[madscience]

Bought this thing 2 years and ~20k miles ago.

When I bought it, I thought it needed a clutch, but all it needed was a throwout bearing. I ended up doing the whole job because I bought the whole clutch kit from falconparts.com

Now after only 15k miles the T/O is starting to whine and grab.

That suggests there's something funky going on that's stressing the T/O too much.

I adjusted the clutch linkage per the manual (as best I could understand it), so I don't think it's constantly spinning.

Could it be the fork?
Something about the input shaft on the transmission?

 

[joemd]

Maybe your adjustment procedure is off. It needs to be off the clutch pressure plate fingers. I try to get an inch or so at the pedal. Do you have a lower z-bar spring installed?
What about your driving habits...do you keep the pedal in at stop lights?
And what brand/quality TOB are you using?

Just throwing out ideas.

Joe

 

[64 futura]

joemd beat me to it , i was thinking along the same thoughts. About all i can add is , the clutch arm can give problems if it is badly worn at the pivot point causing to operate in a bind, not a real common thing. How smooth does it work when you push on the pedal ? Another thing,about driving habits, after shifting though the gears,do you let you foot relax on the pedal even just a small amount if you are in traffic and expecting to have to shift down soon ? To much of that can cause extra wear on the assembly.What kind of pressure plate is it, diaphragm or 3 finger long design ? I'v allways had better luck with the diaphragm design.

 

[5.0 Chero]

not knocking falconparts,com but at only $119 for a clutch kit it has to be off shore parts... I would go to a real parts house not autozone/kragens and get a quality throw out bearing

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

Auto Zone/Kragans and Napa and the ma and pa stores all sell parts from the same place, period. China, Korea , Japan, Mexico and Canada.

Diaphragm style is easier on the foot and can operate stronger pressure plate systems whereas a three finger pressure plate is harder to push the higher the spring rate...

Set up and or faulty bearing are the likely culprit not just where they are made.

 

[5.0 Chero]

Auto Zone/Kragans and Napa and the ma and pa stores all sell parts from the same place, period. China, Korea , Japan, Mexico and Canada.

My "MA & PA" parts house gets me SKF throw out bearings bearings

The part number he needs would be SKF N1439
SKF N1439 Release Bearing Assembly | eBay
$45

There are different quality parts and Auto Zone Kragens Etc are like walmart and will buy the from cheapest supplier

Auto Zone $19
Brute Power/Clutch Release Bearing (614034) | 1965 Ford Falcon 8 Cylinders 4.7L 2BL | AutoZone.com_

you be the judge

Diaphragm style is easier on the foot and can operate stronger pressure plate systems whereas a three finger pressure plate is harder to push the higher the spring rate....

according to the pic on the web site it is a diaphragm style

Set up and or faulty bearing are the likely culprit not just where they are made.

I am giving the OP the benefit of the doubt on the set up and going with a faulty cheap off shore bearing

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

Two in so short of a time is odd but I am tending to think along your lines also with this one after thinking it over again, but even the SKF stuff can be bad out of the bag at times.

 

[madscience]

have a lower z-bar spring installed?

Yes

I am giving the OP the benefit of the doubt on the set up and going with a faulty cheap off shore bearing

That's not a sure-fire thing, but thanks.

When I re-do it, I'll be double-sure to keep it off of the diaphragm.

As I have it set up, I'm basically at the end of all of the adjustments. Like, if I make the Z-bar-to-fork link any longer, the pointy thing that pushes on the fork falls off the end of the bar. Off the top of my head, that tells me it's probably up against the diaphragm.

Dunno who falconparts.com gets their stuff from (don't remember the brand), but here's a picture of the (now dead) one with the unit it replaced:

Throwout Bearings New and Old by Mad Science, on Flickr

I was planning on picking up the Sachs unit from rockauto:
RockAuto Parts Catalog
SACHS Part # SN1439SA, $24

There are a bunch of parts listed for an "HD 10.4" " clutch. I know the falconparts unit is the regular 10", so that's what I'm ordering for.

 

[okura_hubby]

Disclaimer: Comments made by this individual are not based on any experience.

My thoughts if it is "eating" a specific part. That something is wrong other than the quality of that part. I know part stores go with low dollar parts. Got it.. The Walmart of car parts..

But really. There is something wrong for just that part to continue to be eaten up. But I think you have something wrong other than poor quality parts. You could go with a higher grade part from a place that sales trans performance stuff such as place specializing in T5 conversions for Mustan/Falcons. If it eats that part you know you have other issues.

 

[joemd]

As I have it set up, I'm basically at the end of all of the adjustments. Like, if I make the Z-bar-to-fork link any longer, the pointy thing that pushes on the fork falls off the end of the bar. Off the top of my head, that tells me it's probably up against the diaphragm.

Im not sure if Im reading this correctly, but something dont sound right. Are you adjusting it out all the way until it contacts the pressure plate fingers? Thats not correct.
Is your upper rod adjustable as well? If not try finding an adjustable upper z-bar rod so you can get more adjustability in the linkage, then maybe you can get that lower rod to stay in the adjustment range.
Remember; the idea is to have the throw out bearing close but not touching the pressure plate fingers. You get that with adjustment...and the lower z-bar spring ensures that the linkage is biased to the "t/o bearing OFF the fingers" position (or clutch pedal up).

Ive had a Chinese TOB in my car for a few thousand miles...removed the clutch for some other work and the TOB was still like new. I didnt realize the Zoom clutch kit I bought from Rock Auto was Chinese until I opened the box. I was flaming mad but I went with it.

Joe

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

Joe makes a good point, Adjust the upper bar to allow more lower pushrod pin adjustment.

But I think you're system is not pulling back off the clutch far enough.

If it's the spinning that makes it go bad then the TO bearing is not greased enough.

Your TO bearing is just like a wheel bearing, I see no reason it can't turn all the time the car is running, as long as the pressure is light.

Wheel bearings have no cooling so heat isn't bothering it, it's likely the dust from the clutch disc that's making the bearings go bad...

 

[joemd]

I believe throw out bearings are sealed...keeps the lube in and the junk out.

Joe

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

Not the ones in his pictures and not the last 10 I've in stalled in various different auto's.