so, around the 4th, I started having problems with what I thought was my clutch system. (I had to replace the whole thing about 4 months ago) I had to wait till this morning for the shop I got it replaced at to open and found that the problem was with the clutch pedal. while I was talking to the mechanic, I pushed down on the pedal, and the bracket holding it to the fire wall snapped!

long story short, I brought it to Mazda because of the assembly warranty, they told me the warranty was expired, and I would have to buy a whole new one.

my question to you guys is, should I just shell out for the mazda assembly, or is there a better one out there for around the same price or cheaper?

 

this is thread might be more helpful to you as it's where most of us have posted our experiences with the broken pedal

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tec...ff-~~~-132912/

 

Thanks man. I ordered a Clutch Reinforcement Bracket Kit from Rotaryfx.com. it came in yesterday and I just finished installing it. so far, so good!

 

Glad you got that sorted out.

How was the install, pretty easy? what was the hardest part you would say?
Pictures would be awesome :D

I'm thinking of getting a reinforcement at some point, but not sure whether to go race roots or rotaryfx.
Plus side is that it seems rotaryfx is blue lol.

 

the install was pretty easy. the hardest part was just getting the peddle out because of the location, lol. it's really only two sensors with quick releases and three bolts.

I got a few pictures so, as soon as I get them off my phone, i'll post them. there is also a really good DIY thread that helped with getting the peddle out.

yup, the rotartfx one is a every nice blue! (matches the mazda blue!) the one from Raceroots is like five bucks cheaper but, they're having issues processing orders under $200 so....rotaryfx was the choice! also, the USPS shipping was much cheaper that their UPS shpping, and faster.

 

Awesome,

Thanks for the tips beyond_the_grave.

The only part I'm concerned about is the drilling part, but since you didn't mention that part I guess it wasn't much of an issue.

 

so you installed it on your snapped bracket and it still fixes it cause mine broke yesterday and is almost impossible to go in reverse! i need to get it fixed baaad

 

yup. worked like a charm. now, I'm sure that it all depends on where it snapped but, from what I can gather, it's usually around the weld points, and the new brackets cover both points

 

first off, this is a great DIY article on how to remove and reinstall your clutch pedal. once you have it out, you can just follow your bracket kits instructions.

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-...al-fix-170387/

on concern is that the bracket is made of a VERY thin metal, and it is VERY easy to bend so, remember, take your time and be gentle

ok, so here are a few pictures of my clutch pedal.

the first picture is of the break. as you can see, the whole thing snapped on that side. I was able to still shift with it but, I had to angle it into position with my toes then push in like normal, while still holding it into place. (btw, Vibrum five finger shoes....great driving shoes, lol)

the second picture is of the kit fully installed. it comes in three parts, three short 9/16th bolts, three 1/2 locking nuts, and two long bolts that will only be used to hold the brackets in place until they have been fully installed on the pedal. the instructions are very simple to follow and do call for a 9/16 drill bit. they will tell you to install the brackets before the reinforcement arm. the arm installs easy but, you may need to drill out a little where it bolts on, I had to do that to get it right. (see picture four's green circle.)

the third picture is again of the break. the red circle is about where the first hole will need to be drilled. remember, the arm and the bracket need to line up before drilling. Now, I did have to widen my hole a bit, just to get the bolt all the way in. just take your time and go as slow as you need to. the more you rush, the higher the chance is of screwing up.


the forth picture is again of the kit installed, just with indications where drilling will need to take place. the green circle is where the hood release cable snaps in. it is only there to keep it secured but, you will find that it is not needed. this is where the first bolt for the arm will be secured. again, I had to slightly widen it to get the bolt to fit snug in it. one thing that I found out was the two brackets do not need to be perfectly aligned, because they have their own bolt. At first, I thought one of the long bolts would be used to go all the way through but, not the case.

once you have all the bolts secured, the best way to tighten everything is with a 1/2 wrench holding the nut while you use a 9/16 wrench to tighten the bolt, especially the lower bolts. (red circle)

I wish I had more pictures... who knows, i might get bored this weekend and uninstall it to get more pics! =)

if you have an questions, or need some help, lemme know!