time to replace my throwout bearing?

89stanger · 01-22-2005

i started my car up today after work to let it warm up, and i could hear the bearing for the first time with the clutch out, i have been able to hear it with the clutch pushed in a little bit for some time now, what do you all think? it is starting to get quite loud, i am thinking it is time to replace it, i am looking @ a centerforce bearing, aswell as the centerforce dual friction clutch kit, and possibly a new clutch cable, an adjustable one, what do you all think?

cablepro · 01-22-2005

I had a Centerforce Dual Friction on my 93 Cobra, I was actually a little dissapointed with it, I don't remember reading the advertisement too much but it feels just like a stock clutch, I was hoping for more of a stiff pedal, if you drive your Stang on a daily basis, you'll love it and so will your left foot, but it held up fine with over 350 horses.

89stanger · 01-22-2005

hmmm i'm lost, so u think i should put it in? or not? also did u just use a center force clutch? or did u get the dual friction? and were u saying u think it is a good idea to get or not, my stang is my daily driver

meangreen92 · 01-23-2005

Definitely getcha an adjustable cable - and the metal quadrant. You can
install the quadrant without dropping the pedal support (I just did it on my
'92 Monday). The plastic pawl and quadrant are JUNK. A stock clutch will
kill them. Whatever clutch you go with, get the cable kit.

cablepro · 01-23-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by 89stanger

hmmm i'm lost, so u think i should put it in? or not? also did u just use a center force clutch? or did u get the dual friction? and were u saying u think it is a good idea to get or not, my stang is my daily driver

The centerforce clutch, the dual friction, thats what I had, I didn't like it because it felt like a stock clutch but it held up fine for over 350 horsepower, I'd recommend it, but I would change to a billet flywheel while your at it, make sure you get it balnced to your harmonic balancer. So I give the centerforce the :thumbup, but if you want a stiff clutch thats hard on your left foot than look elsewhere.

hotwheels · 01-23-2005

89stanger, i would buy all of the things you listed.........one thing to add to the list in my opinion, is a steel bearing retainer, think they are around 40 bucks........the ones on stock trannies are cast metal and the get terrible grooves in em..............

hotwheels of turborides

89stanger · 01-23-2005

aight cool thanks man, but does that sound like it's time to replace it?

GhostDog 5.0 · 01-23-2005

The original bearing retainers are bolted to the front of the transmission that goes into the pilot bearing. They are also made out of aluminum. Here's a good pic of a busted one .

http://www.hanlonmotorsports.com/bearing_retainer.htm

I would also replace the pilot bearing while you are at it. You will need a special tool available at most part stores. I like to put a small amount of grease on the inside of the bearing after it's installed.

89stanger · 01-24-2005

ghost i have to bust you on this one...

i need to know about the bearing, do these symptoms present an imediate problem?

meangreen92 · 01-25-2005

If the TO bearing were to come apart, it might really mess stuff up inside your
bellhousing. But I've never heard of that happening. I'd probably just drive it
and do the full clutch job asap. Bearing retainers that are grooved will result
in a much heavier clutch pedal once the grease is gone. I used to think the
pressure plate was getting tighter as the clutch wore.

Those retainers
are probably the root of most stripped pawl and quadrant mechanisms. I've
even seen 'em bend their side of the "Z bar" (pedal shaft) so that the pawl
no longer lined up with the quadrant.

89stanger · 02-01-2005

reviving this thread because i died on the road today, i had just finished racing my friend with the tip comaro a bunch of you have been talking with me about, for about 5 minutes at between 30 and 87 mph we went, probibly 20city blocks, ne who, i turned around went back to work bragged to my boss how my 302 was pulling on the 350 till i backed off when i saw 3 cops, and he pulled past when i hammered it back on again, and i was getting pulled away from just ever so slightly, ne who, 20 blocks, and then i drove normally back to my work where it started from doing probibly 20 mph, where i bragged to my boss....

after leaving there, my clutch died on me, i was driving, all of a sudden i had dragging from the back end, and when i pushed the clutch in, it was all freeplay till about half way, and it wouldn't fully disengage, so i thought to myself, there goes that bearing, and then i pulled over on the side of the road, with the engine off, and put it into gear, pushed the clutch all the way down and cranked it over, and the car was slowly creeping forward, shut it off, reefed up on the clutch pedal a few times, it felt like something was hitting my foot, like my toe...

so i pressed it trying to feel it again, and pulled up again, tried starting it, the freeplay was a little bit less but still there, so i thought ok i'll just drive home, the rest of the way with the clutch like this going slowly with my hazards on, and park it, when i started it back up again, it was almost fine, then when i got to the next set of lights, it was back to normal, and now it's fine....

what happened?

GhostDog 5.0 · 02-01-2005

Sounds like your clutch quadrant busted and it's not putting any pressure on the clutch fork.

Jack the car up and have someone press the clutch pedal and watch the cable. Does it pull the clutch fork at all ?

89stanger · 02-01-2005

yeah it does, i can feel it in the pedal, the quadrant is the part right on the firewall right? if so mine is a replacement one, a rubber washer, quite thick, like an inch and a mettal washer on top of that and the clutch cable through the center, the rubber washer is cut on one side and squishing out, has been since i got it, it looked brand new when i bought the car

don't think this would make any difference, but my fan shroud fell off last night when i was driving, stuck on the side of the road, i had to take off my fan and then pull my shroud off, and stick it int he back seat cuz it was full of coolant, i don't think it would make a difference, but thought i would comment about it,i did all of this with the belt still on, and when i pulled the fan off to put the shroud back on, the pulley almost fell off it was pulled over on an angle till i got the bolts back on

GhostDog 5.0 · 02-01-2005

No. The quadrant is plastic. It's where your clutch cable end hooks onto under the dash. Try pushing clutch pedal up (opposite of pressing it down). When you bring it down it should click fairly quickly and regain it's stiffness. This is the factory design of compensating for wear. The problem is , plastic doesn't last long when constant teeth rubbing is involved.

If your quadrant is toast, it will never get tight until the very end. When it is at that point it doesnt pull the clutch fork for $!@#.

The quadrant is not the engine compartment.

The aftermarket quadrant are superior because they cannot break but your cable can stretch over time and create some slack. This will require you to get under the car and tighten the nut on the adjustable cable (factory is not adjustable). This is hardly a burden compared to the major pain the ass replacing the quadrant will be. A big clutch will murder the stock quadrant.

89stanger · 02-01-2005

ok, so under the dash? when i pull the pedal towards the seat, it goes click, u can feel it but can't hear it, and the entire thing moves about half an inch, and if u let it go u can pull it again and no more click till u press the pedal all the way down and then u can pull it back up, sound like the problem? also read up 2 posts,i edited my last one right as u added yours