NEW CLUTCH SLIPPING?!?

[Josh S.]

Originally posted by Peter
alright, if anybody gives a ****...
the clutch came out today...the friction plate was scarred and it was almost wore to the rivets
the pressure plate was heat warped and scarred
the friction plate had to come out and be resurfaced

Did it look like this? This is what mine was like when I swapped in the Centerforce, and it seems that this is normal wear. The resurfacing sure made the thing look nice and shiny though. However, I wasn't aware that the "friction plate" had rivets. In fact, I don't even know what the hell a friction plate is! Maybe you mean flywheel...in this case, the flywheel doesn't have any rivets. It has little alignment stub things, as shown in the picture.

The clutch disc has rivets, and is able to be worn down to within 1/16" until it needs to be changed. Did you actually see the parts that were FUBAR before OKing the repairs? If they didn't resurface the flywheel b4 originally installing the Centerforce, thats purty stupid in my opinion. Its like 20-30 bucks for something that is so easy to get done and it helps the longevity of your new clutch.

 

[Peter]

surely you understand that is an insult...putting my ego aside, im not stupid and I know how to drive a manual...I am a very good shifter...regardless of how I drive a manual...if I were bucking around everywhere I went or never letting the clutch out fully it STILL should have lasted more than 5000 miles...I dont care how hard someone is on a clutch these clutches are supposed to last longer than that...guys that race with these clutches are killing them much more than a poor manual driver does...an abused clutch or not should last longer...dont even post anything if its not gonna be constructive, the issue now is getting a new clutch, i dont give a rats ass if anyone thinks that it was my fault...I need suggestions as to getting my money back from Centerforce...i learned how to drive stick on a ****ty not even ford clutch in the same truck when my aunt had it...that clutch had over 60000 miles on it and i burned that clutch every day for two weeks...then it still lasted to nearly 100000...

 

[Peter]

Josh S...that wasnt intended for you sorry...i didnt see that post before I responded to weibley...i mean the disk when i talk about the friction plate same thing i guess...yeh see I am totally trusting the guy I had do the work that he made the right decisions and didnt screw me...he said the flywheel was in good shape and didnt need the resurfacing...he did it now though...

yeh the friction plate has rivets which hold on the asbestos or whatever the grippy stuff is..if it wears to them then they start tearing up your flywheel...i was down to them completely...

please someone explain to me why a clutch can wear that fast...i need a good explanation to centerforce as to why its their fault...cause I am completely sure it is not mine....

but I am content now because I have a Ford Heavy Duty in their...it is a MUCH softer feel, and it engages much closer to the bottom than the Centerforce...To me this means better off road performance anyways, because it is obviously converting the torque better and faster...i mean you are gonna get over a rock easier the sooner it engages than if it engages later...I swear to this new clutch, it feels a lot better than the centerforce ever did...i think that clutch was cursed from the beginning...

and I didnt do the work myself because I have no time with finals and I dont have a lift anyways...i just hope that my trust wasnt wasted...i just cant wait till i have real money someday and can buy a silverado

 

[Peter]

oh yeh and oops I said friction plate a second time in the quote and meant flywheel...sorry my mind is very cobwebby these last few weeks!

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

I would tripple check the hydraulic system with your new clutch. No sense taking chanches now. It does seem odd that it would wear so fast.

Make sure that when your foot is off the pedal, the slave is indeed fully realeasing the fork. If it is somehow getting jammed, then you would be feathering the clutch unintentionally and the new clutch may find the same fate as the Centerforce.

Also, make sure when the pedal is fully depressed, the clutch is completely disengaged. If not, you will be shifting with the pressure plate still contacting the flywheel.

Good luck.

 

[Peter]

those are excellendt points v8, i appreciate it...like I said I am taking trust in this mechanic who I assume did a good job...there is plenty of hydrolic fluid and no leak like there used to be...i replaced the slave and master last time so there shouldnt be a roblem there........besides fluid how might I check to make sure the clutch is disengageing probperly and not feathering? the mechanic didnt notice aynting and he doesnt clutches every week......

 

[P51DTUG]

My Centerforce in my 'stang is awesome. I doubt that you will be able to get your money back at all. Excessive abuse to a clutch will eat it up in a hurry. If a guy puts a new clutch in his vehicle, uses(abuses) it improperly, no way in hell is he going to get his money back.
There is a proper break-in procedure on all centerforce clutches. If it is not followed (even your new/"rebuilt" clutch) then good luck on how long it will last. I had one of those "rebuilt" heavy duty ford clutches in my 'stang... what a POS!!! I will NEVER put another "rebuilt" clutch in anything I drive!! Not worth my time. I WILL spend the extra $$ and buy new. We all can sit here and slander products for being chitty...where does that get you??


My .02
Jim

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Originally posted by Peter
........besides fluid how might I check to make sure the clutch is disengageing probperly and not feathering? the mechanic didnt notice aynting and he doesnt clutches every week......

Not exactly sure about the procedure, since I haven't had to deal with this, but would assume the following mechanical concepts:
1) when the clutch pedal is released, there should be no tension on the slave cylinder to fork connection. If the cylinder is disconnected, does the fork change postion? If it does, then you have a problem.
2) In terms of checking clutch disengagement, that's harder. If you have another explorer to look at, measure it's range of travel, then compare that to yours.

Hopefully someone with experiance on this tranny can help with the diagnostics.

 

[Peter]

mustang guy Did you even bother to read all that I have said...how many times do I have to repeat myself that I didnt abuse the clutch...I guarantee that you abuse yours more when you peel out in your mustang...yeh great, sorry you didnt have a good time with a Ford clutch in a mustang...thats where aftermarket clutches are for anyways...racing...and when you race you abuse the **** out of a clutch...I drive normally everyday, i have offroaded two times on this clutch...and it quits after 5000 miles, thats bullshit I dont care how much a clutch gets abused...and by the way I did break it in right...and until someone proves me otherwise, ill slander this piece of **** clutch...and I will get money back from them because even an abused clutch should still last more thna 5000 miles...and v8 ill defeintly check into the hydrolics and make sure they are all functioning correctly, thanks

 

[Josh S.]

Originally posted by P51DTUG

There is a proper break-in procedure on all centerforce clutches. If it is not followed (even your new/"rebuilt" clutch) then good luck on how long it will last.


My .02
Jim

I blasted right past my break-in period man! RIGHT after we finished we all took off to go for a weekend offroading trip. Hopped right on the freeway, drove 120 miles, roosted a little bit, then rockcrawled the rest of the time. My centerforce is great!!

 

[ld50]

There is a proper break-in procedure on all centerforce clutches.

What is the proceedure anyway?


Peter, to answer your question, NO clutch should wear out after 5000 miles. I`m skeptical that your slave cylinder caused it, because you have to have some force exerted on it to release it, I don`t see how this wouldn`t be noticed when it was put together, and I suspect that it would show immediate signs of slipping if that were the case. Also if it wasn`t disengaging properly, it would be a ******* to get in gear.

I don`t get it, obviously you are a master of the manual transmission as indicated by you, but do you lend it out to anyone? Maybe someone has a vendetta against you and is starting it up behind your back and feathering the clutch for long periods....

Maybe it`s just one of those mysteries we will never crack?

 

[P51DTUG]

Sorry for the "CAPS" Taken from Centerforce website:

DO CENTERFORCE CLUTCHES REQUIRE A BREAK IN PERIOD?


YES. IT IS RECOMMENDED TO PROPERLY SEAT IN THE NEW PRESSURE PLATE & DISC ASSEMBLY TO ASSURE GOOD CLUTCH PERFORMANCE. CENTERFORCE RECOMMENDS 450-500 MILES OF IN TOWN STOP AND GO TYPE OF EASY DRIVING BEFORE APPLYING FULL POWER. IF YOUR DRIVING CONSISTS OF MAINLY HIGHWAY TYPE USE, THE BREAK IN PERIOD SHOULD BE LONGER THAN THE 450-500 MILES. IF THE BREAK IN PERIOD IS NOT PROPERLY FOLLOWED, CLUTCH LIFE AND PERFORMANCE CAN BE SACRIFICED.

Jim

 

[TravisC]

It doesn't seem like hardly anyone here is trying to help Peter out. Isn't what this board is for? Sounds like everyone is questioning what he is saying. He's stated several times that he doesn't suck driving a stick and that he drove it properly.

I'm by far no master with clutchs or anything like that but it sounds like it was caused by the flywheel. Like said above it was a bad choice to not get the flywheel resurfaced. I know the guy said it was fine but I think that's where you problems started. I don't think there is any way of getting your money back from Centerforce. I'm sure they assume that when you put in one of their clutchs then you are also putting in well working other parts of the transmission, like the flywheel. Sure your flywheel might have been working fine but wasn't good for a new clutch. I think you're SOL on this one, sorry! Glad your new clutch is working out good though

 

[Peter]

lessons have been learned that is for sure...and thank you travis for finally answering me instead of questioning my driving ability...oh well, i have some time to look into getting money, so we will see what centerforce says...ill be sure to put up any outcomes on this post...and i dont doubt centerforces performance on the duel friction...i have heard many great things about that clutch, i think that it is quite possilbe that the 1s and 2s are manufactured and composed of nothing different than what ford or any other clutch company makes...they arent really extra duty like the duel friction clearly is, they just say it is...its kinda like how fram has all those different oil filters, tough gaurd, extra gaurd etc.......but an oil filter is an oil filter, i think its a similar situation...a centerforce clutch that lost it like any other stock clutch can for whatever reason