On my way home from work on Friday evening in stop and go traffic coming up 270 from DC the clutch desides to come apart. I didn't even have 100 miles on it, never tried to break the tires loose or run it hard. I was just starting out in first gear after coming to a stop about 1/4 mile from an accident and the car started jumping and shaking. I pulled the car off to the side of the road. shut it down got out to see if anything was draging on the ground (drive shaft, tranny parts, fluid spuing out from anywhere?) nothing looked out of sorts. tried to start the car back up, and it longed about 3 inches when I hit the key with the clutch in then started to make BAD noises so I jerked the it into neutral and the noise seemed to stop. I was hoping that maybe the cable snapped, but couldn't get that lucky. I had the shop that installed it pick me up on there roll back.(Nice 60 mile tow) And when they pulled it apart the center section of the clutch was torn away from the friction pads. I mean the pads were still attached to each other but the center section that holds the vibration springs was ripped at all of the mounting points from the ring that the friction material is attached to. If this happened at pretty much a take off at idle I would have hated to see me try to do a burn out. Good damn thing I wanted to wear it in for 500 miles to let it seat before I beat on it a bit.
I guess my question is this, The shop said that the flywheel and pressure plte look like they are ok and all that I should have to do is put a new friction disk in. The disk looks like it was riveted in wrong according to them but after looking at it myself the damage to the disk could more likely have come from the center section spinning in it. I called Summit were I got the clutch from and they said they may warrenty it but the FRPP parts usually don't get warrentied due to being a performance part. They said I could just send back the clutch disk and not the whole kit, they do not pay for shipping and it would be over 30 to ship it all back. Should I just have the shop order me a new pressure plate and disk,and send them both back for inspection at Summit, or take my chanses with the pressure plate that came with the kit and just stick in a new clutch disk? I would hate to have to do 3 clutches on this car. I mean I only replaced it because I needed to put in a new throw out bearing that was squealing so when I sell it no body gets screwed and needs to replace it right after they bought it. There I go again trying to do the right thing and get screwed!!!!!:shrug:
oh by the way the clutch was an FRPP 11" upgrade kit for 96-98 cobras it came with the new 11" fly wheel, clutch , pressure plate, and throw out bearing. I also put in a new roller pilot bearing while it was all apart. I f ya have any sugestions I would appriciate some guidence. I will need to get them any changes to order by this afternoon. I think that they already ordered the disk, should I take my losses and just get them to order the pressure plate too? I hate second guessing myself!!!!!!!
:cryying:
I guess my question is this, The shop said that the flywheel and pressure plte look like they are ok and all that I should have to do is put a new friction disk in. The disk looks like it was riveted in wrong according to them but after looking at it myself the damage to the disk could more likely have come from the center section spinning in it. I called Summit were I got the clutch from and they said they may warrenty it but the FRPP parts usually don't get warrentied due to being a performance part. They said I could just send back the clutch disk and not the whole kit, they do not pay for shipping and it would be over 30 to ship it all back. Should I just have the shop order me a new pressure plate and disk,and send them both back for inspection at Summit, or take my chanses with the pressure plate that came with the kit and just stick in a new clutch disk? I would hate to have to do 3 clutches on this car. I mean I only replaced it because I needed to put in a new throw out bearing that was squealing so when I sell it no body gets screwed and needs to replace it right after they bought it. There I go again trying to do the right thing and get screwed!!!!!:shrug:
oh by the way the clutch was an FRPP 11" upgrade kit for 96-98 cobras it came with the new 11" fly wheel, clutch , pressure plate, and throw out bearing. I also put in a new roller pilot bearing while it was all apart. I f ya have any sugestions I would appriciate some guidence. I will need to get them any changes to order by this afternoon. I think that they already ordered the disk, should I take my losses and just get them to order the pressure plate too? I hate second guessing myself!!!!!!!
:cryying:
