Clutch Masters hydro bearing failure!

Good observation.

 

And that's exactly why my 2 buddies CM kits puked fluid everywhere.. what a garbage design... and the fact there are numerous instances and they aren't acknowledging it... pisses me off, and I don't even run their stuff. Both buddies are still dealing with it. 1 already replaced it with another unit (which it will probably fail again), and the other is still trying to work with and hear from CM. Both have already been getting the run around when calling customer service. It doesn't look good. At what point can actions be taken?

 

Besides the one phone call I had with CM about the chirping noise, I have been unable to reach them by phone or email.

After my HRB failed, I sent an email about the issue saying I was going to wait 1 week for them to work with me before I posted any reviews, and if I their customer service came through for me, I would reflect that positive experience in the review.

After no response, I tried to log into my account on their site to post a review. My login is "no longer valid" (I set it up a year ago), and I can't reset the password nor make a new account with the same email. I'm not saying they locked me out of my account, but... Not not saying it either

 

Post a google review. That's what I did.

 

There's a section on Facebook somewhere with reviews, comments and others chiming in as well. I dont have a Facebook, but one of my Buddies who does went on there and posted some info and got some responses from others with the same issues.

 

Tacomaworld needs a banner or widespread notification to stop future CM purchases! Fuck 'em!

 

Tilton. @BillDaCat8 posted a thread about it. Pretty sure.

 

Yep, @Kasbien provided me parts for the Tilton alternative. I haven't posted to the thread yet, but I've been driving around with the Tilton setup on my truck for a few days, and it's been great

Thread for reference:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/6mt-throwout-bearing-and-clutch-system-shenanigans.698464/

 

Just throwing this out there and obviously why but then again, why not.........

I have one, CM hydro kit, setting on the shelf for probably 2 years + now, from a group buy way back, and when I feared my stock clutch was about to go out... its still going and I don't have the desire to do this swap any more....

....so For Sale best ,offer plus shipping from 32080.

I was all excited and have the Oil cap in use in the truck... it is their aluminum Blue color and will go with the sale.

 

Swapped in URD kit
Took a look at the CM HydroTOB. Re used it. Pulled the end off, did a cleaning, and applied grease to the mating surfaces. Rubber grease where it touches rubber, and metal grease where metal contacts metal

seems to be working. Originally put it in 15k mi ago.

pedal seems like it has less dead space now almost like the depth design of the HydroTOB for some reason might work better with URD than OEM - curious to know if there’s any truth to that

 

Just tried adjusting it for the 40th time. Still chirps.

I wish ClutchMasters also offered the option of driving my truck off a cliff for me. Would’ve been cheaper and less stressful

it sounds similar to the background of this video

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jLtgHR47mX4

not sure if I should call my truck SqueakMaster or ChirpMaster

 

I’m on my 2nd URD clutch now and have had no issues with that setup. Great clutch for a s/c tacoma and Not as noisy as I’ve heard from other clutch setups. Engagement is still fairly smooth even though my clutch master cyl is a slightly undersized for the Tilton setup I’m now running.

Did you replace the bearing at least before throwing the CM kit back on ? When I pulled off my CM kit after 20k miles that bearing was toast

 

They don't sell the bearing separate.
A properly designed throwout bearing, driven correctly, should last at least 100k miles

How were you able to tell it was toast?

 

Clutchmasters won’t sell you the bearing separate but they will sell you a seal kit? What a joke, I thought this was supposed to be a fully serviceable system…

and that’s the thing, this isn’t a properly designed system !

when I pulled the CM bearing off, it had slight play in it. And compared to the new replacement I was putting in, you could just tell by spinning it that the bearing wasn’t going to last a whole lot longer.

 

I mean. I searched and didn’t see any on the website. All it showed was either some shims they say aren’t needed, or a whole new entire kit with stuff that you don’t need a duplicate of for $580, such as bracket and SS line.
Even then, it’s 8 hours to R&R the trans. Not something that should need doing yearly on a stock setup let alone an “upgrade”

so many bearings last 10 years. TOBs on every car. Wheel bearings. Etc.
pulling a trans every 10 years to have to do a bearing and maybe other parts while you’re in there is feasible but yearly is not

Self mechanical work is $50/hr. Dealers up to $200 or more. Quite the expense to be adding

 

i don’t disagree that a quality bearing on a TOB or wheel bearing application should have a long lifetime expectancy.

i was just pointing out that in my case the bearing that CM provided looked in rough shape after only 20k when removed, mostly likely due to it being some cheap Chinese bearing that they included in their kit. This could be the source of the squeal you are fighting ?

 

I’ll ask them thank you. I wonder if the bearing itself can be replaced with a good quality one from NSK or something if it is in fact cheap

 

Hey guys chiming in here. I have had my CM tob for about 30k miles now. It has not leaked, and I have considered myself to be lucky. Its been through cold and hot, all sorts of stuff and has been great. I had a shop put it in for me because I just did not have time when I bought it. My truck is now 16 years old and just rolled 200k. Its a northeast truck and the rockers are starting to just get a little bubbly. Anyway, my bearing has just started squeaking only on start up and the first few minutes of driving. After that, it is totally quiet. The fluid has been and is VERY dark. So I guess my question is the actual bearing bad and as it gets warmed up and spins it starts to quiet down? Or is the whole piston spinning like above? So frustrating as the shop showed me pictures of my quill when they pulled the factory set up out and it was pretty chewed up. I was hopeful that this was going to be the forever fix until I sold this. I'm now fearing I will have to tear back in here and I think calling customer service would be a waste of time. As soon as you lightly touch the pedal the squeak goes away just like @TacoTuesday1 said. I understand the basic setup of the system, does anyone think that changing the fluid may help to keep the piston from spinning? The PO replaced the clutch right before I bought it but not the throwout bearing and right after I bought it, it started squeaking. Soon after I had the shop do the TOB, the shop did verify the clutch looked brand new. Not sure what brand or anything. Any tips guys to just make this thing shut up for a few more thousand? The truck is probably going down the road soon. Love my Toyotas and my manuals but I think my next truck will be auto as the 3rd gens seem to be dealing with the clutch pedals groaning.

 

Anyone know the purpose of this shim kit?

when the TOB came out, I don't believe it was part of the original kit

3rd gen manual Taco has the same exact improper quill design