2007 Cayman S clutch spring

as i get older my knees get worse..... was reading an article the other day and saw where it said you could replace the "power clutch spring" to make the clutch a little easier to push. i don't think my clutch is out of the ordinary. And it does not feel any different than when i first bought the car. but i am interested in making the pedal a little easier to use. questions: 1) article said this was a simple DIY project. is that true? 2) where is this spring and are there any articles on changing it? 3) suggestions on the spring to replace it? 4) any side effects from changing the spring? i have done some searching and continue to do so. but figure you all probably already know where to look and can save me some time. Thanks TL

Watching this thread with interest.

My '14 is like that as well, noticeably stiffer then other stick cars i've owned.

I hear Suzanne Somers has filed a lawsuit claiming this violates thigh master patents.

So there's a "power spring" shown at the top of the pedal in the parts diagram, #9 (Part #98742308104). Looks like it's there to ensure the clutch pedal comes fully and securely to the top? Unclear from the angles in the drawing if it just gives additional heft to the pedal at the beginning of the throw or across the whole throw. A lot of the clutch heft is going to be the stiffness of the springs in the clutch assembly and the mechanical advantage of the hydraulics. Not much you can do on either of those, I think.

thanks. for that info. that makes sense as to what i read. So maybe i can get a little softer spring there that would still pull the pedal back fully.

How? You would have to disassemble that "power spring", locate a perfect fitting, less compression force spring. Do surgery and then hope the modification doesn't have any negative effects on the system, that's likely a fool's errand. Also, as Gubi pointed out the hydraulic function is also a consideration and that cannot be modified. The Germans are meticulous, I'd wager that spring force is what has to be. I'd lubricate all the pivot points and see if that buys you a little.

from some pictures it looks like the rod goes thru the back with a pin in it. i figure you can pull the pin and take it apart. i have read where some people have gotten different springs from Mcmaster Carr. from the article i read it sounds like it has been done before and as they stated, "it is a simple DIY project." but i also would be concerned about throwing something else off and causing an issue. So that is why i am researching. i will not make any change unless i feel pretty comfortable it will all work just fine. was hoping i could find someone on here who has done it and can give some insight.

Find one from a parted out wreck, you could make it a winter endeavor, if it all goes south you put the one you didn't modify back in and call it a learning experience.

Some questionable information herein. To be clear, the purpose of the " booster spring" is to assist the driver to depress the clutch. And, it provides force across the full range of motion of the clutch pedal. Coincidentally, it also ensures the pedal retracts completely otherwise the cruise control switch us not enabled. As regards the DIY bit, I've read of people changing the spring in less than half an hour. It took me about 2 hours until I eventually figured out how to get my 210 lb 6 ft self far enough under the dash to put the wretched thing back together. Óne more note...the McMaster Carr spring mentioned in another post provides less umph that the OEM spring so using it or the comparable Home Depot spring (which I used) will result in requiring more force from the driver than the original spring. Some owners think this is a good thing. Í'm ambivalent on the matter.

Jerry thanks for the info. i was reading a thread from a 996 forum and read what you are saying. the people in that forum felt their spring was way too light. So they were headed in the other direction. question: do you have a number or spec on the spring you used? i get you also were going the other way but figured it may help to get some info.

Home Depot spring is their part nbr 684838 and for less than ten bucks you get a package of two. You will find it necessary to open up the coil a bit on one end so it fits around the base properly. Not sure where I got this info but my notes indicate the spring rate is 25 lb/in vs the original of 52 lb/in. Don't bet the farm on these numbers! FWIW, my knees are 1939 vintage and get along fine with the reduced assistance of the HD spring.

Jerry Thanks for the info but now i am a bit confused... which isn't hard to do. the reduced spring rate makes the pedal harder to push. get that. but it also helps to pull it back completely? i would think that if the spring helps to push the pedal, it is trying to expand to it's free length. (makes sense) but it could only help to pull it all the way back if it contracts to it's free length. right? how is this working both ways?

So, look at the drawing above. The spring connects to the pedal above the pivot point of the pedal. The spring pushes on the pedal assembly. Depending on the angles it either always adds more heft, always adds more assist, or adds heft at the beginning and then assist once the pedal moves past a certain point (once the spring attachment point rotates from above to below the pedal pivot point) It all depends on the exact geometry in the car, if you go under there and look at it it may be obvious.

Here's what I think I know....In the resting position the spring is applying pressure to the clutch pedal slightly above the pivot point and in doing so it applies pressure to force the pedal back against the cruise control switch energizing the.cruise control system. As explained concisely by Gubi, when the clutch pedal is depressed slightly the point at which the spring pressure is applied shifts so it is slightly below the pivot point and now augments the pressure supplied by the driver.

ok. i see. i thought the pin #8 went to that part half way down the peddle. So once the pedal gets to a certain point that the pin is above the pivot point it is still pushing but now pushing the pedal up. then in my mind it seems that a stiffer spring of the same free length would not only help with pushing the pedal down but also push it tighter against the cruise control switch. the cruise control switch not being activated would only possibly become a problem if using a weaker spring to make the pedal harder to push. But a stiffer spring may also make that transition point less smooth. hmmmm. Thanks all