Clutch safety switch

[NICK C]

I have the complete MKIV kit with TKO 600 tranny. In the Ron Francis wiring kit there is a clutch safety switch circuit that can be used or bypassed. If I do use it, where do the wires connect? Is there a switch at the clutch radius or at the trans to connect to. If so at the clutch, can it be used with the Wilwood brake set up? Any help from the great minds on the forum would be appreciated. Thanks.

[CraigS]

Use it. I went w/ the neutral switch in my TKO500 mainly cause it was already there. It works fine. Then I accidently stall the engine, usually in a parking lot with some one who wants to get by me. So then, like every other stick trans car I drive or have driven, I push in the clutch and twist the key, and ...nothing. Sh-t, it's in gear, oh yeah, that's right, put it in neutral. There was a post here or the other forum and it mentioned that Forte has a clutch switch kit for not too much $. I would get one. I think it's good to make our cars drive as much like a regular car as possible so there isn't a huge transition each time we hop into the FFR.

[NICK C]

Thanks Craig. That makes sence. I'll check with Forte. Thanks again

[BigLeo69]

if your used to a clutch the left foot goes to the clutch just like riding a bike
i took the clutch safety switch and put a good toggle on it its used as a security cut off stashed only where i know its at
i also have no neutral safety because ....why, my foot goes on the clutch everytime i start the car. simple .....did i say it was like riding a bike:rolleyes:

[FritoBandito]

If we can lay our hands on the Wilwood parts it should be a trivial issue to install a switch on the clutch. It's just the switch, mounting plate, and bolt and that's pretty much it. When I get closer to installing the pedals that's what I plan to do.

Initially I had planned to rely on the neutral switch on the TKO but I recently learned that this feature is disabled if you go with a mid shift.

Mario

[NICK C]

Thanks for the info guys. I like the idea of a separate switch for security reasons also. I drove a twin turbo fox body for quite awhile with no safety switch and had no real issues. BigLeo did you use a toggle that spring returns or a button?

[Jeff Kleiner]

Painless #80172

http://www.painlesswiring.com/webcatalog/plarge/80172.jpg

About 10 bucks at Jegs, Summit or through Painless.

When the plunger is depressed the switch is open; released it is closed. Make a simple bracket and locate the switch so that when the clutch pedal is up it contacts and depresses the plunger. Run the solenoid activation wire (if you are using the RF harness it is a light blue wired labled "clutch safety") through it. With the clutch pedal released the plunger is depressed and the start circuit is open. When you push in the pedal the plunger comes out, closing the circuit allowing the start signal to reach the solenoid.

Jeff

[Pierre B]

My MKII start-up drill: 1. Depress clutch pedal; 2. Check that gearbox is in neutral; 3. Turn ignition on and into start position; 4. Select gear engage clutch gradually; 5. Drive away. As a driver of standard shift vehicles (including more than 250,000 miles on motorcycles) since at least 1969, I have always followed this procedure. As such, then, I wouldn't ever notice if I had one of these neutral switches in the circuit, and I saw no need to install one.

[BigLeo69]

Thanks for the info guys. I like the idea of a separate switch for security reasons also. I drove a twin turbo fox body for quite awhile with no safety switch and had no real issues. BigLeo did you use a toggle that spring returns or a button?

i just used a 20 amp toggle this is as a cut off, not as a switch like Jeff has posted the same switch he posts is used on your brakes, mine is just a switch to cut the circuit, flip the switch by hand and nothing starts.
i had a clutch switch on my 84 f-150 it went bad and i just put a toggle in stashed under the dash on the truck, i always put my foot on the clutch when firing up the engine. hell sometimes when i have been in a clutched vehicle and i drive an auto my foot looks for the clutch kinda weird but the way my brain works:cool:

[NICK C]

Pierre as you, I have done what you do with all my vehicles anyway, so I will probably just use it as a security switch like BigLeo and use a toggle. My big left foot has tickled the brake pedeal on automatics before after driving sticks for so long. Thanks gentlemen.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Like you guys I always go through the same drill at startup and think of a clutch safety switch as being more for someone else who might drive the car than me.
Antecdote from twenty some years ago: Dad taught my sisters and me to park with the car in gear and push in the clutch when starting. Unfortunately he didn't teach my brother in law. B-I-L went out to move sister's old Mazda (it either wasn't equipped with a safety or it had been defeated) and started it up with the clutch released without checking to assure that it was in neutral, crashing it into the back of his Honda. How would you like to try to explain to the insurance company that both of your cars collided in your own driveway!

Jeff

[Rootbeer Roadster]

I installed one with a bypass in case the switch ever goes bad. Better safe than sorry.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc170/silverstreak02/IMG_0987.jpg

Jeff

[skullandbones]

I think it is more important to install the neutral safety switch which I am running from my Autowire harness (2 purple wires) to the plug on the trans harness. That way you don't launch if the foot slips off the clutch (embarrassing and dangerous). The clutch switch is redundant in that case. I don't think you even need it. JMO. WEK.

[Tomh440]

For those of you that don't use the safety switch you must not have kids, or friends that want to help you on the car. Just imagine asking your buddy to 'bump the ignition' to check timing or he says 'i know how to start it'. Just too many ways someone can get hurt, and its cheap insurance. These cars are so light that a bump in 1st gear can make it start and go! And its too easy to reach in to show someone how good it sounds not thinking about putting it in neutral.
Having said that I do have a hidden bypass switch in case I do need to start it without pushing the clutch in.
My .02
Tom