Breaking in new clutch

cjman15 · Jun 16, 2004

I just finished my T5 conversion in my '89 LX with a new FR Heavy Duty clutch and Fly. My trans. is used with about 60,000 on it. How long should I wait til I can really get into my car again? I've heard you gotta drive about 500 miles taking it easy for the clutch to be broke in properly... what would you do (or have you done)? Thanks!

-cj

4dStang · Jun 16, 2004

Get in that bia and smoke em. That's all I do. Spin the clutch a little during a burnout and drive regular after that.

CB

cjman15 · Jun 16, 2004

haha, you being serious?

4dStang · Jun 16, 2004

Been doing it for 10 years. Never lost a clutch yet. Think about what you really have to "break in". I have probably replaced 50 clutches in 10 years too. Not all Mustangs, but they all work the same.

cjman15 · Jun 16, 2004

hmm, you do make a good point... i might have to try it

4dStang · Jun 16, 2004

The burnout gives it just enough grab to center the clutch and set it. That is reallly all you need to do. Then the clutch should grab like honey.

Chris

89rdgt · Jun 16, 2004

if you slip it to much at the start to risk glazing the disc from exessive heat.

ECU5.0 · Jun 16, 2004

89rdgt said:
if you slip it to much at the start to risk glazing the disc from exessive heat.

thats what i was thinking also. its better to just go easy on it instead of going with the risk of slipping it too hard and glazing the clutch over.

v8only · Jun 16, 2004

4dStang said:
Get in that bia and smoke em. That's all I do. Spin the clutch a little during a burnout and drive regular after that.

CB

That's some really, REALLY bad advice. If you've truly done that many clutches, I fail to realize why you still give this advice?? Perhaps most of them were done on underpowered cars such as slower v8's and 4 cylinder cars.

HOWEVER,

a brand new clutch disc has surface irregularites on it. It is not 100% flat, and does not mate up with the fresh flywheel right away. For this reason, even when the pressure plate is fully clamped, some areas of the disc are not contacting the flywheel 100%. In a stock mustang, you'll likely not have an issue that's "noticable" however the more power you get, the more obvious it becomes.

I recently helped a fellow stang netter who had a blower on his car, dropped in a fresh spec stage 2, launched it, and the clutch slipped right away, twice.

It's your call what you do, but it takes a good 500 miles of mostly stop and go type driving to mate that disc in 100% with the flywheel. Your clutch could be slipping even a very small amount if you overthrottle it. the last thing a hard launch is going to do is help it seat properly. A hard launch(or heavy throttle even after the clutch is engaged) is going to slip the disc, and when that happens, it glazes, period.

any advice to the contrary is pure ignorance. If you've taken all that time to put the clutch in, do yourself a favor and break it in properly.

ECU5.0 · Jun 16, 2004

v8only said:
That's some really, REALLY bad advice. If you've truly done that many clutches, I fail to realize why you still give this advice?? Perhaps most of them were done on underpowered cars such as slower v8's and 4 cylinder cars.

HOWEVER,

a brand new clutch disc has surface irregularites on it. It is not 100% flat, and does not mate up with the fresh flywheel right away. For this reason, even when the pressure plate is fully clamped, some areas of the disc are not contacting the flywheel 100%. In a stock mustang, you'll likely not have an issue that's "noticable" however the more power you get, the more obvious it becomes.

I recently helped a fellow stang netter who had a blower on his car, dropped in a fresh spec stage 2, launched it, and the clutch slipped right away, twice.

It's your call what you do, but it takes a good 500 miles of mostly stop and go type driving to mate that disc in 100% with the flywheel. Your clutch could be slipping even a very small amount if you overthrottle it. the last thing a hard launch is going to do is help it seat properly. A hard launch is going to slip the disc, and when that happens, it glazes, period.

any advice to the contrary is pure ignorance. If you've taken all that time to put the clutch in, do yourself a favor and break it in properly.

this guy knows what hes talkin about.
oh yeah, v8 i finally got my firewall adjuster and new quadrant in and the pedal feels so much better. but im still havin the same problem. even with the clutch adjusted all the way. i think its either a crappy clutch problem or a bad tranny. i think i also burned up my clutch drivin around the past week with it catching all the way at the top.

sorry, im not tryin to jack this thread

v8only · Jun 16, 2004

Crap, now that your clutch is adjusted properly, it's time for a new clutch

hey, look at it on the bright side, you now have enough knoweledge about the subject to help all others with the same problem, and are gauranteed that you'll never ruin another clutch do to adjustment issues.

my bro wasn't happy either when he chewed through a brand new spec in 5100k miles because of bad adjustment either!

ECU5.0 · Jun 16, 2004

v8only said:
Crap, now that your clutch is adjusted properly, it's time for a new clutch

hey, look at it on the bright side, you now have enough knoweledge about the subject to help all others with the same problem, and are gauranteed that you'll never ruin another clutch do to adjustment issues.

my bro wasn't happy either when he chewed through a brand new spec in 5100k miles because of bad adjustment either!

i figured it was time for a new clutch anyways because the other night when i was doin my clutch cable i shined a flashlight into the bellhousing to look at the pressure plate and all those little finger things on the pressure plate werent even at all...they were all at different heights...?...dont know if that makes sense...but i guess its time for a spec clutch

cjman15 · Jun 16, 2004

thanks guys

ram360 · Jun 16, 2004

v8only said:
That's some really, REALLY bad advice. If you've truly done that many clutches, I fail to realize why you still give this advice?? Perhaps most of them were done on underpowered cars such as slower v8's and 4 cylinder cars.

HOWEVER,

a brand new clutch disc has surface irregularites on it. It is not 100% flat, and does not mate up with the fresh flywheel right away. For this reason, even when the pressure plate is fully clamped, some areas of the disc are not contacting the flywheel 100%. In a stock mustang, you'll likely not have an issue that's "noticable" however the more power you get, the more obvious it becomes.

I recently helped a fellow stang netter who had a blower on his car, dropped in a fresh spec stage 2, launched it, and the clutch slipped right away, twice.

It's your call what you do, but it takes a good 500 miles of mostly stop and go type driving to mate that disc in 100% with the flywheel. Your clutch could be slipping even a very small amount if you overthrottle it. the last thing a hard launch is going to do is help it seat properly. A hard launch(or heavy throttle even after the clutch is engaged) is going to slip the disc, and when that happens, it glazes, period.

any advice to the contrary is pure ignorance. If you've taken all that time to put the clutch in, do yourself a favor and break it in properly.

Yeah, I agree totally.....Break the damn thing in. You'd be suprised how fast you can ruin a new clutch. For example my friend (rsstang1987) went through his in about 500 miles. When I pulled everything there was practically nothing left of his clutch disc. Wish I had pics.....

4dStang · Jun 16, 2004

v8only said:
That's some really, REALLY bad advice. If you've truly done that many clutches, I fail to realize why you still give this advice?? Perhaps most of them were done on underpowered cars such as slower v8's and 4 cylinder cars.

HOWEVER,

I guess I don't know sheet. Let others tell you how to do it and don't listen to me. I guess v8only knows it all. Let the flames begin! I'll just do my clutches my way and everyone else can do them their way. Don't ask for advice if you can't expect different answers. Anyway, everytime I answer on here, someone tells me I'm wrong. Whatever!

ECU5.0 · Jun 16, 2004

4dStang said:
v8only said:

That's some really, REALLY bad advice. If you've truly done that many clutches, I fail to realize why you still give this advice?? Perhaps most of them were done on underpowered cars such as slower v8's and 4 cylinder cars.

HOWEVER,

I guess I don't know sheet. Let others tell you how to do it and don't listen to me. I guess v8only knows it all. Let the flames begin! I'll just do my clutches my way and everyone else can do them their way. Don't ask for advice if you can't expect different answers. Anyway, everytime I answer on here, someone tells me I'm wrong. Whatever!

Click to expand...

hey man, there is no reason to get angry about it. i just agree with v8only because hes helped me ai lot with my trans problems and definetly knows his junk about transmissions. this forum isnt a pissing match to see who knows more....its all about giving your advice/opinion. and youre right, people shouldnt post questions if they cant handle the advice given. dont take it personally

Henceforward · Jun 16, 2004

I think you need to take it easy on the clutch.

I dissagree with your advice also. There was an article in the tech pages of Car Craft last month that detailed how and why a clutch will fail if you hound it right after an installation. This same article detailed the proper wear in period for brake pads. This method is called 30-30-30, for brakes you need to drive up to 30 miles per hour, then brake gradually, come to a complete stop, then drive back up to 30 MPH, and repeat 30 times.

These hot/cool sessions allow the material to set correctly

The friction material has elements in it that after repeated heat up-cool down sessions rise to the top equally on the surface of the friction material.

If the clutch disk is not worn in gradually, and over a 500 mile period, to the flywheel, as mentioned above, (after a remachining) the plate will glaze over.

Tomorrow I will post the entire article as to clear this up because, I JUST had as of last week a FRPP king cobra clutch kit, and everything installed, and mechanic after mechanic that I called and personally talked with highly advised to let the plate wear evenly on the flywheel, over a 500 mile period.

No slippage, no dropping, and no high speeds even.

Take it easy for 500 miles, and then you can get on it.

As for me I am on 136 of 500. Just get out and drive to the store a lot.

v8only · Jun 16, 2004

4dStang said:
v8only said:

That's some really, REALLY bad advice. If you've truly done that many clutches, I fail to realize why you still give this advice?? Perhaps most of them were done on underpowered cars such as slower v8's and 4 cylinder cars.

HOWEVER,

I guess I don't know sheet. Let others tell you how to do it and don't listen to me. I guess v8only knows it all. Let the flames begin! I'll just do my clutches my way and everyone else can do them their way. Don't ask for advice if you can't expect different answers. Anyway, everytime I answer on here, someone tells me I'm wrong. Whatever!

Click to expand...

what I told you is the truth, and i'm sorry if I'm harsh about it. I provided a technical explanation that backed up my statement.

I am Always open to learning new things, and although very experienced with mustang clutch/trans setups, I am far from the last word.

If you could provide a technical explanation backing up your statement, that would provide a logical means of debate that we could further discuss.

cjman15 · Jun 16, 2004

ok, that sounds like something i can do... there isn't much to do around here for an 18 year old kid in a small town... i'll end up driving around all day cuz there is nothing else to do......haha what's tha fastest you think i should go with it? cuz i have to drive it home on a highway...

Henceforward · Jun 18, 2004

Breaking in clutch, (From July 2004 Car Craft)

(From July 2004 Car Craft)
(Page 78 - Simmer until ready)
By Terry McGean

Since the clutch in most vehicles uses a friction material and surface similar to those found in brake systems, it seems reasonable that a new clutch would also need to be burnished prior to serious use. However, while clutches should be broken in, none of the clutch manufactuers we consulted specified a rigid burnishing-style procedure. Instead, the instructions generally outline a more basic set of guidlines for initial operation with the new equipment. These focus primarily on driving the vehicle gently for the first few trips, with no heavy loading, no harsh dragstrip-style launches.
Slipping the clutch can cause a situation similar to that of the prematurely overheated brake pads: The resins in the friction material will boil and rise to the surface, where they will harden and "glaze" the clutch disc. As with unburnished brake pads that have been misused, the glazed clutch disk will be compromised and basically ruined. Subsequent launches after this has happened will likely result in clutch slippage, and the only remedy is to disassemble the whole mess and have the flywheel re-machined before installing another new clutch disc and pressure-plate. Of course, even after the clutch is broken in with casual street-driving, exessive slipping can still damage it, though the disc should be more resilient after break in.
Another similarity between clutch jobs and brake jobs is the importance of proper procedures, along with the frequency that these procedures are at least pertially ignored. Make sure to check with the clutch manufacturer and the factory service manual for specific information on your application. The basics include proper flywheel resurfacing, pilot bushing/bearing replacement, throwout bearing replacement, and verifying proper clutch linkage operation, whether it is bell-crank, cable, or hydraulic.
On a final note, as with brake pads, there are countless variations in friction material compounds, and the stuff designated as being for "competition use only" is generally labeled that way for a reason: It's not practical, and probably unbearable on the street. Choose wisely.

There, no mention of 500 miles, but you can't just go out there and tear it up after a clutch installation job.

Breaking in new clutch

Banned

Banned

Banned

Banned

Banned

Banned

New Member

Banned

Active Member

Banned

Active Member

Banned

Banned

Banned

Banned

The Avatar Master

Active Member

Banned

The Avatar Master

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency