Benefits of getting a Cobra clutch kit over OEM.

62thunderbird

New Member
Jul 2, 2008
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Nor Cal
I am getting a new Clutch kit for my Mustang GT T-45. I was on Summit racing.com and Ford Racing I think it is called this, Cobra clutch kit. It is 209 dollars and it includes the clutch, a Aluminum fly wheel, throw out bearing, pressure plate and a couple of other things included. Is it worth spending an extra 20 dollars to get the upgrade Ford Racing or stick with a OEM Clutch? I actually think my current clutch cannot keep up with the new motor in my car. If I stick a Ford Racing Clutch in I think it will accelerate quicker or pull better exspecially in 1st and 2nd gear. I just would like to know what you guys experienced using the Cobra clutch kit.
 
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It's a good clutch. Your stocker would be just fine but if it has some age on it and you want to spend the cash you can go ahead and fix before it breaks. The upgrade to the FR clutch would probably be a little more pedal effort than you are used to but as far as accelerating faster you won't see it. A quicker release is where you would see your gains.
 
The pedal on my car with the current clutch some days the pedal feels soft like a dead clutch I can push lightly and it moves. Then it is hard and has no movement some days. I am willing to get a new kit because I am going to be driving all the time when I start college and the current clutch does not have much left I think. PLus my clutch was making this hi picth squeling noise which I think is the throw out bearing? So thanks for your advice my parents are willing to help me get it ready for college for me to drive. Is there a break in period for new clutch kits just curious? What is the FR clutch? I am interested in searching for the best clutch for the best deal.
 
If it's made specifically for a Cobra, the flywheel won't work for your GT. The Cobra has an 8 bolt crank and flywheel, versus 6 bolt on the GT. The clutch itself would still be usable, however.
 
That is the Heavy Duty clutch kit from Ford Racing. It does not come with a flywheel, aluminum or otherwise. One of those will cost more than the kit. ;)

The $210 ($209 & change) Heavy Duty clutch kit on Summit is the one with the reduced pedal effort, and is commonly known as the "King Cobra" clutch kit. It has 30% less pedal effort vs the other Heavy Duty unit, and supposedly 10% less effort than a stock GT clutch pedal. The other Heavy Duty clutch kit is ~$202 on Summit. That cheaper kit has the full pedal effort, not reduced like the "King Cobra" unit, but it does have the same holding power as the "KC" clutch kit. If you got that cheaper kit, you would increase the pedal effort of your clutch, vs stock, for sure.

This clutch kit only comes in an 8-bolt flywheel & 10.5" diameter clutch variety like is present on the Mustang GT until Mid '01. I have heard around the Internet that occasionally the 6-bolt flywheel & 11" diameter clutch combo makes an appearance both later and earlier than it should, on occasion.

I have one of the King Cobra units going on my car this Monday, when the clutch kit is supposed to show up at the shop. They already have my car apart - just waiting on the rest of the parts to put it back together. I understand it is a good unit when it is installed properly. There is a lot to installing it properly, however. Summit has the Ford Racing document that details their installation guidelines. They don't offer a warranty on the clutch because of how many they had received back as "bad" that were just installed poorly, it would seem.

That might be more info than you wanted, plus I have no idea what a '97 GT is supposed to have. However, since you have a 2000 GT engine in there, you might have exactly what I do installed at this point. I just did all this research before getting my clutch linkage issue solved at the same time I get an upgraded clutch put in.

I would like to spray a bit of nitrous eventually, and I certainly don't want to do that on a stock clutch. :nice:
 
I am getting a new Clutch kit for my Mustang GT T-45. I was on Summit racing.com and Ford Racing I think it is called this, Cobra clutch kit. It is 209 dollars and it includes the clutch, a Aluminum fly wheel, throw out bearing, pressure plate and a couple of other things included. Is it worth spending an extra 20 dollars to get the upgrade Ford Racing or stick with a OEM Clutch? I actually think my current clutch cannot keep up with the new motor in my car. If I stick a Ford Racing Clutch in I think it will accelerate quicker or pull better exspecially in 1st and 2nd gear. I just would like to know what you guys experienced using the Cobra clutch kit.

The new clutch will be more noticable in higher gears, not lower. first and second you probably won't notice much difference... Be aware that the more heavy-duty you go, the more effort it will require. If you drive in city traffic, it can get to be _real_ annoying.
 
The new clutch will be more noticable in higher gears, not lower. first and second you probably won't notice much difference... Be aware that the more heavy-duty you go, the more effort it will require. If you drive in city traffic, it can get to be _real_ annoying.

and your left leg will be bigger, then your right leg ::rlaugh:
 
king cobra is a staple of mustang performance. you won't go wrong with that clutch. good value, made to ford specs, and pretty much all you need right there.


make sure to buy a new throwout bearing and get the flywheel resurfaced at a machine shop
 
Thanks for all the help. My fly wheel has a lot of surface rust . When the new motor was put in the guy forgot to put that flywheel cover back on and water got up in the tranny. should I have the hole tranny dropped since this happened and get the hole trans checked? I made my own cover for the bell housing out of some extra sheet metal lieing around the shop.