my new clutch hates me

[ryanscobra]

I got a spec stage 1 with a frpp tb and pb, mmr cable and quadrant, and a fiore adjuster. I resurfaced the flywheel and the chatter is terrible. I had my mechanic install it and he said he doesnt know whats wrong as to ask on here. when i take off slow in 1st or reverse, my exhaust and motor shake unbelievably bad. the chatter is terrible. could this just be an adjustment issue? i tried adjusting the pedal to different spots but the chatter is the same. please help!

[DSG2003Mach1]

if you go to promotions website they have a video/media section with a video on properly adjusting the clutch if you want to check that

[ShkeRttlNroll]

Did you resurface the flywheel yourself, did you just sand it or did you get it properly resurfaced. Was there chatter with the previous clutch installed or only after installing new clutch?

[ryanscobra]

I had napa resurface it for me. My last clutch didnt chatter at all and was amazingly smooth. Some people are telling me that i have to give the car more gas and dump the clutch faster than normal, pretty much telling me its just my driving style that needs to be changed or i will burn this one out. i normally like to take off slow and smooth but its kind of impossible with this one.

[DSG2003Mach1]

if the clutch is grabby at all, taking off quicker will be smoother

[Mach828]

A stage 1 clutch should have ZERO chatter. My stage 1 ram clutch is smooth, with no chatter, noise, or harsh grabs.

Did you get the stage 1 spec for the Mach 1 and Cobra? Or the GT? Clutch disc size is different, and won't operate right if you mix match them with the wrong flywheel.

I have a hard time believing it is an adjustment problem, unless your clutch pedal feels alot different then it used to.

I'd bet it was installed wrong, he didn't torque the bolts right, the clutch fork or TOB might be seated wrong, the flywheel isn't surfaced/balanced well, or the clutch is faulty.

[Mach828]

Did you use the right amount of spacers on the quadrant? Is it firmly in place? Where does the clutch engage on the pedal travel? How stiff does it feel compare to before?

[ryanscobra]

I bought the right clutch. I'm not sure about the spacers since my mechanic did the work. The clutch seems to grab a little high on the pedals stand point, but that can always be adjusted and its not much stiffer than the original. My mechanic keeps telling me that its a racing clutch so you have to drive it differently than the original. He has no problem driving it but i like to take off slow and its pretty much impossible with this set up.

[JeromeMach1]

I have not idea what is causing the chattering.

Like someone said above. The Stage I is close to a stock replacement. It is not a race clutch and should not chatter at all. I ran a Stage II for a while without chatter. The Stage III I used did have chatter.

I stay away from Spec because I had bad luck with their clutches. I have been running a Centforce Dual Frcition clutch for 8 years now without issue (soft pedal, not chattering).

Jerome

[newedge32v]

My cobra clutch does the same.. i bought it brand new and resurfaced my flywheel with the upr firewall adjuster, quadrant and new clutch cable and it still chatters in reverse and first gear when I'm letting the pedal off slowly. I have no idea what It is, but I learned to give it a bit more gas then usual and dump the clutch a bit quicker lol.

[ryanscobra]

I just called spec and they told me that this is all normal until the break in which they said takes up to 600 miles. I explained how bad the chatter really is but they just kept telling me that it needs to be broken in. I just find it hard to believe that the chatter should be this bad at the beginning but I guess all I can do is wait 600 miles later and hope it goes away..

[NastyNate]

My fidanza 2.1 clutch chattered quite a bit when I first got it. After a 100 or so easy miles I broke her in hard and now she's good to go!

[gmsux]

I had a spec stage II and it chattered badly as well as was really stiff for a stage 2. Sold it and installed a promotion clutch that is working very well.

[Disturbed One]

Your describing exactly what happened on my old 97 GT. Improper machining of the flywheel!!!

I had the stock flywheel resurfaced, installed the FRPP King Cobra clutch. Had everything setup perfectly with the frpp clutch quadrant and cable. The thing shook worse than an epileptic at a Trans Siberian Orchestra concert.

I was told that it was normal by several people. I was told by a trany shop that I needed to slip the clutch really good once and then it'd be fine.

Well 64 miles later. I pulled it out and the flywheel and pressure plate were toast. There were 3 hot spots bigger than $0.50 cent pieces on both! Long story short after that, I was sent to the place that built the machine for the shop that did the resurface. I was told the flywheel was not machined right and what happened was more than likely a piece of dirt or debris was on the flywheel mounting surface which threw off the cut. The further away from the center of the flywheel the measurements changed to being way out of spec!

New flywheel from the Ford dealer and another new clutch, car was perfect!

[thebestdj07]

when i had my camaro my stage one did that also with a resurface. it was horable. i know how you feel. i traded the car in for a gt.

[ryanscobra]

So bottom line, I'm going to have to buy a new fly wheel and clutch?

[Mach828]

Sounds like you can either wait till the break in period is over and see if it goes away. If it doesn't then change the flywheel and hope the clutch isn't messed up because of it.

Or pull it out quick and change the flywheel before it damages the clutch.

[jbrad88]

Lot of possibilities. First is check with Napa and see if they used the proper cutter for he flywheel or just a brake rotor lathe..