Hard shifting under load

[fastcarjoe]

It seems like my clutch isn't quite disengaging all the way. She shifts great at lower RPM, but if I get on it, shifting is hard and takes too much time. I got the Fiore adjustable firewall adjuster and quadrant, and the LDC TOB freplay correction kit that I'll be installing tomorrow. Hopefully this helps and does the trick. Anybody got this mod and been through it? Any advice? I've already serviced the trans with the Royal Purple Syncromesh [great stuff].

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[Flatliner]

Joe, that will make a hug difference.. I promise it will.

 

[Dana]

Install those pieces and adjust the clutch freeplay correctly and you should be fine.

 

[fastcarjoe]

Thanks Vic, I'm gonna get-er-done tomorrow. You guys cruising around yet? That 70 degree day made me cave and crank the insurance back up

 

[fastcarjoe]

Well, got the Fiore Quadrant, adjuster, and LDC freeplay correction kit in today and what a huge difference. The clutch pedal feels a million times better and now I can powershift it 100%. Wish I would have done this sooner. Even fixed the slight TOB chirp I was getting. Good mod.

 

[TCG Member 5219]

Well, got the Fiore Quadrant, adjuster, and LDC freeplay correction kit in today and what a huge difference. The clutch pedal feels a million times better and now I can powershift it 100%. Wish I would have done this sooner. Even fixed the slight TOB chirp I was getting. Good mod.

I could have showed you how to properly adjust the stock setup in 2 minutes and you would have had the same outcome. Shame I didnt see this thread sooner, you would have saved some cash.

 

[Dana]

I could have showed you how to properly adjust the stock setup in 2 minutes and you would have had the same outcome. Shame I didnt see this thread sooner, you would have saved some cash.

There is no fixing or adjusting of the stock linkage setup that will provide the precise adjustment a clutch used in a high horsepower requires.
The factory setup may be ok for some applications but not for the Cobra.

Failure to maintain the proper freeplay causes TOB failure, at least, and possibly a lot more damage, very prematurely and this cannot be done with the factory setup in a way that can be maintained for any significant length of time.

This linkage setup cost Ford millions in clutch and trans failures shortly after the 03 Cobras hit the street. They had no replacement parts for the guide tubes that were failing because of the TOBs that were seizing up because of improper adjustment. Instead, they had to replace the entire transmissiion, besides the clutch assembly.
Sadly, they never addressed the root of the problem, opting for driver comfort and low maintanence instead by retaining the clutch self-adjustig mechanism.

 

[TCG Member 5219]

You are correct accept the whole problem is the pedal not the linkage. There is an adjustment to your stock pedal that would have fixed your woes. I did it to mine and several other terminators. I went from hitting the third gear brick wall at wot evrrytime to powershifting with ease. Trust me there is a no cost fix.

 

[fastcarjoe]

There is no fixing or adjusting of the stock linkage setup that will provide the precise adjustment a clutch used in a high horsepower requires.
The factory setup may be ok for some applications but not for the Cobra.

Failure to maintain the proper freeplay causes TOB failure, at least, and possibly a lot more damage, very prematurely and this cannot be done with the factory setup in a way that can be maintained for any significant length of time.

This linkage setup cost Ford millions in clutch and trans failures shortly after the 03 Cobras hit the street. They had no replacement parts for the guide tubes that were failing because of the TOBs that were seizing up because of improper adjustment. Instead, they had to replace the entire transmissiion, besides the clutch assembly.
Sadly, they never addressed the root of the problem, opting for driver comfort and low maintanence instead by retaining the clutch self-adjustig mechanism.

Being a lifelong mechanic, I could not agree with this statement more. Sometimes, a factory design is just crap. You can only polish a turd so far and in the end, well, it's still a turd. This mod is one of the best mods I have ever done to this car, the pedal effort is lighter, the length of travel goes much more smoothly, and I can really feel that ceramic clutch's exact biting point, it makes the car so much more fun to drive. Besides, who wants to get stuck under the dash anyways, some of us have eaten too many wheaties :cool2:

 

[Dana]

You are correct accept the whole problem is the pedal not the linkage. There is an adjustment to your stock pedal that would have fixed your woes. I did it to mine and several other terminators. I went from hitting the third gear brick wall at wot evrrytime to powershifting with ease. Trust me there is a no cost fix.

When I said linkage that is what I was referring to, the plastic crap that is mounted to the pedal where the self-adjusting occurs. That is really the only place there is any linkage of sorts. The rest is just a cable and clutch fork.
There is a nylon or plastic mechanism that, after time, has a tendency to fail or improperly adjust. This can be corrected on a limited basis but the problem is that the solution negates the adjusting mechanism totally and every time the clutch needs to be adjusted you have to re-do the fix. Not particularly a fun thing to do under the dash.
Using this fix also assumes you can get the TOB adjusted to the exact right place with the coarse adjustment available with the pedal setup.

High performance clutches require very precise adjustment because Ford has provided limited travel in the clutch system and they (aftermarket clutches) use all the travel they can. This limited travel has to be allotted properly or you have either shifting issues or slippage. Too much freeplay and you have hard shifting. Too little freeplay and you can have a slipping clutch.

The bottom line is that you still have the root cause of the hard shifting issue installed on the car and it will still cause headaches regardless of what you do to it (other than throwing it out the window).