[Patryn]

I have a 2004 MINI S, and i'd like to have the clutch pedal throwout shortened, if that make any sense. Basically, i'd like the clutch to only be pushed as far as the brake or so, instead of all the way down to shift gears. Is the clutch hydraulic? If so, it should only take one hour's labor or so, right?

[CoryB]

Yes, the clutch is hydraulic.

I don't know what it would take to change the pedal throw though. Good luck with that.

[JoeDentist]

Hydraulic clutches, like hydraulic brakes, are usually made to be "self adjusting," i.e. is resets to zero throw when engaged. As the clutch wears out, this place changes. In order to change the "at rest" pedal position, there should be a mechanical adjustment in the pedal mechanism. In a cable clutch, you simply adjust the length of the cable to change the "at rest" pedal position. In most hydraulic clutches or brakes, the position of the pedal is adjusted with no action in the clutch system itself. The pedal depresses a rod which compresses the hydraulic fluid. A mechanical linkage will adjust the position of the pedal at zero compression. But remember that the "throw," or distance that you have to depress the pedal, is not adjustable. So if your goal is to have the clutch fully disengaged at a pedal height the same as the brake pedal being depressed, you may have to start off with the pedal higher than it is currently set to.

In order to shorten the amount that the pedal moves in order to depress the clutch fully, you would need to add some sort of lever arm to increase the movement of the depression rod relative to the pedal. As a class III lever, this would increase pedal pressure. A lot.

This is not an easy modification.