Clutch Recommendations

[bhuff30]

I will have the transmission out for some repairs over the next few weeks and I plan to replace the clutch while I'm there. I hate pulling transmissions, so I want to do the job ONCE.

The current clutch is a stock replacement with over 90k miles. It has been good, but I have not been nice to it. I know it has overheated and I have felt it slip excessively on more than one occasion. To me, it feels excessively stiff and hurts my knee, but I think that is related to being overheated a few times.

So what do you recommend? I am thinking about making the 97 my new toy, in which case up to 450rwhp is a real possibility and I am building the transmission to hold it. I really don't want a clutch that is stiffer than stock and will be primarily daily driving the car with some racing.

Also, everyone recommends the ford racing TOB, right? All others are junk?

Should I replace the pilot bearing? I would rather not touch it if I don't have to. I don't have the right tools and I would probably screw something up.


Edit: I would rather have a softer hitting clutch so I don't break driveline parts.

 

[midnightdriver]

If you want a soft clutch, I would look into this McLeod Racing - New Products for 2011

Suppose to be a good fit and finish product, then you can fun any clutch you really want. I have heard good things about RAM, Mcleod, Centerforce and the clutch I run a Luke ProGold (racing division).

 

[HeMiBoB]

I just installed a clutch kit from Zoom. The old clutch was a Spec+2. This clutch was purchased through Advance Auto and was a 3000 series kit. These are " Upgrade ". The clutch feels great, quality parts etc. Less than $200 and had it in stock too.
It not what I call a soft clutch though. This thing grabs fast..

 

[bhuff30]

I don't really want the clutch to be softer than stock. I just don't want it to be a lot harder.

From reading around, it seems like I would only need a small increase in holding power from stock. How well do the ford racing clutches work? Those are advertised as holding 40-50% more torque than stock I think.

 

[merc123]

DO NOT get the Fidanza. They seem to be really bad quality. Mine wouldn't engage completey and was engaging at an angle causing it to vibrate and chatter really bad.

 

[COramprat]

Anyone picked up a King Cobra clutch lately? Opinions?

 

[trinity_gt]

Just get an OE 11" Terminator clutch and a later (2002+) Romeo flywheel.

 

[Rife96GTconv]

Anyone picked up a King Cobra clutch lately? Opinions?

I put a king cobra clutch and fidanza aluminum flywheel in last year. I have been really happy with the combination, but it is stiffer than stock. My car is not a daily driver, just a weekend toy. I will say that the aluminum flywheel and new 3.73's made a HUGE difference in how quick the car builds revs, and us NPI guys need any advantage we can get. Just my .02.


96 Laser Red GT conv. VRS x-pipe, Magnaflow cat back, intake, tb, SCT tune, king cobra clutch, fidanza aluminum flywheel, FRPP 3.73, H&R SS, Tokico shocks, X2 ball joints, steeda bump steer kit, 17x9 & 17x10.5 bullitts, steeda triax

 

[bhuff30]

I decided to order the Ram HDX clutch. It is rated for 450hp and is organic. They claim it won't feel much stiffer, and being purely organic it should still have great street manners in stop and go (no chatter). I saw reviews that some people had pushed up to 600rwhp through one and it wasn't slipping, so that would be impressive. I would just want to put out 400-450 rwhp sometime in the future with a bit of juice or a single turbo. We'll see how it works out, but I'll just be making 220rwhp or whatever I have now for a while.

I read the king cobra clutch was suppose to be 10% softer than stock, so I am surprised it felt stiffer than stock. Usually, the previous clutch will feel stiffer because the pressure plate gets a bit stiffer with age.

When my NPI was stock, I would have argues that the stock 3.27 gears were about perfect for it. The stock NPI was done making power by about 4800, and the gears felt short enough. Now that I've gotten the PI intake and cams on, my little NPI doesn't mind reving to 5500-5700. Now, I can see where gears would be helpful to get into the rpm band faster... especially from 2nd and 3rd. But I still argue stock, gears aren't necesary with the power band that goes to 4800. lol

I put a king cobra clutch and fidanza aluminum flywheel in last year. I have been really happy with the combination, but it is stiffer than stock. My car is not a daily driver, just a weekend toy. I will say that the aluminum flywheel and new 3.73's made a HUGE difference in how quick the car builds revs, and us NPI guys need any advantage we can get. Just my .02.


96 Laser Red GT conv. VRS x-pipe, Magnaflow cat back, intake, tb, SCT tune, king cobra clutch, fidanza aluminum flywheel, FRPP 3.73, H&R SS, Tokico shocks, X2 ball joints, steeda bump steer kit, 17x9 & 17x10.5 bullitts, steeda triax

 

[N8Dogg98]

I've had the Ram HDX clutch on for about a year now and I really like it. The pedal effort is very close to stock and it holds much better. I could never chirp the tires between shifts and now if I row the gears I can get a little chirp all the way through third. I also like that I can slip it very easily from a stoplight and make a nice slow take-off.

 

[Winters98GT]

I decided to order the Ram HDX clutch. It is rated for 450hp and is organic. They claim it won't feel much stiffer, and being purely organic it should still have great street manners in stop and go (no chatter). I saw reviews that some people had pushed up to 600rwhp through one and it wasn't slipping, so that would be impressive. I would just want to put out 400-450 rwhp sometime in the future with a bit of juice or a single turbo. We'll see how it works out, but I'll just be making 220rwhp or whatever I have now for a while.

Holding power and launching power are 2 different things, Brian. I just put in an ACT twin organic clutch good for 800rwhp, and it is toast after 5-6k and just a couple track passes and I'm under that. Right now, I'm installing a Mcleod RXT clutch with a racing disk. Hopefully it will do the trick.

Most people I talk to love the organic disks for their holding characteristics and easy pedal feel. However, they can get glazed over with a hard burnout and launch. I've personally had this happen a couple times.

 

[joshjwc9]

^This. The Organic material is good for DD's, but as soon as you launch it hard, you glaze then and you must replace the clutch discs. The RXT metallic discs simply need to cool off from an extremely hard launch to regain holding power. Obviously the metallic discs have a harder pedal feel but won't get damaged the way the RST twin disc setup does.

 

[white]

I ran the Centerforce clutch from summit. Somewhere around 330$ it was a really good clutch, but kind of firm. After that clutch gave out I installed a King Cobra clutch. Kind of tight but you get used to it and its a very good clutch

 

[bhuff30]

Mark - Thanks for the info on launching power vs holding power. I don't race this car much... sadly the last time it saw the track was fall 09. It is mostly a daily driver and sees slow city and stop and go rush hour traffic, along with whatever winter throws. That's why I really want an organic clutch. I'll limit the launches to around 2000-2500rpm on it. And the most sticky tire it will see are the nitto 555Rs I've got on the 2.3 now. If and when I get serious, I will get something different that will hold the launch. But for now, I think the organic will be nicer on my 28 spline rear and 10spline T45.

 

[Rife96GTconv]

When my NPI was stock, I would have argues that the stock 3.27 gears were about perfect for it. The stock NPI was done making power by about 4800, and the gears felt short enough. Now that I've gotten the PI intake and cams on, my little NPI doesn't mind reving to 5500-5700. Now, I can see where gears would be helpful to get into the rpm band faster... especially from 2nd and 3rd. But I still argue stock, gears aren't necesary with the power band that goes to 4800. lol[/QUOTE]


Yeah, your absolutely right about the car running out of steam at 4800. I ended up getting the clutch for free from a friend of mine that wrecked his mustang after he only put 6K miles on it. I am planning on doing the PI intake and cam swap soon, which is why I decided to get the gears and flywheel since I also got a great deal on them.

After you did the PI intake and cam swap, did you get the car tuned? I am debating on doing the full head swap too, but I have some medical stuff going on and I am not sure if I'll be able to afford it.

 

[bhuff30]

For a while, I was just running the stock tune. Later on, I installed the tweecer which I normally run on my 2.3, and did some (self) tuning on the 4.6. The bottom line is, your car will be fine without a tune, but you'll see some nice gains if you get it tuned. The stock tune just gets richer when you add airflow, which doesn't hurt anything, but costs a bit of power. The tune will just be worth more after doing the cam and intake swap.

After you did the PI intake and cam swap, did you get the car tuned? I am debating on doing the full head swap too, but I have some medical stuff going on and I am not sure if I'll be able to afford it.