Clutch Chatter

[SnakeEyes87]

I just installed the Spec Stage 3 clutch. I got my car back, and I have a really bad clutch chatter. When the clutch is depressed, it goes away, but as soon as I let off the clutch, the noise reoccurs. It had some noise coming from it before, but now it sounds a little worse and possibly more central to the transmission. Any suggestions as to what this is or any possible fixes?

Thanks

 

[69hahaha]

There is a tsb on that concern, for a broken release bearing guide tube. If you haven't had it in for that at a dealer, that's what you could look at. Search in this forum for the thread " TSB 04-13-4 ".

 

[badboy]

I thought chatter was normal for a Spec 3 clutch.

 

[mblgjr]

Rev it up to 12-1500 and come on out on it. You won't be able to linger around down there at the takeup point like you did with the stock clutch.

I had chatter on the stock clutch and stock pinion bushings. Put in Steeda pinion bushings...no more chatter, felt like I had put a clutch in the car.

 

[Chris_H]

How bad is the chatter, and can you hear the TOB squealing? Mine did the same thing after I changed out the flywheel and clutch. Turns out I broke the TOB guide assembly as stated in an earlier post. I had to drive with pressure on the clutch pedal just to keep it from chattering the car to pieces.

mblgjr, what are the pinion bushings you are talking about? I swear since Ford pulled my motor to do the head swap, my clutch has never felt the same. If I let of with just a little rev, especially in stop and go traffic, I can feel a little chatter in the clutch and it drives me up the wall.

Thanks

 

[mblgjr]

I am in reference to the IRS pinion bushings that mount L/R on the foward part of the diff case.
The stiffer bushings actually allow the car to drive off with out wrapup.

If the dealer didn't get your bellhousing aligned like it was, then maybe you could get a different feel.

I was the worlds biggest advocate of ditching the stock clutch before the bushings, I thought it was the biggest POS I had ever felt. It chattered if you did any thing other than be perfectly smooth/fluid in your motions with it.

Hope that helps.

 

[Chris_H]

Ok, thought the bushings were somewhere else ;-) Yeah I didn't much care for the stock clutch either, and since I smoked it up 3 weeks ago at the track, I ended up installing a RAM OEM replacement clutch. I don't care for how high the clutch grabs now. This clutch feels like it is about 50% lighter on leg pressure, but it grabs at the top of the travel and it's driving me up the wall. The wife loves how light it is, but she also hates how high it grabs.

Chris

 

[mblgjr]

I ended up installing a RAM OEM replacement clutch. I don't care for how high the clutch grabs now. This clutch feels like it is about 50% lighter on leg pressure, but it grabs at the top of the travel and it's driving me up the wall. The wife loves how light it is, but she also hates how high it grabs. Chris

For what its worth, I just had a friend install the "one up" from OE Ram unit in a stock GT, and it too grabs a little high for my taste. Not excessively, but higher.

Not sure why.

You know to try pulling up on the clutch pedal right?

 

[Chris_H]

Yeah I tried that a couple of times last night before I left for school. Didn't seem to do anything. I'll probably end up having to get a firewall adjuster and quadrant. It's weird how clutches can be so different. :shrug:

 

[postban]

My Spec 3 chattered like crazy, hated that clutch. Too Grabby, tons of chatter, ugh. The CFDF is 10 times better.

SnakeEyes87, aren't you the girl who got a cobra when you were 17? If not I apologize but seems I recall you from a few years ago.

 

[JB]

if broken in properly, SPEC3 should lose the chatter...mine did and works great other than being a little but too on/off to "drive lazily" in bumper to bumper traffic

break-in procedure I used was no heavy launches or throttle and no powershifting for about 700 miles....basically I never let it get real hot during that time

 

[FullSize03]

Spec III

I just put the spec III in the Cobra and I have some chatter in 1st and second. It feels pretty grabby. With a good break in, I can expect this to ease up a little? I would like it to be smoother. I drive it every day.

 

[Antex]

if broken in properly, SPEC3 should lose the chatter..

Yep - mine did...the CFDF didn't last for me at the track...very happy with the Spec 3...

 

[Cheapspeed]

Sorry guys {new guy hear} What exactly does clutch chatter feel/sound like? :??: Thanks

 

[mblgjr]

Sorry guys {new guy hear} What exactly does clutch chatter feel/sound like? :??: Thanks

It feels like a pulsing of the clutch pedal. You will feel it pull and let go repeatedly, the shifter/trans gears will backlash/rattle some.

The clutch pedal feel will have similar feedback to that of an early pulsating ABS brake pedal (kind of).

 

[SnakeEyes87]

I may need to look into the broken release bearing guide tube. That sounds like it could be my problem. The overall chatter from the clutch has gone away since I broke it in, but this chatter that remians sounds more like something else. That very well could be my answer, thank you.

Postban - Yes that was me. I got the cobra when I was 15 at the time, and I will be 18 in June now. I remember there were many that thought I would never make it, lol.