Clutch/rear end chatter

[jerseygator]

I'm having a some issues I would like to throw out and get feedback .

 

I have a 2009 GT500 with 12k on it. Stock (except FRPP cold air intake and CAI tune. Which I got at Carlisle this year along with plaque. Yes I'm bragging. Woohoo!! Nice ride home. )

 

I've done a handful of burnouts and do drive in the fast lane. But not abused. Never raced or dragged. Do need a new pair of rear tires after 12k! Not much tread left. :P

 

Enough of me...

 

Here goes.

 

1) From day 1 the clutch has been very touchy (common in GT500's, I've read and heard?). If I don't rev up the motor (and sometimes when it is rev'd) the clutch chatters in 1st and reverse. While I don't think it is getting worse. It is very annoying and embarrassing. This doesn't happen everytime, but close to 50%. The chatter sounds almost as if it's coming from the rear end?!?

 

2) The suspension around the left rear tire is making a clunking noise. Especially when I pull in my driveway (to the right, no pitch) and the left rear makes a clunking sound as the tire hits the cement of the driveway. Almost the same noise that is made when you get on it and the wheels start to hop.

 

3) It's leaking fluid from rear-end. A few weeks ago I noticed a few drops on my driveway and in garage. Not a big leak but a leak nonetheless.

 

Looking forward to comments. Please be kind. I can be a grumpy old gator.

[Secondo]

1)

 

The owner's manual states that higher than normal rpm's are required to engage the clutch. This car is a completely different animal that must handle large amounts of HP and TQ. There is nothing wrong with it.

 

2) Did you buy this car used? The rear control arms may have been changed and in some cases has caused the clunking sounds from the rear. Check the bushings and arms to make sure nothing is loose.

[mciarochi]

1)

 

The owner's manual states that higher than normal rpm's are required to engage the clutch. This car is a completely different animal that must handle large amounts of HP and TQ. There is nothing wrong with it.

 

2) Did you buy this car used? The rear control arms may have been changed and in some cases has caused the clunking sounds from the rear. Check the bushings and arms to make sure nothing is loose.

 

 

No good reason for a leak, though.

 

I had the same problem. I took it to the dealer, and the chief mechanic said that the noise was "normal".

 

After putting in UCA, LCA and Watts, the noise and clunking was much worse. The after-market guys told me the differential bearing had too much play.

 

Fast forward two years and 30,000 miles. I just had a clutch changed, and I'm very happy with the service I got from my dealer. During his check ride, the mechanic called me up and told me I had a bearing out somewhere. It turned out to be the differential carrier bearing. He replaced it under warranty, and the car is quiet. No clunking, no differential whine, no nothing.

 

The mechanic was pretty surprised it had been that way off the showroom floor.

 

As far as the clutch goes, and the wheel hop, I don't think those are related to the clunk. They've been discussed many times. The hop is from soft bushings - aftermarket bushings, or better yet, LCA's will fix that. However, if you put in stiffer bushings, the sound will get worse.

[Secondo]

I did not address the leak. In any case, he should have it checked.

 

I installed poly bushings and don't have any clunking or added NVH issues. It eliminated the wheel hop.

 

My point was that the car requires higher than normal rpm to engage the clutch properly or it will chatter. This is not your typical car. It was explained in the owner's manual.

[mciarochi]

I did not address the leak. In any case, he should have it checked.

 

I installed poly bushings and don't have any clunking or added NVH issues. It eliminated the wheel hop.

 

My point was that the car requires higher than normal rpm to engage the clutch properly or it will chatter. This is not your typical car. It was explained in the owner's manual.

 

Agreed. The clutch is the clutch, and nothing to do with the clunking.

 

My additional NVH was because my car was clunking to begin with. Stiff bushings just made it worse.

 

At the time, J&M told me clunking noise was a faulty differential 98% of the time, and most people didn't notice it until they put in stiffer bushings. They were exactly correct, and my fault I didn't listen to them. I have no noise from the rear end at all now with the bearing replacement.

 

My differential never leaked, by the way. That's plenty of reason to get that thing looked at all by itself.

[Mustang5]

I too have a 2009 GT500 which is my daily driver. I feel one of the best mods that can be done to this generation of car is to swap out the stock gears for some 3.73s. The number one reason is that it makes the car much easier to drive on a day to day basis. I rarely have clutch chatter any more because the car is just so much easier to get going with the extra gearing. Then the icing on the cake is that the car is just funner to drive. Hope this helps.

[KLG]

That rear axle oil leak could be coming from the rattle-cap vent located on top of the axle tube, passenger side. Fairly common issue but easy to fix. Ford issued a TSB on the subject.

 

TSB_10-3-7_Shelby_2010.pdf

TSB_10-3-7_Shelby_2010.pdf

[jerseygator]

Thank you for all the replies! The car already has a doctors appointment to check it's leak.

 

1) The owner's manual states that higher than normal rpm's are required to engage the clutch. This car is a completely different animal that must handle large amounts of HP and TQ. There is nothing wrong with it.2) Did you buy this car used? The rear control arms may have been changed and in some cases has caused the clunking sounds from the rear. Check the bushings and arms to make sure nothing is loose.

 

 

Of course I read the owners manual. Especially the Shelby insert. So I'm aware of the increased rpms for engaging the clutch. Just doesn't seem right. I bought the car new.

 

 

I too have a 2009 GT500 which is my daily driver. I feel one of the best mods that can be done to this generation of car is to swap out the stock gears for some 3.73s. The number one reason is that it makes the car much easier to drive on a day to day basis. I rarely have clutch chatter any more because the car is just so much easier to get going with the extra gearing. Then the icing on the cake is that the car is just funner to drive. Hope this helps.

 

 

Very interesting. So you gain speed off the line but you lose some top-end speed and gas mileage?

 

 

That rear axle oil leak could be coming from the rattle-cap vent located on top of the axle tube, passenger side. Fairly common issue but easy to fix. Ford issued a TSB on the subject.TSB_10-3-7_Shelby_2010.pdf

 

 

Will check this out.

[me32]

i would swap to 373s for sure i didnt lose any MPG when i did mine

[jerseygator]

Never followed up with an answer to what was wrong.

 

Downs Ford in NJ did the work. They found that the rear-end cover was leaking. No biggie. Warrenty work. They didn't find anything wrong with the control arms and said it was normal. So all is well...

 

 

While they had it in on the lifts I had them put on KR exhaust. SWEET!!! I love them. Makes it sound the way it should from the factory.