<E28> Great Technology and Stiff Clutch

["LT WILCOX (VFA-82)" <wilcoxjs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Isn't technology great?  For anybody who cares, I am away from regular email
account as I am currently at sea aboard the US Navy's newest Aircraft
Carrier,  USS Harry S. Truman.  The great thing about technology is that I
am still able to receive and post to the digest while at sea.  I'm currently
taking a short break to write this post before I go hurtle myself off the
front end of this warship in an F/A-18C Hornet.  Talk about acceleration and
talk about a great job.   But I digress.....

Stiff Clutch in an E28.  Imagine that.

I've had my 1988 535I for 5 years now and the clutch has always been stiff.
I figured that it must just be one of those "they're all like that"
situations.  It wasn't until I drove a 5 speed E34 (the only other manual
BMW I've driven) that I realized something was definitely wrong.  The bottom
line.....The throwout bearing needed replacement, the clutch was still
original....etc...   Replacement of the clutch and the throwout bearing
(excuse my ignorance about whether replacing one replaces the other, I'm not
real smart on this part of the car) have made the clutch a pleasure to use.
It used to take quite an effort to hold the clutch in at a stoplight.
Unfortunately, there is not a whole lot of room to drive my car around on
the flat top of the carrier, so my pregnant wife gets to enjoy it in my
absence.

Do yourself and your leg a favor.  Replace the clutch and throwout.  You'll
enjoy the car.

Jeff Wilcox
88 535I 105K
Just now starting to walk in a straight line again as my left leg returns to
its pre-BMW physic.

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