TOB/Clutch TSB?

[2xlr8]

I have just started having the infamous TOB squeal and clutch chatter (once the vehicle is warmed up). Searches on this forum have been helpful in my understanding of the problem. Thanks to everyone who contributed to those threads.

One unanswered question remains - does anyone know if there is a TSB on this topic?

My dealership hasn't had any experience with these issues yet.

Suggestions? <=== not so subtle plea for help

Thanks in advance for your time.

:shrug:

 

[slythetove]

Have you read my posts about it?

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25505&highlight=Tranny

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24830&highlight=Tranny


If you are having the squeal and audible chatter in nuetral with the car running and the foot off the pedal you likely have the problem I had.

If so, it's new tranny time for you.

 

[Silver 03 Cobra]

You can pull the cover off your yoke. There is only one screw holding it in place. If you can move the yoke up and down then your TOB retainer is broken. Hopefully you only have a bad TOB. Either way it should be repaired under warranty. Mine was replaced under warranty and I left all my mods in place including an ungaurded 2.80 pulley, shift light etc.

 

[slythetove]

Originally posted by Silver03Snake
Either way it should be repaired under warranty. Mine was replaced under warranty and I left all my mods in place including an ungaurded 2.80 pulley, shift light etc.

I was really glad to hear that by the way.

Clearly some of them are just defective and it would have sucked for them to try to pin it on your mods.

 

[FlashSVT]

I've got the squealing sound only. no popping, etc.

Hopefully, it's only the TOB.

 

[2xlr8]

Wow - quick responses

Thanks Sly and Silver for your quick responses. I've asked the dealership to check for Technical Service Bulletins on this subject.

At this point the vehicle only squeals (no popping) and only when I've been driving it hard. These symptoms sound like Flash's but perhaps not as severe.

Does it do any damage to other components if I still drive it for a while in this condition?

Regards
:rollseyes

 

[03ShadowCobra]

I am on my third clutch, third TOB, and second flywheel, and I still have TOB squeeling. If the dealer is going to replace the TOB they should do the entire clutch and resurface or put a new flywheel on.

 

[2xlr8]

03ShadowCobra,

Pardon this silly "noob" question - When they replaced your TOB did they have to replace the entire transmission?

I'm trying to get a feel for how complicated this matter will be.

Thanks for your time

 

[SoCalBlk03]

Originally posted by 2xlr8
Pardon this silly "noob" question - When they replaced your TOB did they have to replace the entire transmission?

The TOB (throw out bearing) is a donught shaped bearing about 2" in diameter that rides the input shaft. It can be replaced by itself as it is not an internal part to the transmission.

 

[2xlr8]

Thanks for the clarification SoCalBlk03.

The helpful and friendly people on this forum never cease to amaze me.

 

[FlashSVT]

Has anyone had just the TOB replaced and had the squeal go away?

That seems to my only issue. After it warms up, it begins to squeal at stoplights. I can pump the clutch and it goes away.

 

[ygohome]

I've had my TOB replaced under warranty. The squeel stopped for awhile. but then after about 600-1000 miles it came back. Then they applied a little grease to something and it went away for about another 2000 miles. But then it came back for about another week or so of driving.

My service advisor said to not bring it back in for the TOB untill it is really bad and broken HA! then they would be able to diagnose it better and fix it. well.... for the last 4-5000 miles, the squeel is completely gone.

this reply is probably of no use but thats my story.

:beer: best of luck to you

 

[FlashSVT]

Might just try to replace mine with a beefier one when I install a new clutch, pressure plate and flywheel.

Thanks!

 

[Orange Poison]

My car is going in on Monday for this....replacing the whole clutch assembly and hydra boost.

My clutch chattered in reverse and in first gear....and the clutch pedal would rattle from time to time when I came to a stop or was sitting at a stoplight. Real annoying, so I'm taking care of it on Monday.


Bottom line is...it should be covered under warranty. Take it in, get it fixed, You'll probably be happier in the long run.

 

[03blackCOBRA]

I had the squeal also, but the dealership replaced the entire transmission. I had them install a SPEC stage II clutch and SPEC TOB. No problems since. The only thing is with the SPEC clutch the friction point is almost all the way out. I was told with "more plate" the SPEC has it cant be adjusted. So question: Will installing those after market quadrants/fire wall adjusters move my friction point back down to somewhere in the middle of the clutch pedel range of motion?:shrug:

 

[Dana]

03black,
When you say "the friction point is almost all the way out" do you mean nothing happens until the pedal is almost all the way to the top(up) of its travel?
If this is the case, the clutch quadrant will make it worse.
It sounds as though it isn't adjusted correctly. It should be adjusted so that it is grabbing around the middle of it's travel or lower(with the stock quadrant). There should be some freeplay between the TO bearing and the pressure plate fingers when the pedal is all the way up(out). If this is not the case, your new TO bearing will be toast very soon.
If it is grabbing that high, it will probably begin to slip pretty soon.
Find someone that knows how to adjust a clutch and have them look at it. It could have conceivably been installed incorrectly too. You may want to replace the quadrant after it is adjusted properly because Ford has the clutch geometry all screwed up to make the pedal easier to depress.

Dana

 

[FlashSVT]

Still looking for someone who solved the squeal problem by JUST replacing the TOB. (Which is a simple and inexpensive job)

It's starting to look like the squeal = a new tranny.

 

[2xlr8]

FlashSVT

It looks like you've got the equation (squeal = new tranny). Based on searches of this forum and elsewhere, it seems that the most common dealer solution is to replace the whole transmission.

Maybe I'll just live with the intermittent squeal for a while.

In your opinion will this harm other components?

Thanks again for your help.

 

[FlashSVT]

In your opinion will this harm other components?

I'm by no means a tranny expect. I've swapped a couple of T56 clutches in my LS1/LT1 days, but I've never experienced this annoyance. I'm not sure if it will effect other components. I'd say mine has been squealing for about 1000 miles and everything else seems perfect.

I would hate to swap out everything on my own, only to find out that the problem comes back due to a faulty TOB retainer. Silver03Snake mentioned an easy way to check to see if the retainer is faulty. I'll give that a shot first.

Good luck to you . . .

 

[03blackCOBRA]

Dana,

Yes the pedal is almost all the way out at the friction point. The tranny was replaced by my dealership and they installed the SPEC stage II clutch and TOB at the same time. I assume they know how to install and adjust but I could be wrong? Would installing the SPEC clutch and TOB be the cause? I've asked the dealer once and they said it was a hydraulic clutch and with the SPEC clutch it has extra "plate" and the pedal is as good as its going to get. Any help or advice would be great. Thanks!:shrug: