DeTomaso Mailing List: February 1997, Message #160
     



From: MikeLDrew@aol.com

Subject: Hydraulic throw-out bearings

Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 09:35:30 -0500 (EST)



All,



Virtually everyone in PCNC who's tried a hydraulic throw-out bearing has

absolutely loved them until they blew up, which often was only a matter of

weeks.



Jack DeRyke took a generic Tilton unit and screwed around with it forever,

milling and machining etc. etc. to adapt it to a Pantera, and I think he's

still running it on his car.  Most other people went through two or three of

them and then threw up their hands and went back to the stock design.



However, it's important to add that these people were trying first-generation

units from Pantera Performance Center in Colorado, which had design bugs.

PPC was continually updating the design, and would replace defective units

with the 'new, improved' model gratis (although you still had to R&R your

gearbox to get the thing in and out).  Roger Sharp blew out both a first and

second generation unit with normal street driving, then got fed up and never

installed their third-generation unit they gave him.



I went ahead and gambled, however, since I have profound trust in Dennis

Quella.  To date, I've driven my car a grand total of fifty feet with this

third-generation unit installed, so I can't exactly give a complete

endorsement.



When it was first installed, it worked great.  The car sat for several weeks

or perhaps a few months, then when I tried it out, the pedal went right to

the floor, only felt resistance in the last inch or so of pedal travel.  I

thought perhaps it needed to be bled or something, for that's what it felt

like.



I finally got the ignition hooked up and started and ran the engine a few

times (just for jollies more than anything else).  Then, lo and behold, the

clutch came back, seems to be working like a champ now; I suspect it had

simply stuck because it was so new, but the vibes of the engine freed it up.

LOTS of throwout available, seemingly more than with the stock setup;

hopefully won't be dragging the clutch and eating up synchros any more.



The pedal feels GREAT!  About the same effort as a Honda Accord, feels like I

could reach down and push it in with my hand (well, I tried it, and I'm not

strong enough, but it's about half as stiff as my old, stock clutch, and a

third as stiff as some other Pantera clutches I've felt).  Engagement at

parking-lot speeds is extremely progressive, lots of good feedback.

Presuming it doesn't blow up, I think I'm gonna love it!



Fingers crossed....



Mike Drew