[DeTomaso] clutch

[Forest Majors]

Larry... I can fully understand why you would not want another internal slave cylinder given your experience.

I suspect that brother Mark will just use his existing SS long-throw external slave cylinder when he replaces the clutch on his "mule". Mark has two Panteras - one that he is building to be a dedicated race car (street legal but set up for track events) and his first Pantera that he is using as a "test mule" for racing components that he will move to his dedicated race car when proven on the track. Mark blew his clutch after putting about 500 miles on the Dayton track. So I thought that he might be better served using a Centerforce clutch with a Tilton hydraulic release bearing on his "test mule" track car.

One of the primary reasons that I installed mine is the greater precision that you can use to set the proper clearances. I seem to recall that the Tilton unit had a set screw - but it was back in the 80s when I installed mine. But you are right, if the clutch slave fails it is easier to replace the external unit. My only argument with using them is that most guys never get them adjusted correctly - and they are always in the way when you have to work on your engine.

Later - Forest Majors
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: fresnofinches at aol.com 
  To: detomaso at realbig.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 6:14 PM
  Subject: [DeTomaso] clutch


  Forest,

  Well...first, since 2511 had not been receiving proper
  road time prior to my purchase, the quad ring seals had
  dried out and started leaking shortly after my purchase.

  Pull ZF, replace the seals (quad seals are not round o-rings,
  but square in cross section rubber rings, and are more prone
  to failure), and then teach myself how to set the bearing up
  to provide proper clearances. Remember, not adjustable 
  from outside. Face of bearing, face of bellhousing, pressure
  plate finger height, etc,? etc...... :-(

  Then, about a year later, things just didn't seem right. So, out
  with the ZF to find the threaded collar that provides in/out
  adjustment had managed to spin itself enough to lose all the
  painstaking adjustments I had put in. I drilled and? tapped for
  three 4x40 allen set screws to lock the threaded parts to each
  other and since then, many thousands of miles ago, no problems.

  But all in all, SS long throw external slave seems much more practical.

  Larry
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