How's Your Clutch

[T's Blk03]

Okay, here goes...

I have 2 03 Cobras and I'm a little concerned. My coupe has just over 18k on it and I've had 2 T/O bearings replaced each at about 8K. My cluth pedel seems to travel about 12 inches (full) and the cluth grabs around 3/4 of the way to/from the floor. My vert, less than 500 miles on it only travels about 6 inches and again grabs about 3/4 of the way.

My question is, how far does your pedel travel, where does it grab and have you had any problems. I'm gathering some info before I call SVT and my dealer. I want them to compare the 2 cars and fix which ever one is supposed to be correct.

Each time I've had the coupe into the dealer they've told me there is nothing wrong with my cluth, just bad T/O bearings.

Also, the coupe feels like I'm doint leg presses at the gym where as the vert is like stepping on a pillow.

Thanks

 

[03blacksnake]

From the factory mine was like doing leg presses at the gym also. I had my T/O bearing and clutch replaced at about 12K miles. Now it's like stepping on a pillow (compared to the first one). It was funny when I first got in the car after the new clutch was put in. I was still used to the pressure from the old one and I thought they forgot something cause it felt like the pedal went straight to the floor easily. I had to relearn how to drive the car again

Maybe there is a slightly redesigned clutch or something adjusted differently from the factory now? I'm no clutch expert... :shrug:

 

[cobra101]

I know this legg pressing clutch problem all too well. I had a old post explaining but without the search button it is hard to find any info on hear now. I will re-explain in short for ya.

I had TOB squels about every other day. They would last about 3 minutes or so and then go away.

My clutch was like doing leg presses for 9,000 miles. I then pulled into a gas station to see a dude filling up his yellow cobra. I asked him if I may check out his clutch and I heard all cobras had a hard clutch. I pushed in his clutch and it was like butter compared to mine, a good 50% easier. As I got ouyt of his car I see him under my dash. Before I can even ask what he's doing he pops out and says try it now. I did and it was AWESOME. He basically told me he pushed a plastic piece while pulling a notch? I am still not sure exactly what he did but it worked. It took 30 seconds and I was all set. To think about those 9,000 miles with the hard clutch pains me because I know it shouldn't have ever been like that in the first place.

Also, my TOB started squeling less and less. It has not squeled at all in over 2k miles. When it did act up at 10,000 miles I did the standard pull up clutch adjustment and all seemed fine.

Turned out the dude was a lexus tech and apparently really knew his stuff.

(Thanks again lexus dude, jeff)

 

[03soniccobra01]

I had this issue as well. My prob was that they routed the clutch cable to close to exhaust and it was getting hot and bound up because the inside coat melted. I would make sure yours is routed correctly. Just thought it may help!

 

[T's Blk03]

Cobra101, I remember reading that post about the Lexus guy. I've tried that along with the manual adjustment outlined in the manual. Both seemed to help but not cure it. I thought the coupe was normal but after driving the vert, I know one of then is not right.

Interesting about the clutch cable routing, too bad I'm at work or I'd go crawl under the car and look. Hmm I think I'm coming down with something and need to go home sick

Thanks for the input and keep it coming.

 

[T's Blk03]

Well, I just crawled under the dash, released the adjuster, reseated it and it appears that I am all out of adjustment. From what I can tell if I had a couple of more teeth on it I would get the pedal closer to the floor and limit the length of travel but the tension still seems to be the same. The routing of the cable seems to be correct and tucked away in all the little holders. Do these things have any type of firewall adjustments? It looks like the cable is threaded into a round piece but I cannot seem to get it to turn.

 

[torchred03]

blacksnake, I had the same done at 15K just last week and my is the same. WOW what a wierd feeling, I actually thought something was wrong. But the dealer told me and SVT confirmed new assembly comes all in one. Still learning how to drive this new clutch assembly.

 

[T's Blk03]

Originally posted by badasp03
blacksnake, I had the same done at 15K just last week and my is the same. WOW what a wierd feeling, I actually thought something was wrong. But the dealer told me and SVT confirmed new assembly comes all in one. Still learning how to drive this new clutch assembly.

Did they do it under warranty? I would have thought after 2 T/O bearings they would/should give me a new cluth to see if it helps fix the stiffness.

 

[mmars]

T&J, I too have two cobras. My Coupe had a hard clutch from day 1, the vert has a nice light clutch. I have 23k miles on my Coupe and just had the clutch replaced with aftermarket. It feels nice and good now.......

BTW, Ford will only warranty the clutch for the first 12k miles.

--Matt