Thrush Bearing!! I'm getting tired of this!

Wow....very creative!

 

How many miles are you getting to a bearing? I have many out on the road with over 50,000 miles and ZERO bearing problems. You really do not need or want to be pumping grease into it. That is NOT going to fix your problem.


The bearing in your picture is for an F1 car. Not a six speed.

 

It might be creative but it is not a fix.

 

To begin with a six speed bearing does not have a magnet for the sensor, it only has a roll pin to prevent rotation. At some point in the past your cars parts have been mixed and matched with another car.


Next. Maybe you didn't bother to read my post but those throwout bearings last far more than 15 or 20 thousand miles. Always have and always will. I know of many that were reused at clutch replacement time. If yours are giving trouble, it is not a failure of the bearing that is the root of the problem and that problem should be determined and rectified.

Next. If your bearings are failing because they have no grease, that is not a failure of the grease. The grease they use in them is very good and quite up to the job. You need to find out what is happening to the grease. Is it being washed out? Is it being overheated and running out? You need to find out, just squirting in more grease is not a fix. The grease you squirt in there will go many places but the bearing will see little if any of it. The clutch will get some however.


What you have done to your car is a Band Aid and it was poorly applied.

Please share with us your VIN so your car can be avoided when it comes on the market.

 

Not sure of the reason why this occurred, but if this is a bearing I supplied you a few years ago I'd be happy to send a replacement at no charge. Just PM or email me the correct shipping address and I'll send it out.

 

I have a pretty good understanding of how a 360 TO bearing works. Something is wrong and killing your bearings.

Squirting grease at it won't fix anything.

 

like Brian says, something else is wrong some place. In general, throw out bearings (for all cars) are built like tanks and shouldn't require much attention. I've never known one to need a user installed grease fitting, that's for sure. Additionally, having grease in the area of the clutch isn't the best idea. It doesn't take much stray grease on a clutch disc to really foul things up. To my mind, just about everything else in the gearbox should fail before the T/O bearing needs grease (assuming everything is working okay). Also, just because you're going 140 MPH, it doesn't mean the gearbox or T/O bearing is seeing any more work load than it normally see in day to day (i.e. stop & go) driving.

Something seems way off here.

Ray

 

I agree with rifledriver.

My 2003 360 has 50,000 miles on the original clutch and TO bearing. At 46K miles an F-1 sensor burned out and when it was replaced I asked them to check the TO bearing and clutch. The TO bearing was fine and the clutch still had over 60% remaining.

 

And your point would be????


YOUR to bearing is living a different life than all the other 360 TO bearings? Or different than all the other Ferrari TO bearings since the 308? Or all the throw out bearings on all the millions of cars out there that work identically?



Get a grip, something is wrong with YOUR car. It is not a 360 problem.


And can we have that VIN please so we know which 360 has had all the band aid repairs?



And sorry but it is a thrust bearing. Maybe this should be left to someone who understands that.

 

So lets be a little constructive here and discuss what could be causing this failure at the same points (appox 20k of use)....

 

A. Until he is willing to admit there is a problem with HIS car and not the entire fleet of 360s it is pointless.

B. Guessing is not really my style. I prefer real live hands on diagnosis, the type I am trying to get he or his mechanic to conduct.

c. More than anything else I am trying to get others observing this to understand that his course of action is ill considered and ill advised.

 

Brian,

I think we ALL get that part of your post's point.

We know you're a solid mechanic who knows his stuff, but if the OP doesn't want to see it your way, then I'd just let it go. Some guys don't really want suggestions or assistance.

He clearly feels put off by your posts, and sees them as something other than what they are, which is "rifledriver" helpful.

The rest of us get it. Trust me.

DM

 

And breathe!

 

I'm really not trying to be a smartass here, but don't you have a symptom of some kind of problem...the repeating bad thrust bearing after low mileage?

 

Myself, I have never known any throw out bearing to fail on any car I've ever owned. Maybe years ago I did have one make noise, but it still basically functioned and did its job. Once I did try to take apart a throw out bearing for a Nissan, but finally gave up because the thing was built like a tank.

As far as the bearing spinning at 5000 RPM's or 8500 RPM's, etc. - that's kind of what it's designed to do... spin like crazy. I just think if there was some problem with throw out bearings in general, we would be seeing them fail left and right on the track. My guess is the throw out bearing you have in your 360 is the same one used in the challenge cars. Those cars are driven at very high RPM's through the entire racing season. I think if there was some drastic problem with throw out bearings failing, it would be occurring there more than any place else.

It just strikes me as a problem lurking in some other area that is manifesting itself in the throw out bearing. I don't have the answer as to what it is, but "something" just seems out of order here. The bottom line is that I have never known of anyone having to add a grease fitting to their throw out bearing - I don't care how hard/fast they drive. That's what makes me think something else is the matter some place in the motor or gear box or some place.

If I had to make a guess, it would be that the grease is being cooked out of the bearing due to excessive heat. That's just a guess, but it makes me wonder if that might not be what's occurring. If that is the issue, then finding out why your gear box is running hot would be worth while. Maybe the clutch is running hot for some reason and heating the bearing up? Just a guess. Are you running a factory clutch in your car?

Something just seems off here... but I don't know what. The bottom line is that throw out bearings are dang solid and sturdy items. If you are going through them like ice cream cones at an 8 year old's birthday party, then I think there is reason to be concerned.

Ray

 

Okay gentlemen, let's get back on track here. It's no big secret that Rifledriver isn't on the top of the list for winning this year's congeniality award, but that's no reason to start slinging mud. Brian's advice is often delivered somewhat bluntly at times, but I for one am looking for just that when I need help. I'm not looking for someone to say "gee, I don't know" or "gee, I think this 'might' be wrong". When something isn't working on my car, I want someone to say "look idiot, here's why". Not looking for soft shoe tap dancing or romance.. just give it to me straight Dr. Crall...

So Wilsemail, given Brian's knowledge of 360's, I think if he says there could be another issue lurking here, it may be worth investigating. You aren't the only one driving your car fast for long distances. I'm sure the folks in Germany on the autobahn drive fast also. Never mind the speed component, the fact is all throw out bearings in cars spin plenty throughout their lives. Whether the spinning occurs in one trip at 140 mph or over the course of 20k miles of stop and go traffic, the bearing is still spinning the same total number of revolutions I'm sure.

Might be worth checking the temp of the throw out bearing using an infrared temperature gun next time you have a chance (after not only normal driving, but also one of these 140 mph marathon runs. I don't know what the normal temp should be, but if you hear/smell grease cooking, let us know

Ray

 

I think the abuse that the bearing is taken is a lot. Running at 130+mph for hours is something not usual in a car like that. I just bought a new clutch for my car and the salesman told me that everyone who is changing the clutch is also changing that particular bearing. So that means in some how the 360’s are suffering for this particular issue. IMO I think that the hill engineering is doing a good job on bear that abuse and last 20k miles.

 

I have many, many 360's on my books out here in Cyprus. It's VERY hot, and these guys drive them hard, most of them everyday due to the great weather here. I've changed quite a few thrust bearings but only due to the grease being washed after the seals have leaked F1/Brake fluid all over them. Never seen or heard of a failure mode like yours. One thing springs to mind which may be the cause for failure though. The end of stroke studs that locate on the two cutouts on the bearing are available in two lengths. The difference in length is quite small, but if you have the slightly longer studs in there, and it's specced for the shorter ones, there would be more interference with the clutch springs, which might cook the grease within it. I'd say you have an issue there which you have to address.

 

Yeah, those Thrush bearings suck.
Call Daniel and have him order a Hill unit for you.





BTW, where can you go out in the desert and drive 140 mph AVERAGE for hours at a time. No less, at night?
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Grease nipple is a cool idea.

I am curious though...........do you rest your foot on the clutch pedal while driving?