Preemptive Maintenance Tip - Shifter Cables


nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,304
'tis the season of clutches here at Cool Tech. We have 3 GT's in the shop all of which are getting new clutches among other things. I thought I would share something that we see common across all 3 of the cars - and, no doubt present on your car as well. It's something that you can invest $.15 in right now or postpone until you'll need to invest hundreds of dollars to correct later.

A picture is worth a 1000 words so here you go...

ClutchCable.jpg

Notice that there is a casting ridge in the top center of the transaxle. One of the shifter cables (the one controlling North/South shifter movement) lies right on top of that ridge. Compounding the problem is that our transaxles run at what I'd say is an abnormally high temperature. This sharp-edged casting rib combined with the high heat serve to cut through the protective shielding of the shifter cable. On all 3 of the cars here now, the wear is through the plastic sheathing and into the metal underneath. I'm SURE that you car is wearing here too. Fortunately, the fix is both simple and straightforward. Just use a high quality zip tie and pull this cable up a bit to the sway bar. Yes, the sway bar will have some small movement but all of the surfaces are smooth and it WON'T wear through the sheathing of the shifter cable. You might need to remove your rubber intake boot to get your grubby hands down there but it is something that I'd advocate that you do the next time you are tinkering with the GT.
 
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HighHP

GT Owner
Jun 3, 2019
474
Spokane, WA
Thanks for all your tips. Much appreciated.
 

extrap

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 16, 2020
1,933
Gainesville FL
'tis the season of clutches here at Cool Tech. We have 3 GT's in the shop all of which are getting new clutches among other things. I thought I would share something that we see common across all 3 of the cars - and, no doubt present on your car as well. It's something that you can invest $.15 in right now or postpone until you'll need to invest hundreds of dollars to correct later.

A picture is worth a 1000 words so here you go...

View attachment 70971

Notice that there is a casting ridge in the top center of the transaxle. One of the shifter cables (the one controlling North/South shifter movement) lies right on top of that ridge. Compounding the problem is that our transaxles run at what I'd say is an abnormally high temperature. This sharp-edged casting rib combined with the high heat serve to cut through the protective shielding of the shifter cable. On all 3 of the cars here now, the wear is through the plastic sheathing and into the metal underneath. I'm SURE that you car is wearing here too. Fortunately, the fix is both simple and straightforward. Just use a high quality zip tie and pull this cable up a bit to the sway bar. Yes, the sway bar will have some small movement but all of the surfaces are smooth and it WON'T wear through the sheathing of the shifter cable. You might need to remove your rubber intake boot to get your grubby hands down there but it is something that I'd advocate that you do the next time you are tinkering with the GT.
Thanks for the tip (y) Is this where the tie should go?
ClutchCableZipTied.jpg
 
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GT@50

GT Owner
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Dec 14, 2019
960
Issaquah
What kind of mileage on the vehicles?
 

nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,304
Yeah, extrap, exactly. You just need to tie the one cable - the other one is fine. See below.

For those of you not aware, the shift cables need to be as straight of a shot as possible back to the transaxle. This is what gives the GT shifter that silky smooth feeling. To achieve this, the cables are routed from the shifter back under the console into the engine compartment..... and then there's a big fat 4-valve motor there! No worries, the cables are snaked underneath the intake manifold and back to the transaxle. Pretty slick!

The GT's have 8,200, 12,000, and 15,000 miles. (15,000 mile car shown.)

ShiftCableZipTie.jpg
 
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GT@50

GT Owner
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Dec 14, 2019
960
Issaquah
Were they tracked? Seems to be low mileage for clutch failure.
 

Kpgarage

GT Owner
Mar 17, 2019
98
Awesome advice
Thank you, KO
 

nota4re

GT Owner
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Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,304
Were they tracked? Seems to be low mileage for clutch failure.
With the possible exception of 1/4 mi racing, I don't think tracking (driven properly) would have such an adverse effect of clutch life.

The GT is using a twin disc clutch set-up have a lot of clutch surface area but they don't have a lot of clutch material depth. Translated, they are very effective and can be very long-lasting but they just cannot take very much "abuse". In my opinion, historically the #1 GT clutch killer has been unintended 3rd-gear starts particularly by GT-inexperienced drivers. This is especially concerning for GTs that are transported and driven onto ramps or inclines by well-intentioned drivers.... but using a highly slipped third gear instead of first gear. Let's face it, first gear is in a peculiar location in the GT. The shift lever is leaned over toward the driver a bit whereas third gear "looks" a little more correct.

We all know that the GT is a remarkable car. I've always thought it was crazy just how little advice you'd need to give someone before driving your GT... but some advice is prudent/necessary.

1. Watch you damn head on the door - particularly on egress. (Now typically they're so damn excited about just having driven one of the best cars on the planet that they will forget and smack their head on the door anyway!)

2. First gear is leaned over toward the driver - MAKE SURE YOU'RE IN FIRST AND NOT THIRD!

3. The A-pillars are a bit wider than normal so be particularly careful making left turns onto a divided road.

That's my short list with #2 by far the most important... because #1 can really hurt, but they will heal. :)
 
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Howard

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 26, 2007
1,156
Florida/North Jersey
Well, this afternoon I raised the clamshell on my GT prepared to install the zip tie recommended by Kendall. Instead, I found my car already has both shifter cables protected by thick jackets. Did Rich Brooks do this? He has seen my car several times over the years at his shop, and in New Jersey and New York. Did Ford install these in late 2006 GT's? My manufacturing date is September 2006, I think. Here's what I found:
 

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Specracer

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Nov 28, 2005
7,168
MA
With the possible exception of 1/4 mi racing, I don't think tracking (driven properly) would have such an adverse effect of clutch life.


2. First gear is leaned over toward the driver - MAKE SURE YOU'RE IN FIRST AND NOT THIRD!
With 30+ years of road race experience, I 100% agree.

I pulled away from the dealer when the car was brand new in 3rd (1st time even sitting in the car). Never gave it any throttle, and was gentle (didnt stall it). Learned that lesson on the 1st day. Never did it again.
 
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Tomcat

GT Owner
2. First gear is leaned over toward the driver - MAKE SURE YOU'RE IN FIRST AND NOT THIRD!
Early on in my ownership I learned about "slapping" the shifter to the left in order to reach 1st gear (more consistently)...that little maneuver helps a lot!
 
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extrap

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 16, 2020
1,933
Gainesville FL
Early on in my ownership I learned about "slapping" the shifter to the left in order to reach 1st gear (more consistently)...that little maneuver helps a lot!
Same here ... but not so hard that it goes into reverse.

Just zip tied my cable (y)
 

Tomcat

GT Owner
I found my car already has both shifter cables protected by thick jackets. Did Rich Brooks do this? He has seen my car several times over the years at his shop, and in New Jersey and New York. Did Ford install these in late 2006 GT's? My manufacturing date is September 2006, I think.
My 2006, 47,000 mile car showed no wear on the shift cables BUT it also had (what looked like) a purposeful high density black rubber foam pad on top of the ridge on the transaxle (Rich (GTGuy) has also been back there before so maybe its his work?). Anyway, I slit a piece of 1" ID rubber hose and added additional sheathing/protection.
 
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CanadaGT

GT Owner
Sep 28, 2006
210
Edmonton Alberta
I serviced my cables like I do my Harleys. Used cable lube and let gravity do the rest. Put 80,000 miles on that car. Also changed brake fluid Dot 4 synthetic for clutch every oil change. Cheap Maintenance imo..
 

Art138

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jan 4, 2011
634
Weston,FL
I used double high temp wire sleeves and lifted at contact point about 3mm using a hose separator clip for a cleaner fit.
 

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Tomcat

GT Owner
I used double high temp wire sleeves and lifted at contact point about 3mm using a hose separator clip for a cleaner fit.
Very factory/professional looking!
 
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extrap

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 16, 2020
1,933
Gainesville FL
I bought a 12" piece of 3/4" hose from Advanced Auto parts, sliced it down the middle and slipped it over the clutch cable, then put a zip tie around that directly under the sway bar, and used a 2nd zip tie thru the first zip tie, just to eliminate a zip tie twist possibly cutting into the hose. Can't be too careful, eh! 🤪 Should allow a little movement, too. The 12" length lets the 3/4" hose start under/ahead of the sway bar and run all the way back past where the clutch cable normally contacts the transaxle's sharp ridge. Edit: BTW, I could feel a like 'notch' in the clutch cable's jacket right where it has been rubbing on that ridge. I don't think it's rubbed thru, but someday it prob would've. Thanks for the tip @nota4re (y) 🍻
PXL_20241231_022340096b520.jpg
 
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2112

Blue/white 06'
Mark II Lifetime
I bought a 12" piece of 3/4" hose from Advanced Auto parts,

What year, make and model did you use to get that?

.
 

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extrap

GT Owner
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Jul 16, 2020
1,933
Gainesville FL
🤪 ... Why, for a 2005 Ford GT, of course!
 
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BasillioG

GT Owner
Jun 12, 2019
22
Phoenix
Appreciate the heads up in this. On inspection mine had a very deep groove worn in the rubber line as well but not quite through to the cable.