Stiff Shifter Dilemma..clutch? cable? shifter?

[clifdawg]

I should have asked this question a year and 7000 miles ago...when I built my car I bought a brand new Tremec T5 (World Class, 2.95 1st gear) from Summit...I'm using the bottom part of the shifter that came with the tranny and a UPR handle...I have Centerforce DF clutch, pressure plate, and throw out bearing...I have an adjustable cable, quadrant, and fw adjuster from UPR...My problem is a very stiff shift...Hard as crap to get into gear, esp. during colder weather...I didn't see any other threads where people were complaining of this with their CF DF clutches, but a guy I work with claims a RAM clutch fixed his problem. I know another guy running the CF w/ a stock cable and haven't heard any complaining from him...Should I look into a different cable? Different clutch? Different shifter? I'm really not sure what it is ...but I need to find out and fix it ASAP because I'm gonna start drag racing it fairly regular next season. Also, I can't leave the play in the cable as CF suggests, b/c if I do, the clutch will not engage, so I adjust out on the firewall adjuster until it will engage correctly, but then the cable doesn't have play in it. Any help with this stiff shifter dilemma would be greatly appreciated. Also, I'm using Mobil 1 ATF in the tranny.

 

[clifdawg]

ttt...please help

 

[jerry beach]

There should be preload on that cable, no slack.

The clutch pedal should come up off the floor a couple inches before you start to feel the clutch engage with the trans in gear. This means that the clutch disc is dis-engaging the flywheel completely when the pedal is mashed to the floor. You say that its adjusted right, if so this is not your problem.

Does your shifter have stops? If so, move them back some to take them out of the picture. If they are too close, you will have this problem of getting it into gear. There is a little plastic cup on the bottom of the shifter ball, if its missing then you will have sloppy shifts. I dont know about the tremmec, but my stock set-up is this way. You may want to check that its in there (by removing the shifter and looking for it).

If you eliminate the above issues, you should be able to place the blame squarely on the trans itself. I have heard many times that the tremmec is harder to shift than stock. It stands to reason that a more robust design will require more effort on your part. HTH.

 

[90mustangGT]

The stiff clutch and bad engaugment is a red flag. It is telling you that the clutch is not disengauging. Be sure the cable is not binding, stretched, or siezed up, many people have issues with aftermarket cables. Disconnect the cable from the fork and make sure it moves freely, and when it is attached be sure it is moving the fork fully. Does the shifter move freely from gear to gear when the engine is off? Some people have issues with the T5 berring retainer. A bad pilot berring can cause issues similar to this, since it holds the input shaft inside the flywheel steady if it goes bad the input shaft will not be secured well and the assembly will not align properly causing stiff pedal and improper shifting capability. Even a bent clutch fork can give you problems.

At work I had a Dodge Ram 3500 dually with a 5.9 (360) V8 gas motor, Allison transmission in it and the owner has shifter issues, hard to get in gear. Because of the shudder upon disenguagment I recomended a clutch. After removing the trans and bellhousing (it was a big mofo too) the disc wasn't really worn much at all, the flywheel was glazed and surface cracked with hotspots, but I noticed the pilot berring was bad, missing some of the needle berrings. Had to grind it out is was so stuck into the crank. New clutch, new berring, shifts great afterwards.

First take care of this clutch issue, this is probally where your problems is.

 

[clifdawg]

thank u very much, guys, for responding...i'll try and take a look at these things before i do anything else...thanks again

 

[DuffManRHA]

If you are using an adjustable clutch cable, that is a big problem right there. I went thru three of them - they would seize, streth, or just plain break.

Got a stock-type one from D&D motorsports for like 35 bucks and I adjusted it once with the firewall adjuster... hasn't moved and the clutch action is the same (tho the clutch is well on its way out)

Eric

 

[clifdawg]

i thought about getting an oem cable...as i said above, my buddy has an oem cable and CF clutch w/ no problems like this...so, I should still keep my firewall adjuster if i get the oem cable? thanx

 

[DuffManRHA]

Yea you will still need the firewall adjuster because since the cable can't adjust anymore, and once you don't have the self-ratcheting, there is nothing left to adjust the clutch (which has to be done) so that will be the only thing to adjust it

I think my instructions said set it to 1/8" out and then go from there

Are you using a single or double hook quadrant?

Eric

 

[clifdawg]

alright, thanx...single hook quad.