1993 Cobra Registry

As some of you know, last year I swapped my clutch and rebuilt the tranny. I've had issues with this clutch since the installation but unfortunately, I didn't ask you guys before I bought it. The issue I have is that it never really feels like it's letting go of the flywheel completely. BTW, it's a ford racing king cobra clutch. So, when I shift the only way I can describe it is, it feels kinda like shifting without the clutch. It doesn't go straight from first to second, it kinda hangs before it goes into gear. Like I said, shifting without the clutch. The only reason I've waited until now to post about it is because I've noticed a new anomaly. I replaced the clutch cable about 2 months after swapping the clutch and my cable is too short. With the cable as tight as it will go, I still have to push the pedal nearly to the floor to shift. I don't know what could cause this other than maybe the previous owner put in a homemade quadrant or something. What ideas do you guys have short of swapping the clutch again? Pulling the tranny twice in a year is enough for me. If I do need to swap the clutch, what clutch do you recommend?

Did you buy a new flywheel or have yours surfaced? Did you install a new guide bearing?

I'd look at getting a firewall adjuster. They are pretty cheep and easy to install. It sounds more like a cable/adjustment issue than the clutch.

What cable/quandrant setup are you using?

I'll say this, I've had a bunch of cable/quandrant setups....R&E Racing, Downs, SVO, etc. that all used the adjustable cable end. While they all worked, they never seemed to adjust right.

I just replaced one that was feeling crappy. The engagement was all the way at the top of the pedal, but the clutch is fairly new. After hearing guys talk about Maximum Motorsports setup, I thought I'd give it a shot before pulling the tranny and looking at the clutch.

Bingo. That took car of the shit feel/engagement of the clutch. They use an OEM cable which is waaaaaaaay better then the crappy ones everyone else uses. The firewall/quadrant looks to be similar what is on the market, but for simplicity, I'd use the whole kit. For $130, it's well worth the investment for a positive feeling clutch.

BTW, those King Cobra clutches are awesome clutches for the money. I've had several and they work very well. My money is the quadrant/cable setup.

Thanks for the replies. I did swap the flywheel when I did the clutch. Went with the Fidanza aluminum. I don't remember about the "guide" bearing. If that didn't come with the clutch or the flywheel then I probably went with the on that's in there. If that works buddha, that would be fantastic cause that means I don't have to pull the tranny again. Until I get a lift installed in my garage, I hope to never do that again.

If you rebuilt the trans, Maybe it's in the trans it's self. Not the clutch. Just a thought.

I had a similar problem on a 92 GT before I got my Cobra. My auto transmission took a dump, so I had it replaced with a standard GT manual tranny with a King Cobra clutch. I would literally have to put all of my weight on the clutch to get the car to start, and had the same problem as you when shifting. I switched to a standard clutch, and it helped quite a bit, but it was an issue until the day I finally sold it. I know it's a pain, so I hope you get it figured out.

Like I said sounds like a POS tranny Problem, I have seen the Springs in the clutch disc come apart causing the disc to still spin when the clutch is disengaged, happened in my First 93 Cobra CLone, The Disc finally came apart, I thought the trans was trashed.

aaronlstiles wrote:If you rebuilt the trans, Maybe it's in the trans it's self. Not the clutch. Just a thought.

Hehe...aaron says "You screwed up the rebuild, chump"
Possible but not likely. There's not really anything in the rebuild that I could have messed up to give me that problem. Just swapped all the bearings and synchros and other random stuff. I also swapped some gears (honestly I don't remember which ones or how many for that matter). It was hard to shift before I did the rebuild but needed a rebuild because it would pop out of gear, then one day just plain wouldn't shift. I also put trick shift tranny fluid in it. If you think anything I could have done during the rebuild would give these symptoms, let me know. It just feels like its something between the pedal and the flywheel. Also if the car is not running or I'm just sitting at a red light and neutral, after one round from 1st to 2nd it shifts just fine, it honestly just feels like the tranny isn't letting loose quick enough. I don't know how else to describe it.

Definately in the cable setup, I have seen this many times. Get the MM kit and be done with it.