Hi All, My mate just bought a stock 49 Ford Tudor with an 8BA and three on the tree. The guy he bought it off had just replace the ctuch but it seems to have a real bad clutch shudder. It was there before hand but maybe not as bad. Can anyone help please. Cheers Bruce
Trans mount is bad...... And check the motor mounts as well, my clutch did this when I lowerd my 51 coupe and my 53 sedan, Didnt bother me mutch but I'm used to rattle traps...
Going to replace the disc prolly hung the trans on the discand it slipped tweeking the disc. dont ask how i know.
If you get into it, carefully check all parts (disc, pressure plate, flywheel) carefully. Lately, there have been a lot of shoddy parts on the aftermarket. I had the same problem with my '51`, and the "new" pressure plate was bad. You could see the "fingers" were uneven just by looking at it. You can't just throw new parts at it and expect it to be good these days.
You are probably going to have to dig-in and inspect the clutch and flywheel. Oil contamination of the mating surfaces is a possibility—old rope seal rear main=filthy. Warping and/or checking of the flywheel could be an issue. My`51 (8BA/3spd OD) chatters, even with all new trans and motor mounts—so don't get your hopes up on that front. I know I just need to get in there and inspect, replace and resurface what needs it. Good luck!
thanks for all the replies. will talk to my mate and rip into it over the next week or so. i will post a follow up
Mine shudders too with all new stuff except I did not face the flywheel. I think it was a standard option in shoeboxes from the factory.
Didn't there use to be some braces you put on the bellhousing to the frame years ago to cure that? Some aftermarket deal. Maybe my mind is going. LOL. Lippy
In addition to the possibilities already mentioned: More so on some vehicles than others. but if the springs and/or damper in the center of the clutch disc are defective that can also cause the problem. Although the springs do cushion the driveline, their primary function is eliminating resonance. Most don't realize the spring hub clutch discs also contain a friction damper.
Not on a shoebox, those are used on flatheads with torquetubes. I'd go along with the flywheel and or pressure plate needing resurfaced if only the disk was changed. I've also followed along behind the guy who let the weight of the trans hang on the input shaft in the clutch disk and had to replace the disk. One of my first jobs in one shop when I replaced a guy who quit or got fired and had to do his comeback. I think this sounds more like a bad flywheel surface or bum pressure plate though.
Yeah, I've got one. Two braces, one bolts to two of the lower bellhousing bolts, the other hooks around the trans crossmember at two points. Big piece of allthread pulls tension between them. Didn't make a whole lot of improvement. Sorry, no pictures.
So let me ask this, does the car have Lowering Blocks on the rear end and if so how tall are they? The Wizzard
I just went through this. i ended up pulling everything, resurfacingthe flywheel and replacing the whole newclutch kit (complete with bad throw out bearing)--shudder gone.
Gear ratio will destroy a clutch quick,lowering blocks will cause a vibration on acceleration if pinion angle is nt correct,My bet is the flywheel
Some here will Scoff at this but I've found it true in many cases. So first let's assume the New Clutch job was well done being that most are. It's not a tough job and really only one way to put them together. So a 49 Ford is 65 years old. Over time springs get weak and ware out. A lowering block changes things more than just the stance of the car. It adds leverage to the movement. It will also create "Spring Wrap" making the front half of the spring rise between the axle housing and the front spring chassis mount. The reaction to this is for the spring to rebound as quickly as it can. The result of this is wheel hop that feels like Clutch Chatter. Now "IF" someone also removed a leaf or 2 along the way to help to lower the car that will magnify the effect of the Lowering block. I hear these Guys already going Bull Shit, Well there is 1 way to prove me wrong and verify you actually have a Clutch problem. It's Free and way less work than removing the Clutch again. Take out the blocks and drive it. You'll know right away if I'm Right or Wrong. If you don't have U-Bolts short enough to use without the Blocks just use some spacers below the spring plate. This is just a test drive, not the finished job. What do yo have to loose? On my Personal 51 Vicky I had new springs built 3" de arched and No blocks. This took care of my Clutch Chatter issue. Lowering blocks have been the standard for a long time. Your problem has been also. Good luck, The Wizzard
Good point on the lowering block thing. I'd be curious to see if it chattered in reverse as well, this gets the whole spring-wrap going the other way, but would a non-chatter condition rule out the clutch as the cause? Bon
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