Annoying sweaky throwout bearing - adjustable clutch the cure?

[Caldwell]

Annoying sweaky throwout bearing - adjustable clutch cable the cure?

Hey ladies and gents, it's yet another thread to deal with an annoying t/o bearing sweaking and chirping its bloody brains out.

Looking for an easy cure without pulling the tranny to regrease. it takes very little effort to make it go away. All I have to do is put the weight of my foot on the clutch and the sound goes away.

Is an adjustable clutch cable going to work? I was going to order one from steeda... they're $40... if they ARE the cure to the annoyance, do I have to buy anything else? a firewall perhaps? any assistance is helpful.

thanks

 

[HISSIN50]

Is your cable preloaded already?

If you have an aftermarket quadrant, a FWA would be the better choice IMHO (to keep your stock cable). I you have the stock quadrant/pawl, pull up on the pedal to see if any slack can be removed.

Good luck.

 

[mo_dingo]

Is your cable preloaded already?

If you have an aftermarket quadrant, a FWA would be the better choice IMHO (to keep your stock cable). I you have the stock quadrant/pawl, pull up on the pedal to see if any slack can be removed.

Good luck.

Yup, good idea.

I still don't like the idea of preloading the TOB all the time. Would lead me to believe that if it's spinning all the time, it will blow up much faster. But it does get rid of the squealing.

 

[HISSIN50]

I hear ya Scott - it used to bother me too.

Most all cable operated clutches are designed to have the cable preloaded a little bit. Thinking aloud here, I think some people get lost with the symantics - we preload the cable a hair, not the TOB (per se). Preloading the cable simply keeps the TOB pressed against the PP's diaphram fingers - otherwise it can slop around a bit on the bearing retainer, and chew up the bearing retainer hub. It takes very little tension in the cable to quiet up most TOB's.

I will say that when I can, I tend to leave a hair of slack (I do mean a hair - a tiny bit of cable deflection as measured at the fork) in the cable. If the TOB is noisy, I keep reeling it in till it shuts up.

 

[Caldwell]

Is your cable preloaded already?

If you have an aftermarket quadrant, a FWA would be the better choice IMHO (to keep your stock cable). I you have the stock quadrant/pawl, pull up on the pedal to see if any slack can be removed.

Good luck.

Helpful posts guys. thanks.
I don't have my cable preloaded already and i don't have an aftermarket quadrant either. I tried to pull up on the pedal and no dice, but i can give it a shot again. I heard that you can just pop the clutch cable from the floor and it should adjust it? i might be saying that wrong.

Yup, good idea.

I still don't like the idea of preloading the TOB all the time. Would lead me to believe that if it's spinning all the time, it will blow up much faster. But it does get rid of the squealing.

Now I thought that the t/o was always spinning, and then with the adjustable clutch it just allows it to stop spinning around in there making all that racket. (I'm still learning about all this)

I hear ya Scott - it used to bother me too.

Most all cable operated clutches are designed to have the cable preloaded a little bit. Thinking aloud here, I think some people get lost with the symantics - we preload the cable a hair, not the TOB (per se). Preloading the cable simply keeps the TOB pressed against the PP's diaphram fingers - otherwise it can slop around a bit on the bearing retainer, and chew up the bearing retainer hub. It takes very little tension in the cable to quiet up most TOB's.

I will say that when I can, I tend to leave a hair of slack (I do mean a hair - a tiny bit of cable deflection as measured at the fork) in the cable. If the TOB is noisy, I keep reeling it in till it shuts up.

bingo! that's exactly what I need. So if I go ahead and order up a steeda adjustable cable clutch (only, no firewall) and mount that puppy on, it should just bolt right on and i can then start slightly adjusting the cable so the squealing stops!

beauty!
again, great posts guys, thanks for the help!

 

[chefster]

Ya I found the smallest amount of pressure on my clutch pedal made the noise go away so I got up under there and zip stripped the pedal bar with that much tension and have not had a problem since..

 

[mo_dingo]

I hear ya Scott - it used to bother me too.

Most all cable operated clutches are designed to have the cable preloaded a little bit. Thinking aloud here, I think some people get lost with the symantics - we preload the cable a hair, not the TOB (per se). Preloading the cable simply keeps the TOB pressed against the PP's diaphram fingers - otherwise it can slop around a bit on the bearing retainer, and chew up the bearing retainer hub. It takes very little tension in the cable to quiet up most TOB's.

I will say that when I can, I tend to leave a hair of slack (I do mean a hair - a tiny bit of cable deflection as measured at the fork) in the cable. If the TOB is noisy, I keep reeling it in till it shuts up.

Hmmm......interesting thought.

 

[Blackened302]

i had a squeeky tob--the upr eXtreme FWA and 3-hook quadrant was teh cure

 

[yellowstang1994]

Whoever invents a TOB that doesn't squeak for our cars needs to win the Nobel Peace Prize. I should've kept the plastic one that SPEC sent. But after my 2nd install I used all metal Ford one like I had before. And it started squeaking like crazy. I shot white lithium grease up on it a few times but I don't like doing that because I got a little on my clutch and it was slipping for a little bit. I was forced to put a Maximum Motorsports quadrant and adjuster kit on my car after my cable snapped. I installed everything like the instructions said. On the firewall adjuster they want you to sand down where the rubber grommet fits on it so the cable can be adjusted and I spent all day sanding it. And re-installing it and I still could never get the damn thing to adjust. So I just adjusted it to where I thought it needed to be then installed it. I don't hear the squeak anymore. But I still hate the adjuster install and am not very pleased with it.

 

[wytstang]

i had a squeeky tob--the upr eXtreme FWA and 3-hook quadrant was teh cure

I did that and a new TOB and still had it chirping, Monday the cable snapped so I had it towed to a shop near me (appartments don't like you working on your car . Well the shop installed a new Ford cable as per me telling them so, the tech installed the cable first to verify the TOB noise. It was gone with him just installing the cable and adjusting it according to peddal feel not to make the tob stop squelling(sp?). The pedal feel is much softer then before leading me to believe the cable was on to tight causing it to snap, and causing to tob to chirp. I would try a FWA/Quadrant and adujsting it properly thing may just be getting old and sloppy. .02 or turn up the radio

 

[Caldwell]

or turn up the radio

lol, you and your radio

i can't turn up the radio because sometimes i still get that humming frequency coming from the stereo that goes up in rpms LOL
my car is falling apart rofl

i will try the fwa/quadrant... maybe just adjust that a bit, hopefully it's not too pricey.. but if you think that will lull the annoying sound, then consider it done.

so then an adjustable clutch cable probably isn't the best way to go then

 

[wytstang]

Fords OEM cable has held up better then adjustable after market ones. And the humming frequency sounds like a bad ground you may need a noise suppresser(sp?) as well (atleast I did).

 

[Caldwell]

Fords OEM cable has held up better then adjustable after market ones. And the humming frequency sounds like a bad ground you may need a noise suppresser(sp?) as well (atleast I did).

so then... sorry, i'm just trying to make sure i got this right so when i do it, i'm not fumbling around and starting a new thread on how to... lol

so after buying the aftermarket quadrant, i should be able to adjust my clutch pedal enough so that i can bring it back a bit to stop the to bearing from squealing. an adjustable cable may work but isn't as heafty as the stock oem part.

and i was looking up on the humming noise, it comes back every so often... someone was telling me it may be coming from the left side kicker panel?
only time will tell with that puppy.

thanks for the help man

 

[wytstang]

You need a Fire wall adjuster to make the stock OEM cable adjustable. The aftermarket quadrants are better then the stock plastic "paws" that hold the cable.

 

[HISSIN50]

I agree with Danny. COnsider a new quadrant part of preventable maintenance - the stock quadrant/pawl will probably strip on you at some point.

And since you lose the adjustment capability of the stock quadrant/pawl, the FWA is the way to go (check out Fiore's components for both if you have a little extra cash). Otherwise, stuff from UPR works alright. MM is supposed to have a very nice SN95 cable (I havent used it) if that is useful (if you really need a cable).

In general the aftermarket cables really seem to be hit or miss - some perform like crap (really hard pedal, notchy pedal take-up, etc) and some have very good things to say about theirs.

One last thing - not all quadrants work with the stock cable. Check it out before ordering.

Good luck.

 

[Caldwell]

You need a Fire wall adjuster to make the stock OEM cable adjustable. The aftermarket quadrants are better then the stock plastic "paws" that hold the cable.

gotcha... okay, sorry, i know i'm a bit slow with this so you dumbing it down for me really helps out. thanks again

I agree with Danny. COnsider a new quadrant part of preventable maintenance - the stock quadrant/pawl will probably strip on you at some point.

And since you lose the adjustment capability of the stock quadrant/pawl, the FWA is the way to go (check out Fiore's components for both if you have a little extra cash). Otherwise, stuff from UPR works alright. MM is supposed to have a very nice SN95 cable (I havent used it) if that is useful (if you really need a cable).

In general the aftermarket cables really seem to be hit or miss - some perform like crap (really hard pedal, notchy pedal take-up, etc) and some have very good things to say about theirs.

One last thing - not all quadrants work with the stock cable. Check it out before ordering.

Good luck.

wow, that is a good post. this really helps out too. that is exactly what i will do! that's exactly what i needed to understand.

beauty. wow, you're awesome guys! you've brought a lot of ease to my mind now. I just can't wait to get this stuff on the car and get that stupid to bearing from squealing.

...
man, i'm so freaking excited now!

 

[The Green GT]

I have the same problem, mine squeaks when Im idling ,and it "buzzes" when I press it in. But mine dosent go away when I push the clutch in a little, it gets louder.

 

[Caldwell]

I have the same problem, mine squeaks when Im idling ,and it "buzzes" when I press it in. But mine dosent go away when I push the clutch in a little, it gets louder.

Huh!


Then I don't think it's the throwout bearing you're having a problem with man.
usually a t/o will make noise cuz it's sloppin around until there is pressure on it.

 

[SVTCobra306]

I agree with Danny. COnsider a new quadrant part of preventable maintenance - the stock quadrant/pawl will probably strip on you at some point.

And since you lose the adjustment capability of the stock quadrant/pawl, the FWA is the way to go (check out Fiore's components for both if you have a little extra cash). Otherwise, stuff from UPR works alright. MM is supposed to have a very nice SN95 cable (I havent used it) if that is useful (if you really need a cable).

In general the aftermarket cables really seem to be hit or miss - some perform like crap (really hard pedal, notchy pedal take-up, etc) and some have very good things to say about theirs.

One last thing - not all quadrants work with the stock cable. Check it out before ordering.

Good luck.

I use and would recommend the Steeda Firewall adjuster and triple-hook quadrant. Worked with the OEM cable and the clutch is nearly as high as stock location.

 

[The Green GT]

Huh!


Then I don't think it's the throwout bearing you're having a problem with man.
usually a t/o will make noise cuz it's sloppin around until there is pressure on it.

IDK man ive had some pretty knowledgable people diagnose it. And my buddy that had it before me changed it 4 months after changing it before and it was shot.

But if its not then its back to square one. I think mine buzzes is because it is already screwed up.