Got my cobra at 5K miles and at 10K miles the original TOB started to squeal but decided to wait until clutch wore out to replace it. At 45K miles I install a McLeod street twin kit, 26 spline shaft, an MM firewall adjuster, and obviously a new TOB. Clutch feels good and smooth for 2 months then I start getting a grinding noise when engaging the clutch at slow speeds in 1st gear. The noise would sometimes persist for about 10 to 15 seconds and sometimes I'd have to release the clutch for the noise to stop. My brother in law who is a mechanic tells me my TOB has gone bad so we replace it. The old TOB made noise and the new one didn't so I thought I found the problem. We put the car together and now I'm getting noise again. The grinding noise is heard only when taking off from a stop in 1st gear and giving the engine some throttle. If I try to start without throttle I don't hear the noise. The input shaft and looked ok when this last TOB was replaced so I'm not sure where else to look to solve this problem.
Clutch/TOB woes, suggestions please
- Thread starter xchpstang
- Start date
Has made the noise each time the TOB was replaced. :shrug:
That sounds like clutch chatter to me.
Are you sure that:
1. The firewall adjuster has been set right
2. Your firewall adjuster isn't wandering and not holding an adjustment
You need to adjust so there is a small amount of freeplay at the top of the pedal. I use the LDC Freeplay spring and adjust mine so the TOB is able to pull away from the pressure plate enough to stop spinning. To do this, I adjust mine with the car up on stands and the engine idling in neutral, then peak into the inspection hole with a flashlight and look at the TOB.
Unless your firewall adjuster has something to keep it from turning under vibration (Locking nut, click-stop mechanism or silicone seal), it could be moving. You can scribe a line with a sharpie across both halves of the firewall adjuster and observe over time if it's turning on it's own.
Are you sure that:
1. The firewall adjuster has been set right
2. Your firewall adjuster isn't wandering and not holding an adjustment
You need to adjust so there is a small amount of freeplay at the top of the pedal. I use the LDC Freeplay spring and adjust mine so the TOB is able to pull away from the pressure plate enough to stop spinning. To do this, I adjust mine with the car up on stands and the engine idling in neutral, then peak into the inspection hole with a flashlight and look at the TOB.
Unless your firewall adjuster has something to keep it from turning under vibration (Locking nut, click-stop mechanism or silicone seal), it could be moving. You can scribe a line with a sharpie across both halves of the firewall adjuster and observe over time if it's turning on it's own.
I'm having this same issue now that we've done our 03 conversion!
Our other TOB was a typical bad, it was squeaking with no pedal pressure when I got the car. We had the clutch changed to a spec 2+ obviously the bearing was replaced. After about 20k it started squeakin again! We just drove on it like that for another 20k. Never really got any worse, clutch drove/felt fine. We installed the LDC mod to get the TOB off the presure plate but the only problem was it would make the clutch grab damn near 1/2" from the floorboard.
Now that I put a T-56/03 engine in the car I transfered the spec 2+ clutch over because its still got a good 50-60% life left and looked awesome. (also switched flywheel to the one that matched the clutch) Everything for the first 1k miles has been great. Changed the TOB to a new Ford unit.
Then the wife (its her car) tells me its making a weard squealing/friction noise when going from a stop.
Drove the car tonight, sure as hell about 1 in 8 starts from a stop while doing the motion of slipping the clutch there is a loud squealing/grinding for about half a second.
I'm so god damn sick of TOB noise with this car, It seams like it just cant' get away from it.
I have a Spec 2+, Lethal TOB sleeve, 03/04 flywheel. MM firewal adjuster and a double hook aluminum quad (no idea what brand it came in the car) and LDC mod. I adjusted the clutch so it grabs about in the middle of the pedal travel.
Our other TOB was a typical bad, it was squeaking with no pedal pressure when I got the car. We had the clutch changed to a spec 2+ obviously the bearing was replaced. After about 20k it started squeakin again! We just drove on it like that for another 20k. Never really got any worse, clutch drove/felt fine. We installed the LDC mod to get the TOB off the presure plate but the only problem was it would make the clutch grab damn near 1/2" from the floorboard.
Now that I put a T-56/03 engine in the car I transfered the spec 2+ clutch over because its still got a good 50-60% life left and looked awesome. (also switched flywheel to the one that matched the clutch) Everything for the first 1k miles has been great. Changed the TOB to a new Ford unit.
Then the wife (its her car) tells me its making a weard squealing/friction noise when going from a stop.
Drove the car tonight, sure as hell about 1 in 8 starts from a stop while doing the motion of slipping the clutch there is a loud squealing/grinding for about half a second.
I'm so god damn sick of TOB noise with this car, It seams like it just cant' get away from it.
I have a Spec 2+, Lethal TOB sleeve, 03/04 flywheel. MM firewal adjuster and a double hook aluminum quad (no idea what brand it came in the car) and LDC mod. I adjusted the clutch so it grabs about in the middle of the pedal travel.
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Mine is doing the exact same thing. I have about 5k on my new clutch. It started squealing really bad when taking off in first. It only does it when taking off. It does it worse when the car is cold and gets better the longer I drive. When the clutch is fully disengaged in nuetral it is quiet. Does that mean the TO bearing is good? I replaced the TO bearing w/a centerforce TO bearing when I had a Centerforce DFX clutch installed. I also have a MM fire wall adjuster and clutch quadrant. I have just a little bit of free play in the clutch at the top of the peddle and I think I adjusted it properly when I installed the quadrant and the a little firewall adjuster. The clutch engages about 2/3 away from the floor. It is really annoying and I don't want to damage the new clutch:fm:. Any advice on what the problem is appreciated. :??:
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the clutch / trans/ TOB setup on these cars suck .. you can't ever get them completely right it seems.
too bad they don't have a setup like the GT 500's
too bad they don't have a setup like the GT 500's
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doh!!!!
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