutch plate wear.

 The old answer on pre war Chryslers and post war Standards was to use a vacuum tank, I might need a 100E wiper tank for that route later.

MMmmm, as my Old Man used to say "This is a two pipe problem". (Off to scratch chin and the round ones in the workshop whilst giving it some serious thinking time)

[mr zefect]

We repair mobility cars for rsa

It's amazing some of the adaptions they have it might be worth talking to the people that adapt them or convert it to right leged clutch and have the throttle on a hand lever or covert to auto.

[Vista]

I use a hydraulic centre push clutch with the T5 box in my van, it's much lighter than the cable clutch with T9 arrangement I have in the RS.

[over_head_cam]

I do like a concentric hydraulic clutch. So much lighter and no cable to drag on the exhaust lol.

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<br />I suppose the hand/foot/eyebrow configurations are endless