Clutch problems

Damn that clutch looks like it exploded, even got some of the teeth missing. Well right now they are basically playing hot potato with my case, service manager says to talk to ford customer service, ford customer service says to talk to the service manager. I'm moving this case to the regional manager to see if I can get some sort of solution to this problem.

cop on my back said:

Welcome to Ford's shitty clutch. At least you were close to home, mine let go on a road course in Washington State, I am from Canada. Same thing, everything went from perfectly normal to catastrophic failure, no warnings at all. No clutch wears like this at all. This is a part failure

I installed a McLeod RST clutch, screw that Ford POS.

Here was mine.

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Clutch disc MADE IN TURKEY.....

Really??

Who is the supplier of clutch discs to Ford these days? Last I knew, a few years back, the stock supplied and Ford Racing clutch discs were supplied by Valeo.

masterfeli14 said:

Damn that clutch looks like it exploded, even got some of the teeth missing. Well right now they are basically playing hot potato with my case, service manager says to talk to ford customer service, ford customer service says to talk to the service manager. I'm moving this case to the regional manager to see if I can get some sort of solution to this problem.

Click to expand...

Here's how you get resolution:

Did they send you an email yet requesting you to take a survey? If so, blast the survey with all negative selections and comments. Upon doing so, your Dealer will receive it and they WILL have to make things right with the customer (you).

If you have not received a survey, tell your Dealer and your Ford Rep you will be taking the issue up on social media (their Facebook pages, Twitter and any online Mustang forum) and letting the public know how you are being treated for an OBVIOUS PREMATURE part failure.

You will get results by doing the above.....


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One more thing your Service Center should be looking at:
Since the S550 clutch system is hydraulic, it *could be* quite possible that there is a flaw or problem with the system. If there is constant pressure on the throw out bearing to where it's keeping pressure against the pressure plate/clutch disc -- enough that the disc is continually riding the flywheel, it's going to eventually burn up as depicted in your picture (and the other m6g member's picture).

Usually in an older style clutch cable driven system, the only way that type of failure would occur is, if someone was "riding" the clutch by leaving their foot on the clutch pedal OR the cable is not releasing the TB 100% from the pressure plate assembly.

Think of it too as if a brake caliper fails and keeps the brake pad up against the brake rotor while driving - eventually a result of that failed caliper will be a pad worn down prematurely (and if let go, eventually it too will wear past the rivets or glue, dig into the pad backing plate and score/destroy the brake rotor).

My bet is, something in the clutch system is failing allowing excessive pressure, causing premature clutch disc wear and eventually failure of the disc where it will impact the pressure plate and flywheel surfaces.

--

Another question too (and may have no relation to failures, but just a thought):
I see many MT82 users replacing the clutch pedal spring or removing it, which everyone states by doing so it adjusts the clutch pedal feeling. Does anyone know that if by altering the original functional aspect of that specific spring, does it have ANY impact to actual clutch wear/tear - or is it ONLY altering the pedal feeling?

I'm on my 3rd clutch. 1st one came apart on the highway just like yours and looked just like yours. Less than 300 miles on it. 2nd one broke the torsion springs on the disc. I figured that one would eventually fail because it chattered like a bi@ch from day one install.
Both covered under warranty.
When this 3rd one blows apart, and it will. I'll go aftermarket
Btw, good luck with Ford. It was my dealer that helped me out.

This is why I took my car in at 6k with bad vibrations when pushing in clutch to shift. They sent me away saying normal characteristics for this platform and if anything gets worse its documented. I'm at 13k, now I have a high pitch noise with rattle clutch engaged along with some slipping in higher gears on an incline along with occasional first gear clutch chatter. Can't wait for it to go.

Kong76 said:

This is why I took my car in at 6k with bad vibrations when pushing in clutch to shift. They sent me away saying normal characteristics for this platform and if anything gets worse its documented. I'm at 13k, now I have a high pitch noise with rattle clutch engaged along with some slipping in higher gears on an incline along with occasional first gear clutch chatter. Can't wait for it to go.

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High pitch noises similar to squeaking, squealing, metal to metal rotational noise or "chirps" would be TOB issues (throw out bearing).

I've seen similar posts on here about the above in the transmission sub forum and based on the complaints - I still say there is a malfunction occurring with the hydraulic system OR the altering of the clutch pedal spring that is causing the TOB to maintain pressure on or against the pressure plate during driving.

If pressure plate is continually keeping clutch disc against the flywheel, it's not only going to cause premature wear, but eventually disintegration of the clutch disc and additional damages (scoring, burn marks etc) on both the pressure plate and flywheel surfaces.

I was leaning towards pilot bearing since the clutch is engaged, i assumed tob would make noise with clutch pressed. Most of this was with the stock spring, i changed over to a 44lb spring after the symptoms. Its a high pitch whirring sound. I was thinking of replacing everything with an RST or Mantic but if its hydraulic issues i don't want to burn it up.

Im test driving the new 10 speed and if I like it no more mt82.

Cobra Jet said:

Clutch disc MADE IN TURKEY.....

Really??

Who is the supplier of clutch discs to Ford these days? Last I knew, a few years back, the stock supplied and Ford Racing clutch discs were supplied by Valeo.

Click to expand...

You noticed that, ha. First thing I thought when I saw it in person at the shop that replaced it. I think the OEM friction material is to blame. It seems to disintegrate for some reason

masterfeli14 said:

So help me out here guys.

I have driven clutch for many years now and I have yet to come across this problem that the pictures have shown.

I was driving my car around with no signs of slippage or any kinds of problems with the clutch. I know the symptoms of clutch wear and none were present at all. I started the car just fine after I put gas on it. I get the car going just fine on the service road and up the ramp to the highway. I'm on the highway on 5th gear going about 60 mph getting ready to change gears to 6th. I push down on the clutch pedal and it just sticks to the floor. It doesn't come back up at all. So I manually pull it back with my feet to reset the clutch. I then tried pushing down on the clutch but it felt weak and would not go to any gear any more. I go to the side of the road and turn off the car and see if I could go into any gear with the engine off. It turns out I can so I knew something funny was going on with the clutch but didn't know what. Ford dealership pulled down the transmission and took pictures of the clutch, flywheel, and pressure plate. That doesn't look like normal wear and tear of the clutch. That looks like someone was purposely riding the clutch at 6000 rpms.

Is this how normal wear of the clutch looks like? Because I have never seen normal wear this bad.

Click to expand...

The exact same thing happened with me, apx. 6 months after purchase with about 4k miles on it!! At one point it was insinuated that I may not know how to drive a stick! "Common sense who purchases a 70k car with a manual trans if they cant drive it" was my exact words to the service manager....It ended up costing me about 1700 to replace the assembly and flywheel. (250 was later refunded when it was determined I had also been charged for another customer's repairs!!)

I have a new McLeod RST clutch for sale shortly if anyone is interested.

I was told at another dealership that Ford was aware of the issue, and that's why the 2017 models, like mine, come with a spec clutch now.. Mine is in the shop now for other issues as well, more than likely some are connected to the premature clutch failure..

TZ said:

I was told at another dealership that Ford was aware of the issue, and that's why the 2017 models, like mine, come with a spec clutch now.. Mine is in the shop now for other issues as well, more than likely some are connected to the premature clutch failure..

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I wasn't aware they used a different clutch on the 17s. Very interesting.

Cobra Jet said:

Here's how you get resolution:

Did they send you an email yet requesting you to take a survey? If so, blast the survey with all negative selections and comments. Upon doing so, your Dealer will receive it and they WILL have to make things right with the customer (you).

If you have not received a survey, tell your Dealer and your Ford Rep you will be taking the issue up on social media (their Facebook pages, Twitter and any online Mustang forum) and letting the public know how you are being treated for an OBVIOUS PREMATURE part failure.

You will get results by doing the above.....

Click to expand...

So I have done what CorbaJet suggested to no avail. They haven't reacted to anything I did so I'm going to have to try to talk to someone who can actually help me with this. I would completely understand and pay for it outright if I knew that I caused this, but driving under normal conditions would not cause that much damage, let alone tear apart the clutch lining.

TZ said:

I was told at another dealership that Ford was aware of the issue, and that's why the 2017 models, like mine, come with a spec clutch now.. Mine is in the shop now for other issues as well, more than likely some are connected to the premature clutch failure..

Click to expand...

Can you point me to the dealer who said that ford was aware of the issue so I can contact them and maybe point me to the right direction.

TZ said:

The exact same thing happened with me, apx. 6 months after purchase with about 4k miles on it!! At one point it was insinuated that I may not know how to drive a stick! "Common sense who purchases a 70k car with a manual trans if they cant drive it" was my exact words to the service manager....It ended up costing me about 1700 to replace the assembly and flywheel. (250 was later refunded when it was determined I had also been charged for another customer's repairs!!)

Click to expand...

Like you, they insinuated that I didn't know how to drive stick probably due to the fact that I'm young with a 5.0

cop on my back said:

I have a new McLeod RST clutch for sale shortly if anyone is interested.

Click to expand...

How much for the McLeod RST clutch?

All of the 2017 models on the lot (in comparison to mine) had the spec clutch!! That service manager even said, "had my clutch been replaced there, he would have recommended I pay extra to upgrade mine to the spec!"

For the clutch, not sure maybe $600. I am waiting for it to arrive next week. It is a long story, but in the end I have an extra clutch to sell.

Once I have it I will post in the for sale section.