Best clutch for daily driving?

[5.0 Nostalgia]

I am pulling my transmission out to fix the rear main seal. While I am at it, I want to rebuild the t5 (grinds going into 5th) and change the clutch. I just got the car and I was told that it is an almost new Motorsport clutch. Anyway, it is way too heavy for daily driving and I want to replace it with something that is lighter yet strong. I don't beat the car up too much because I have my 89 for that, but I want something a little stronger in case of a track trip every now and then. What is a good clutch for me?

 

[cjman15]

I'm not sure, I think the FR Heavy Duty clutch is a pretty good one... maybe go for the King Cobra clutch made by FR... they say it reduces pedal effot by 10%... I'm sure many guys on here have those installed in there Stangs

 

[TheUser]

I could be wrong, but isn't it the cable/quadrant that actually affects pedal feel?

 

[mossesha]

I have the king cobra currently and the pedal effort is not bad at all. It seems to grip ok for normal driving but in extreme driving it is not as good as I would like. I also have a leaking rear main and will be swapping it and the clutch out soon. I will be putting a Centerforce dual friction in and am sure it will have a tad heavier clutch pedal after I am done but with the extra grip that's what your going to get with pretty much any heavy duty clutch that's cable driven. I would say go with the King Cobra it seems pretty good and has a pretty light pedal feel all in all.

 

[5.0 Nostalgia]

Responses have been interesting. I thought that the King Cobra clutch had aheavy pedal. I would love the clutch in my 89 hatch to be in this car. Problem is I don't know what clutch it is and am not pulling two trannys at the same time (I need to get to work somehow). That car has an adjustable clutch cable and quadrant. I thought the two cars had the same clutch until I drove the 89 yesterday. Pedal effort is much better. I thing the cable is out of alignment on the coupe anyway because it engages too quick between gears.

 

[UMDSmith]

Hmmm, I coulda swore I had a king cobra and my clutch is so tight that at redlights my leg gets tired, and traffic is killer, and I work out!. Id be willing to say my clutch needs about 35-40 lbs of pressure to depress and hold, so maybe I don't have a king cobra. Now Im curious what those guys installed before I bought it.

 

[mossesha]

Heh then again maybe I have just got used to the King Cobra. I will say one thing though it definately requires alot more effort then my hydrolic clutch in my Bronco but that's to be expected since the Mustang is cable driven.

 

[Daggar]

For gut wrenching holding power and a light pedal I like no.... Love my Dual Friction Centerforce. The pedal feels like the stock clutch did but you'll certainly see the difference when you drop the hammer in even 2nd gear from a dead stop. They claim that the dual friction has 90% more holding power over stock (I have no way to measuring that) but I can tell you that it didn't take long to start breaking parts in the stock T-5. Since then I've installed a T-5 SuperDuty and haven't looked back.

 

[cobradvm]

I'm not sure what you are comparing a clutch for a mustang to. If you compare it to any car with a hydraulic clutch, it will always be heavy. I don't know that there is a "light" clutch for a non hydraulic application. I have a Spec stage 2 - no reservations about recommending it. The feel of it is similar to stock, but I don't sit there holding the clutch in at a traffic light. Probably the best thing to do, is try and find local owners and feel what their clutches are like - probably easier said than done. The quadrant will certainly affect the clutch, but how hard the clutch grabs will affect it more - the heavier the pressure plate is sprung, the harder it will be to press on the pedal.

Howard

 

[87TTopGT]

Centerforce Dual-Friction II! Clutch effort of a four-cylinder, grips like a pitbull on steroids with lockjaw.

 

[5.0 Nostalgia]

I'm not sure what you are comparing a clutch for a mustang to. If you compare it to any car with a hydraulic clutch, it will always be heavy. I don't know that there is a "light" clutch for a non hydraulic application. I have a Spec stage 2 - no reservations about recommending it. The feel of it is similar to stock, but I don't sit there holding the clutch in at a traffic light. Probably the best thing to do, is try and find local owners and feel what their clutches are like - probably easier said than done. The quadrant will certainly affect the clutch, but how hard the clutch grabs will affect it more - the heavier the pressure plate is sprung, the harder it will be to press on the pedal.

Howard

I am comparing the clutch in this car to the clutches in another Mustang that I own and the Mustang I just sold. The 96 GT had the stock clutch in it that was as light as a feather compared to the one in my 89 lx. Now the one in my 89 lx is light as a feather compared to the one in my 91 coupe.

 

[90mustangGT]

A new clutch with a quadrant and cable is going to feel better than a worn out clutch system. For a light pedal feel and good street mannors a factory replacment will probally be your best bed. Although everyone with the Centerforce clutch series always say they have real easy pedal effort but grab well. I run a Spec III, not a good daily driver clutch, it's an on/off switch but the Stage I would work fine but has a heavier feel than standard.

 

[fawcett]

i am getting a AFM "Super" King Cobra clutch and AFM aluminum flywheel this week. they will replace my stock flywheel and centerforce clutch. i bought those parts because they were priced well. i had a king cobra clutch before and it gripped like a bastard but was very heavy, it sucked in traffic. if i were richer i would have went after a higher quality (more expensive) clutch but i dont so i cant.

Ill let you know how it goes,
oh and i am also getting a holley 190lph fuel pump, FRPP D/S, and 3.73's!

Fawcett
1995 Mustang Gts
[email protected] Black/5-speed w/ 3.08's
FRPP 340bhp 302, E-Cam, GT-40X's, Track Heat Intake w/ spacer, FRPP 24lbs FRPP 65mm TB, Pro-M 80, Mallory Digital 6 Ignition, March Pulleys, Mac Shorties, o/r H-pipe, Flowmasters, Steeda Tri-Axe shifter, clutch/cable quadrant, Brembos all around, Cobra R's, Fiber Glass Saleen style Heat extractor hood, projecters, and more

 

[90lxcoupe]

I could be wrong, but isn't it the cable/quadrant that actually affects pedal feel?

i'm gonna second that one, my buddy and i both have the centerforce DF clutch and he is using a stock quadrant and i think i have either the bbk or summit one, and my clutch pedal is like a rock compared to his. his clutch takes no effort whatsoever

 

[Lupuri]

I dont think the clutch is the reason why your pedal is so hard on your foot, Id get an ajustable quadrant, summit or steeda is good. I drove both of my stangs dailey for over a year each with FMS HD clutch with nearly no problems. One of the softest and easiest 'value' clutches on the market.

If its that bad for ya, buy a Focus :-D

 

[HISSIN50]

the alignment of the cable from the quadrant to the firewall has to be spot on - or else pedal depession effort goes through the roof. not that this is the case for anyone on this thread - just some lame info.

 

[Daggar]

I certainly get what you're all talking about with the cable quandrant and it reminded me that I've still not ordered an adjustable cable and quadrant for mine. Having said that however, the pedal feel with the CenterForce and my Stock quadrant has an excellent feel. It's 'stiff' when I'm sitting in stop and go traffic but not still not as heavy as even the stock clutch was. I've got all the holding power I could ever ask for with a streetable clutch and it should be able to satisfy all but the most hard core sanctioned road racer. Now I'm looking to make it even better by installing a Stillen adjustable quadrant and cable. It should get rid of that throw out bearing squeek resulting from the slop in the stock cable as well. Happy motoring.

 

[ratrapp]

i agree with hissin because after i changed my car over to a bbk adjustable setup my stock noname brand clutch is alot stiffer than it used to be.on a side note since my car was a 4cyl. it already had an adjustable cable and no clutch quadrant to wear out so the bbk installed easy.i wish i would've just put a new ford 4cyl. cable on instead when my cable broke but a friend got the kit for me for christmas.