99GTvert

So how tough is it to replace a throw out bearing for a car on jack stands with basic hand tools? Any ideas what a shop would charge?

I am pretty sure the TOB took a sh*t as the car is louder than a mother****er when I'm trying to shift gears (clutch pedal pushed in). Loud metal grinding noise and slight burning smell with each gear change. I tried adjusting the clutch pedal by just pulling up on it but I'm not sure if that did anything good or bad.

Z28KLR

You gotta pull the transmission to do it. On the garage floor with the car on stands, just like everything else you do on the garage floor it's a b!tch (I'm in my late 30's and my back is screwed for days after a good day on the garage floor) but if you can get the car up high enough to have decent room to work it is completely do-able. Unless you are confident that the clutch has plenty of life left to go, plan on replacing it too - it's all gonna be apart anyway and will only add 20 or 30 minutes to the job.

The shop I've had do my last two clutch jobs charged me 4-5 hrs labor. Dunno what the "book" calls for but that seems to be a fair estimate.

On a side note, I'm sure you are aware of all the hype about using a FRPP tob and nothing else. My experience - the tob supplied with my Spec kit lasted fine, and just recently when I bought an Exedy kit I also got an FRPP tob and pilot bearing. Side by side with the bearings supplied in the Exedy kit, they are exactly the same. Same markings/part numbers, everything.

Urambo Tauro

I think that we need to have an entire thread (maybe a sticky one) devoted to the topic of TOB quality.

WhiteFoxGT

OEM ford is the only option i'd ever go with...even when i do clutches for other guys for high HP cars, make them go buy a ford one.

Also, with adjustable cables its extremely easy to wear out that TOB if the cable isnt set properly. Problem is many people dont know what they are doing. I HATE aftermarket clutch cables on mustangs

Book time for TOB replacement is 3.7hrs... at my shop that would cost you 360$

99GTvert

I think I made it worse beforehand because I tried to adjust the stock clutch pedal by lifting it towards the dash...the problem eventually got worse with the noise from the (I'm guessing) transmission's TOB about 20 or 30 miles afterwards.

I'm not sure why I thought it was a good idea other than it didn't cost anything to do it...****. It's likely this would have happened anyway but I'm guessing that accelerated the issue.

Car has 102k miles on it and I think stock clutch (at least 70k on clutch when we bought it), and I mean it still grabs very good but a replacement isn't a bad idea as preventative maintenance. Thanks.

Derf00

After the original TB was was replaced with the original clutch at 90K something miles on my car, I could never get the TB to shut up. Dealer originally replaced the clutch set and TB and ended up replacing the TB twice more before I finally got tired of my car going in. It shut up on its own after about 800 miles. Sold it shortly after that.

WhiteFoxGT

Stock cable and quadrant setup you push pedal in to the floor a few times then pull up with your hand. If it ratchets then it was out of adjustment. No noise then it's fine. I was referring to improper adjustment when people change the quadrants and adjustable cables

BigWave916

Sounds like I need to learn a bit about Ford TOBs. I was stranded in West Virginia when my '97 started screamin' when ever the clutch pedal was depressed. I was concerned it wouldn't make it all the way back to NC so I dropped it at a Ford dealer. Almost 70,000 miles on the car so I had them put entire clutch kit in it and had them machine the flywheel. They told me they couldn't get Ford parts (discontinued) and had to put aftermarket parts in it. $800 total charge on it.

Now, about 3 months and 2,000 miles later the throw out bearing is screaming again only this time it's making noise while clutch is engaged. Could this be an adjustment issue? I hope so, I don't want to pull the tranny out to replace the TOB and I sure as hell don't want to pay someone to do it. I don't think taking it back to West Virginia is an option either.

WhiteFoxGT

once its noisy, usually no adjustment of any kind will help. Ford parts can still be found

99GTvert

Our sponsors should have the Ford Racing parts in question for throw out and pilot bearings and sh*t.