Clutch Throwout bearing

You will need to remove the transaxle to get at the clutch & throwout beareing. The AC condenser should be unbolted and folded over to the right on a blanket or something- the hoses stay connected & pressurized. The bellhousing must be removed with the transaxle as there are two more bolts from the inside going into the trans from the bellhousing. Note two small bolts underneath from the motor plate to the bell housing, that must be removed! The clutch pivot mechanism is in the bellhousing. A ZF weighs about 155 lbs, so get some help! The clutch pedal should still work even if the throwout siezed, so something funny is going on in there. Where exactly are you? THere are Pantera club members everywhere that will jump at a chance to help a buddy!

I'm in Fairmont, WV. The car is being towed to Wilson Ford. They have offered to see what they can do. Let me correct the clutch pedal statement. The fork will not move in either direction and the pedal pumps-up much like a brake pedal when there is air in the system. I think that the bearing is frozen to the transaxle input shaft. Is this possible?

Only the clutch DISK rides on the splines of the input shaft. The throw-out bearing rides on a "collar" that is part of the forward trans bearing cover plate(and is very lightly greased). Yes! If there was enough heat generated the bearing could have "welded" itself to the collar. It also sounds as if the Fork or the clutch pressure plate fingers might have broken. I wish you good luck with it! Most of us have "been there" in one way or another. Marlin.

[This message has been edited by MARLIN JACK (edited 09-04-2002).]

First: try removing the pin that connects the slave cylinder to the clutch bellcrank, then see if the clutch pedal moves the way it should. If so, the problem is in fact inside the bellhousing and has nothing to do with the under-dash linkage or hydraulics. (You have to pull the pin anyway to remove the transaxle). Inside the bellhousing is a large diameter cross-shaft that rides in needle bearings on each end. This actuates a cast iron fork that presses on the throwout bearing, which in turn actuates the clutch cover levers. The throwout bearing slides on a steel support tube bolted to the ZF. Its unlikely that the needle bearings have seized, or the throwout seized on the support. So I suspect something in the clutch cover or disc diasssembled and is blocking the throwout from moving. The clutch cover is a Long-type 11" built with NO bob-weights on the 3 lever arms. If a std Ford truck clutch is substituted, be VERY sure there are no bob-weights! Any weights will hit the cast support ribs in the beelhousing, breaking pieces off. They may crack the outer shell, too. Keep us informed of progress.

OK, the car arrived at the dealership about 3 P.M. yesterday. Daylight allowed further inspection. When it arrived, the clutch pedal moved, but did not disengage the clutch. The clutch release return spring is missing, arm now moves freely toward the end of back of the car. Its travel is several inches before any resistance is detected. The slave cylinder pistion was almost completely out of its body and binding on the body. Looks like the release bearing is not making contact with the tangs on the pressure plate. Maybe the load squeal was the presure plate eating the throwout bearing and my repeated attempts to disengage the clutch pushed it completely through. Plan is to disassemble and inspect today. I'll keep you informed. Thanks for all the advice, it has be useful.

Hey Guys I just read this story about a fellow member whose clutch just went out. I live in fairmont only about 5 miles away from wilson ford. I will try to find him tonight after work. If you hear from him tell him to give me a call at (304) 366-2719 that is my home phone #. I will help in any way I can.... I have a spare slave cyl. and other stuff. maybe I can help get him home.

Hey Paul, what a coincidence huh? You're five miles from the dealer where this Pantera is stranded! Amazing!!!

Love this site!

Bob Eaton

Paul,
Thanks for your offer. Yes, I'm stranded, but it isn't as bad as it seems. I have worked as a consultant here, in Fairmont, for about 9 years. Last year I got an apartment on Morgantown Ave., I'm just 300 miles from my tool box in Stafford, VA. Still don't know what Pantera unique parts, are needed other than the clutch return spring. Hopefully an 11" clutch assembly and throwout will do the trick.
I'll call you later today. Thanks again.

The throwout ate is way through the fingers on the pressure plate. Can anyone give me the part numbers for the Ford truck pressure plate, disc and throwout bearing or the year and model of truck? The dealer doesn't stock the older stuff and is reluctant to order parts on a trial an error basis.

That throwout bearing didn't chew thru the 3 steel release arms in a heartbeat; I suggest you add some quieter mufflers so screeching noises can be heard next time. Marino Perna at Pantera-East in St Petersburg FL is your closest source for the CORRECT clutch cover, throwout bearing and disc. Better prices than your local Ford dealer and the assurance that they will actually fit. There's not much clearance inside for errors. Contact him at
marinoperna@ij.net

Jack,
Thx for the advice, Marino fixed me up with his 10.5 inch clutch kit (flywheel plus a 10.5 inch centerforce pressure plate and disk. The cost was higher than local replacement parts, but at least I know it will fit.
FWIW, Pantera East doesnot sell stock replacement clutches.

I am glad that you are not completly stranded. My wife said that you might need a place to stay so we would put you up till you was back on the road. also if you need the parts quick, I work for fedex and could ship them for cost. Its nice to have another pantera owner so close.

I knew it! Without the clutch arm return spring; the throw-out bearing was allowed to ride against the pressure plate release fingers constantly!! Jack D. was right! It took years to wear through. Funny the fingers wore through before the bearing itself froze up, or made any noise. I think you'll have it rolling in no time! You'll get the adjustment right! Don't forget the return spring. regards, Marlin.

Paul,
I don't know of anything that you can do right now. Parts are intransit from Pantera's East. They should have been delivered today, but UPS tracking details show them in PA at 2:01 P.M.-don't think they will be delivered today. I had my blue Service Manual shipped in from VA, so the mechanic at Wilson will have some idea how to adjust the transaxle and clutch linkages.
I should be back on the road by the end of the week.
Jack D./Marlin J.
I'm not sure how long it took, but the first was a very loud squeal. I purchased the car in June drove it about 250 miles before making the trip from Stafford, VA to Fairmont(alittle less than 300 miles). While it was in VA, I did general maintenance including checking the clutch adjustment, it was OK. This is my second Pantera, so I'm fairly familar with these cars and I don't believe that I would have mis-read the adjustment, so must I assume, that the clutch return spring broke or popped off allowing the throwout to ride on the clutch fingers during the 5 hour drive from Stafford. Of couse, there could have been damage to the fingers from mis-adjustment sometime prior to my purchase.

On the road again! Thanks for all the help and support.

Clutch Throw-out bearing.

Same thing happened on my customers Pantera. To save money he'd fitted the new clutch himself, but broke the golden rule - Never fit a clutch without also fitting a new release bearing (throw-out bearing)- fatal. The new clutch was OK for 300 miles, but the release bearing siezed and started to break up. First sign was a heart stopping squeal on each depression of the clutch pedal. The drive home from northern France to Yorkshire, England, was 400 miles and that chewed through 60% of the metal on the plate fingers. The inside of the bellhousing looked like a machine shop floor.

We're thinking of coming over to your great Las Vegas event next year. What's this about black widow spiders and a roof full of bugs?(see topic termites). Is there something you haven't told us about California?