TOB data.

Silver 03 Cobra

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Those with TOB/retainer problems, please post a brief history of your problems. Please inlcude your build number and the approximate mileage when yours gave up.

I'll start.

Build no. 21 of 8394 coupes. Delivered on June 8, 2002.

First week of delivery, 200 miles - Bearing started sqealing. Reported the problem the next week. Car was bone stock with the exception of a Bassani x/p and catback installed the first day I had the car. TOB noise was intermittent.

Mid-November 02, 8k miles - Finally got bothersome enough I took it back to the dealer. I was really jacked around on my mods even though I had reported the problem the second week of ownership. I asked the dealer to install a new OEM clutch at my expense. Dealer dropped the ball on the clutch and it got ugly after they started complaining about my car taking up space in their shop for a week even though it turned out that it was their fault they screwed up ordering the new clutch.

Late Dec. 02, 10k miles - while spinning after getting stuck in the snow I developed a knocking sound. Took it to another dealer and had a new T56 installed due to a broken TOB retainer.

Feb. 03, 12k miles - New TOB started sqealing again. Noise came and went. Dreaded dealer BS so I put it off. I was told I was being laid off in a few months in Dec. of 02. I had to work a lot of OT including mostly 12 hours/day, seven days per week since.

March 04, 33k miles - Pulled into work and heard the "knock". Damn it. Took it to the same dealer that replaced the T56 the last time with virtualy the same mods at the last repair. Was told over the phone my car had been modified and they would not repair it. I called SVT and spoke to Matt to complain about the TOB. The dealer's name never came up. I never complained about being turned down. I was complaining about the TOB. I called the dealer and told them I had called SVT and they didn't convince me modding my engine caused the TOB to fail. I told them to get my car ready. When I arrived, I asked to speak to SHeery, the service manager. I was told she was in a meeting but that she said they were going to replace the TOB but since I had called SVT, my own admission, they would have to think about it and for me to call her later in the day. I told them I called and complained about the TOB, not their dealership or their decision. I told them I would go elsewhere. I ordered the parts to do the repair myself when I got time before I got to the dealer.

My problem is this. Matt said first run Cobras had bad TOB's. Even though Ford knew there were bad TOB's out there, the dealership still jacked my ass even though I reported the problem the first week of ownership. Matt said that problem had been corrected. I told him my TOB had been replaced in 03 but that was in error. He said that I had the revised TOB if I had it replaced in 03. HE said that modding my engine caused the TOB to fail. I pretty much convinced him modding an engine can't hurt a TOB. His response after he saw my side, "Well, I'm assuming since you mod your car, you also race it and that's what caused the TOB to fail". After I hung up I remembered that my TOB was replaced in Dec. of 02. It seems to me that a lot of 03 Cobra owners have had problems and I know that a lot of these are not first run Cobras. I know modding an engine will not hurt a TOB. No power is translated to the TOB. Please post your numbers. I need this data.
 
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USMC-2-USN

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I have an August Build 03 Cobra. I had my TOB replaced at 4500 miles (1500 miles ago). It was quiet for about 5 miles and then was up to the same old tricks.

I complained about it enough that they gave me the keys to an 04 cobra...it pretty much was the same story.

I guess these transmissions are just loud? I am waiting on the install of my Tri-Ax until i am convinces the squeal is "normal"
 

jordanvraptor

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Build number 1577, built in July 2002. I bought the car new in February 2003. First noticed the TOB squeal at around 10000 miles but it was intermittent and could not duplicate it on demand. At 16000 miles it became consistent and repeatable. Took it in to my dealer on 2-20-04 with 16,209 miles on it. The input shaft sleeve was severed so they replaced T56 with new one from Tremec. Dealer did not care I had a Pro 5.0 shifter on my car and even transferred it to the new T56 for me. No problems since.....:D
 

ygohome

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I cant remember my build number but I bought it new in June 2002.

Around 4k miles I took it in for the first time after hearing a high pitched squeel... strangely it only occured when I was at idle without be applying pressure to the clutch peddle and only after driving it hard prior. They replaced the throw out bearing.

I took it back again about 2 weeks later cause it was happening again. They were not able to reproduce it.

Then it would go away for awhile...

Then around 14k I took it into another dealership and they couldn't reproduce it either... so I test drove it with them and got it to happen. They applied grease to the fingers/prongs to prevent the squeel.

It went away for a few months. Then it came back worse than ever. The dealership called in a FORD rep. who said it was a known problem and not to do anything until something actually breaks off. [grrrrrrr!]

So I would keep driving it and then things started to rattle and bang around... took it to a different dealership (the one where I bought it from) and we took it for a drive with the service rep... they dropped the transmission and learned that the retainer sleeve had broken off from the TOB wearing against it all the time.

They replaced the transmission in record time by getting a replacement straight off the assembly line. Was in the shop for 3 to 4 days.

I had the sound come back about 3 months later but then it went away completely and havn't heard it again for over a year now.


And if you are living in Arizona I highly recommend Pioneer Ford. They don't mess around... if they know something isn't right or broken they fix it or replace it without any hassle. And I had the pulley swap and chip already in place when I took it in. a great place. I shouldve taken it to them to begin with.
 

pgordon

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got car 2002 dec, first TOB replaced at 9k miles, about 6 months ago. Car has 14000 miles, second TOB making noise, waiting for trans to fail.
 

blnpny

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MY CAR IS ONLY 60 DAYS OLD SAME PROB'S YOU ALL HAVE. STARTED WITH ONLY 50 MILES ON CAR NOW IT'S IN THE SHOP AND I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT THEY ORDERD A NEW TRANS.I ONLY HAVE 262 MILES ON THE CAR.............sorry about the caps
 

zero

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Bought mine in December 2002.

TOB started squealing at 8500 miles.
Got it replaced around 8700 miles.

It's been quiet since then. I'm just past 22k miles.
 

DaleM

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Guys,
My car is in the shop right now, bulid number 300 something, Jun 02 but. I had this problem once and replaced the clutch TOB and retainer. I've got tons of mods now(over 500rwhp). I'm getting this whole new tranny under warranty. My mechanic argued to the manager that I had this prob before and he was sure regardless of HP level this should not have happened. The stock piece is very weak, I have a "big fish" at SVT who wrote a letter for me and was sending out a new improved piece. The stock TOB-R's tube is about 1/32 of an inch thich. The new one looks to be about 1/8 inch thick. Ford is replacing whole trannys because the new piece is hard to get from Tremec and the new ones are being put on built cars...no supply. D&D Perormance has them, make sure to tell them for the T-56, press in not the T-5 bolt in. Go to modular fords dot com and get some details of this discussion we had last week. Forum subject is: Throw out bearing retainer. If you get the weak version have someone weld the circumference where the tube meets the base (exterior).
 
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Chris C

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bought mine november of 02... it was built in oct of 02... Ive only had the TOB go bad once, with less than 10k on the clock, but im on my 3rd tranny (original tranny, and 2 new ones from ford) all for it crunching or grinding 2nd and 3rd when it was cold... i am now trying to lemon the car. this is all with 26k miles.:( :nonono:
 

Florida_Cobra03

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Bought mine in Sep ' 03. Getting noise coming from the TOB at 13K. Chris, are you using your state lemon law, or are you going with the Moss-Magnuson federal act?
 

Cobra-Master

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My car is #1964 of 8394... built 8/9/02.

I bought my Sonic Blue used on 12/2/03 with 3200 miles. I was so hypnotized by the car at the dealer that I didn't catch the fact that the clutch shuddered like a mo-fo upon release. I figured this out when I was driving it home and got stuck in stop and go traffic. The whole damn car would start shaking the instant the clutch would disengage.

Anyway, we take it to the dealer with 3200 miles within a few days of buying it and they say the car needs a new rear end differential. They replace the whole rear end and the problem is still there but not very bad... so I try and live with it by learning how to drive it so it doesn't shake upon take off.

So, I deal with it for a while, then... two weeks ago at 4000 miles my TOB starts squalling like crazy... and sounding like it's going to blow up. I limp it to the dealer and tell them that the shudder was never fixed the first time. They tell me I need a new clutch, TOB, pressure plate, and flywheel. So, they replace all those and I pick it up last Friday (they had my car 5 days). It's shuddering 3 times worse as I drive out of the lot!

I take it back the next day and tell them about it. My service advisor calls me within a few hours and tells me they are going to replace the clutch, TOB, pressure plate, and flywheel again. At this point, I'm like.. "that's bullsh*t because the clutch you just put in the car has all of 15 miles max. on it... and I tell them they are fixing the symptom and not the cause". I hang up from talking with my advisor and call the service manager. He remembers my car being in last week, but doesn’t realize it’s back. He says he will go check it out and call me back. About 2 hours later he calls me back and says they found the true problem and it’s the TOB retainer which sheared off at the weld.

He said they ordered the new upgraded parts, and they will be here in 2 weeks… so they will store my car inside and call me when the parts come in. I’ve still got one week of waiting time left to go.

I hope to hell this fixes it.
 
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imsuperman

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Is there a TSB on this? Mine just starting squealing after taking it to the track tonight. Do I need to call SVT first before going to Ford? Is this something covered under warranty? Thanks.
 

Silver 03 Cobra

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Originally posted by Brucealeg
Can you describe the sound you are hearing? What is a TOB?

Thanks,
Bruce

You've probably figured it out by now but TOB stands for throw out bearing. The TOB will sqeal mainly just as you apply the clutch. If the quadrant isn't adjusted properly, it may sqeal all the time except when the clutch is fully engaged. A broken retainer sounds like a rod coming through the block. It will be a loud knock and will pulse the clutch pedal severly.

Raptor, I bet that has soemthing to do with mine if they are still replacig the trans just for a broken retainer still today. How damn hard is it to get a few retainers made. Geez. They really don't want to stick another one. If dealers weren't such asses I would have taken it back a lot earlier. If I were Bill Ford, I'd have somebody's ass on my wall for that. I don't want another trans. The one they installed after my first broken retainer didn't shift nearly as well as my first one. I was pissed but happy having the TOB/retainer repaired. I have the new retainer from D&D PErf. and the best TOB they sell. I may just go ahead and try to do the job myself rather than frig with another dealer or let someone else touch my Cobra.

Thanks for the replies. Keep'em coming. It's apparent the TOB is no related to build number as Matt at SVT would have me believe.
 
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gatzer

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Do you think Ford/ SVT would still honor our warrenties if we upgraded everything ourselves. ie. Complete clutch kit and flywheel say SPEC stage 3 with billet or aluminum flywheel since they seem to be spending a boat load of money replacing T-56's and oem clutches that obviously don't last very long. I'm going to call my dealer and SVT Monday and see, and get it in writing of course.
 
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Cobra-Master

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I found out today that I'm getting a new transmission with the upgraded TOB-R. The dealer can't source the part alone, so they ordered a whole new tranny. I hope that's a good thing?
 

imsuperman

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Mine has been there a few days now. I'm going to call them tomorrow and see why it's taking so long. Maybe they had to order a new tranny.
 

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