BASIC CLUTCH INSTALLATION TIPS

RED REGAL · Jan 17, 2008

Hey guys, I just purchased a 98 supercharged Roush Mustang here in Florida. A Florida car. I need to install a clutch. I haven't installed one in many years and never on a Ford. I need some advice as I go along, and I hope some of you will give me advice. I put it up on jackstands today for my first look. Just a couple of questions for starters. I plan on taking the trans loose and moving it back enough to change out the clutch. Will I need to remove any exhaust components. Another question, I tried to remove the 12 mm bolts holding the driveshaft to the flange at the rear. They seem really tight. They're not left handed are they?

I appreciate any help or recommendations I can get out there. TIA!

BennyBlown2v · Jan 17, 2008

OK. Yes you will need to remove the exhaust and the shifter. You will also need to pull the starter which is a bitch and you have to do that from under the front passenger wise area. You'll need like 2-3ft of extensions for the top bolt and some swivels - most people don't even bother putting the top bolt back in because it's such a pain. You'll need tons of extensions and swivels to get to the upper bellhousing bolts, and don't be surprised if they are VERY tight and or rusty and you break them or strip the heads. As far as the driveshaft goes, no the bolts are not left hand thread, they have a thread locking compound on them from the factory though, so it can be a bitch to break them loose; you will need to put loctite back on them or the bolts WILL loosen up and fall out. A trans jack makes everything much easier...and an engine hoist helps to pull the front of the motor up to get access to the upper bolts more easily. You can't really move the trans just back much anyway...the input shaft is too long and the bell housing will hit the underbody of the car.

RED REGAL · Jan 17, 2008

BennyBlown2v said:
OK. Yes you will need to remove the exhaust and the shifter. You will also need to pull the starter which is a bitch and you have to do that from under the front passenger wise area. You'll need like 2-3ft of extensions for the top bolt and some swivels - most people don't even bother putting the top bolt back in because it's such a pain. You'll need tons of extensions and swivels to get to the upper bellhousing bolts, and don't be surprised if they are VERY tight and or rusty and you break them or strip the heads. As far as the driveshaft goes, no the bolts are not left hand thread, they have a thread locking compound on them from the factory though, so it can be a bitch to break them loose; you will need to put loctite back on them or the bolts WILL loosen up and fall out. A trans jack makes everything much easier...and an engine hoist helps to pull the front of the motor up to get access to the upper bolts more easily. You can't really move the trans just back much anyway...the input shaft is too long and the bell housing will hit the underbody of the car.

Hey Benny, thanks much for your help. That gives me enough to get started. I know the clutch was replaced some time before, so maybe they didn't replace the top starter bolt. I'm not in a rush, and if I get stuck I'll post again. Again thanks a bunch!

5spd GT · Jan 17, 2008

That top starter bolt is pretty tough, but not impossible, even with my big hands:banghead:

There is a clutch install link in my signature that will give you a good idea. It is more tailored towards the 5.0, but I have been involved in a few 4.6L clutch swaps and it is very similar.

Good Luck!

RED REGAL · Jan 18, 2008

5spd GT said:
That top starter bolt is pretty tough, but not impossible, even with my big hands:banghead:

There is a clutch install link in my signature that will give you a good idea. It is more tailored towards the 5.0, but I have been involved in a few 4.6L clutch swaps and it is very similar.

Good Luck!

Thanks ... I'll certainly give it a look. I rolled under it today and one thing led to another. I got the driveshaft out. I squirted the bolts up yesterday with WD-40, so they broke loose with some effort. Then I removed the exhaust. The starter did have all three bolts, but wasn't as tough as I thought. The top bolt I got by putting on a short 13mm socket and about a 6" extension that extended just past the end of the starter. Got my ratchet on it, and it slowly worked out. I've removed all the bell housing bolts but two. I'm borrowing a trans-jack tomorrow, so one day this weekend I'll have it down. I'll post back when I get some more done. Thanks guys!

I hate to tell you how many years it's been since I've done a clutch.

twogts4us · Jan 18, 2008

I love to see threads like this where there is good substance, honest help - this is what these forums are supposed to be all about. Often, they turn into little pissing contests from some jerkasses who have no respect for themselves, let alone anyone else, and feel that they can say whatever they please, "because this is the internet - nobody knows me here."
OK, whew, I got that off my chest...! It's just very refreshing to see a thread like this. Great posts guys and best of luck Red Regal! (also WELCOME!) Oh, and are you getting up there in years too? I just turned 42 a week ago... I (think?) I feel your pain...? Unless you're REAL old...

RED REGAL · Jan 19, 2008

twogts4us said:
I love to see threads like this where there is good substance, honest help - this is what these forums are supposed to be all about. Often, they turn into little pissing contests from some jerkasses who have no respect for themselves, let alone anyone else, and feel that they can say whatever they please, "because this is the internet - nobody knows me here."
OK, whew, I got that off my chest...! It's just very refreshing to see a thread like this. Great posts guys and best of luck Red Regal! (also WELCOME!) Oh, and are you getting up there in years too? I just turned 42 a week ago... I (think?) I feel your pain...? Unless you're REAL old...

You're just a young whipper-snapper! I'm so old I've been driving Buicks for the past 20 years. But I love you Mustang guys ... always ready to GO!

RED REGAL · Jan 25, 2008

Just to update those who offered information and advice ... I'm not done yet, but I just got the transmission back in place and bolted to the engine. I received the car with a blown clutch. The previous owner, a friend of mine, told me the clutch was not old, and had not been abused at all, and was an expensive Centerforce clutch set. When I removed the blown clutch, the pressure plate surface was in excellent condition, as was the flywheel surface. I decided to just replace the friction disc. The friction disc material on the Centerforce disc had all blown off the flywheel side, and when this occured the car was immediately shut down, hence the shape of the pressure plate/flywheel friction surface. I went to a local clutch relining business locally, in TAmpa, with a very knowledgeable and friendly counterman, which by the way in 2008, surprised me. He told me that Centerforce was putting out an inferior product as far as the disc was concerned, and he had seen many failures. He sold me a heavy duty disc for $45 right over the counter. What a pleasure!

COramprat · Jan 25, 2008

Nice that you were able to save some cash. The only thing I can suggest in reinstalling the tranny is to jack the engine from the front to angle it down a bit. I struggled to get mine back in place but once I jacked it back it slid right in. To replace the top bolts on the bell housing just jack the engine from the rear. Gives you some clearance to get to the top two bolts. I just used a block of wood to distribute the weight when jacking on the engine. Check your tranny mount while it is out. Might be a good idea to just replace it since it is only about $45 from Ford.

RED REGAL · Jan 25, 2008

COramprat said:
Nice that you were able to save some cash. The only thing I can suggest in reinstalling the tranny is to jack the engine from the front to angle it down a bit. I struggled to get mine back in place but once I jacked it back it slid right in. To replace the top bolts on the bell housing just jack the engine from the rear. Gives you some clearance to get to the top two bolts. I just used a block of wood to distribute the weight when jacking on the engine. Check your tranny mount while it is out. Might be a good idea to just replace it since it is only about $45 from Ford.

Well, thanks for your help. I already have the trans in place, and you're right, I had to jack up the front of the motor, using a block of wood as you suggested, to tip it down to line up the trans with the engine. Once I got a few bolts tightened securing the trans to the engine, I removed the trans jack and jack tipping the motor. Access for the two top bellhousing was not a problem. I used a long extension and swivel socket. The mount looked pretty good, so I'll leave it for now, but thanks for the suggestion.

RED REGAL · Jan 26, 2008

A question ... I lost some transmission fluid out of the tail when installing it back in place. Is this just standard automatic transmission fluid? If not, what fluid do I need to refill it to normal levels?

COramprat · Jan 26, 2008

Basically. Most used Mercon V or Synchomesh but you probably don't need much. Check the level at the fill hole. It should be right at the bottom of the hole.

RED REGAL · Jan 26, 2008

I finished up the installation today. Went very smoothly for a first time experience working on a Mustang, in that I didn't get stuck at any point in the removal or installation. I'd recommend that anyone who has rudimentary mechanical skills do the installation themselves rather than give their hard earned money to some incompetant shop. I'd say I saved at least $350 or more, by doing it myself.

Thanks all for information and tips.

BlownFiveLiter · Jan 27, 2008

RED REGAL said:
He told me that Centerforce was putting out an inferior product as far as the disc was concerned, and he had seen many failures.

From what I was told by a friend who also used to work for and make clutches at a clutch & driveline company here in the Chicagoland area, Centerforce uses a stock type Valeo disc, so I'm not surprised it didn't hold up.

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