Is the original clutch release fork cast aluminum? I just got my new clutch release fork and it is most definitely cast iron. If the original one is in fact aluminum then this replacement will be much stronger. I have not pulled the tranny yet so I am not sure what the original was made from.

N315-16-520B clutch release fork

 

When I pulled my tranny last year, I don't remember the fork being "light". I would be very surprised if it were aluminum. It seems to me that an aluminum fork would be too easy to bend/break, and would be a very poor choice of materials.

 

This ought to be forged or machined-from-billet steel. It's a poor choice of materials if it is not.

 

Well there goes my hope that the new one is stronger

 

Actually it's a poor choice in design. There is a hole drilled through the center of one of the forks in order to insert a roll pin to locate the fork's pivot pin. All the forks crack right through this hole.

I don't understand why you wouldn't have just left the roll pin out and located the pivot pin with a c-clip at each end It sure as hell wouldn't break as easily.

 

<--- Looks forward to when his clutch fork breaks.

 

Pretty sure the orginal is cast iron. The brokens release forks are usually from upgraded pressure plates. Sucks huh?

 

Damon when i talked to ray at malloy mazda he said that the fork had been replaced with an upgraded stock part. my old one was busted in the same spot as mine and it had some markings like 44 something on it while the new one has 77 something on it. of course this proves nothing since my friend just got one with totally different numbers from both of mine and his original. he got his newer one from pettit.
later
john

 

Maybe somewhere there's a guy who builds ships inside of bottles and he could replace our clutch release forks merely by using the inspection cover

 

That guy is the same guy who invented the clutch on a friends car. I think it was an older Toyota. My friend was able to replace the clutch without removing the engine or tranny from its original position. It was years ago, so I don't remember how it worked.

 

Just got back from Gotham Racing where my friends saved me a bunch of work by replacing the fork for me. They had the work done in under 3 hours; that's quick

My broken fork looks EXACTLY like the one in the pic above. Visually the new fork looks just the same to me; I don't see a difference. Mazda did give it a new part number though so something had to change.

 

3 hours. That is quick. I wish I had a lift, and air tools.

Glad you got it fixed. Did they do anything else while they had the tranny out?

 

Just changed mine as a precaution with a new ACT S/S PP. I'm pretty sure the old one was OEM and it was a cast piece that had been hardened at the tips of the fork and at the socket. There were different casting numbers on the new one, which I understood was suppose to be upgraded, but other than numbers, I couldn't see any difference. BTW, I heard they also like to break where the dowl pins go through.

 

Nope. I had put a new disc in it recently when I replaced the motor last year. Just added a new fork along with a new release bearing, wedge collar and wire ring as a precaution.

 

i just replaced mine last week. broke in the same spot. the new one is indeed a different part number and appears to be slightly beefier in certain spots. i have the act extreme pressure plate, so i'm sure that and the cold weather had something to do with it

 

You know, after 6+ years when I think nothing else can break.....something new to worry about.

How much does a new fork cost?

 

$65-$70 from Malloy as I recall.

 

yeah mine broke like a week after I upgraded the clutch/pressureplate. the new one is holding up though!

 

out of all the stuff i broke i never broke one of these thru three trannies.... odd

 

Mine broke in the exact same spot.

Took my mechanic only 3 hrs to change as well. (thankfully).

I have the ACT s/s clutch and I think that the heavier pressure place helped contribute to the failure.

The replacement fork was a bit heavier, and did have a different part number as well.