Heavy duty clutch questions

[QDRHRSE]

I'm installing an aluminum flywheel and I need a new clutch. Honestly, I don't have a lot of experience with cars that make the kind of HP my latest creation makes. It already makes a little over 400hp at the wheels and I'm going to change the headers and remove the cats so I might see another 10-15hp. The problem is not so much that I don't know what to get, but rather, I'm trying not to spend too much money on this upgrade. I've been looking at my options and the more I look the more confused I get. When you start looking into the more heavyduty clutches the materials used are pretty exotic- to me at least. I've also noticed that the higher end clutches have "pads" and look a little different. Currently I have a Centerforce dual friction and it works fine but I hate the way it feels. The Centerforce seems a little to expensive at around $300 as well. Do I have any options for less than $300? Is there a preffered clutch material that I should look for? Anything that you would recommend?

 

[bcd]

i like the ford racing clutch myself. i get them for around 150. if you want more hold than that look at the king cobra. they run around 200.

 

[HISSIN50]

For 400 HP I would not use a Ford Clutch, but rather the exotics that you dont like.

Is an example of the ones with 'pads' (pucks) that you dont like, a SPEC stage 3?

I would actually want one of those exotics - I think an organic disk is going to slip too much at higher revs with your power.
Others will have some first hand experience with those more exotic compounds and set-ups and can offer feel advice.

good luck bud.

 

[Grn92LX]

www.nitrostangracing.com Get the mcleod dual friction kit with the FMS HD pressure plate modified by promotion. Its $289 and modified to handle over 450hp and high rpm's. It isn't a hard hitting chatter box. I run the fidenza aluminum flywheel. Its an absolute great set up! Pedal pressure is about the same or a hair less than a stock king cobra. Pick up arp flywheel bolts. arp-200-2802. Use loctite on the threads and tq to 70-90ft/lbs and go 24 ft/lbs on the press plate with loctite as well.

 

[mcvey90]

sell you my spec stage 2

I used a spec stage 2 with my 347 setup. loved every bit of it.
have since sold the engine and still have the cluch lieing around. I will send you pm.

 

[American_Muscle]

How the heck do you order from that site?lol

They say 50resto is a dealer but I didn't find anything on their site.
They also don't give you part numbers to check with 50resto.

 

[tunedin302]

Get the mcleod dual friction kit with the FMS HD pressure plate modified by promotion. Its $289 and modified to handle over 450hp and high rpm's. It isn't a hard hitting chatter box. Pedal pressure is about the same or a hair less than a stock king cobra. Pick up arp flywheel bolts. arp-200-2802. Use loctite on the threads and tq to 70-90ft/lbs and go 24 ft/lbs on the press plate with loctite as well.

Agreed 100%! Only additional question I would want to know is what type of clutch material G-Force suggests? That will make the difference in what type of clutch you want to run. For example, Tremec suggests a organic clutch that engages a little easier ... hence the McLeod is a perfect match.

 

[Grn92LX]

When I was researching transmissions and clutches, I saw G force recommends mcleod. They don't recommend hard hitting clutches.

 

[90mustangGT]

Of course they don't because a hard hitting clutch is more likley to break things.

I have a SpecIII. It was definatly a hard hitter. My stock T-5 was doing just fine but not too soon after swapping from the stocker to the Spec the teeth where the input shaft and countershaft gear got cleaned off. I put in a TKO500 and it handled the Spec for a while but of course not soon after I decided to tear the motor down so the Spec III has been sitting there in a drawer.

What I liked about the Spec III was that it grabbed hard and made the difference when powershifting. No slip, all grab. The downside to this was for daily driving, if it was a little wet it was so hard not to spin the tires. It's an on/off switch clutch. It made launching more difficult. With a set of sicks it would have been perfect but on 275/40R17 Nitto DR's it just grabbed and the tires went. The stock clutch had that little bit of give that prevented shocking the tires so hard. Also I noticed with the Spec III, it was heat sensitive. Hard to explain but it was a little unpredictable. It seemed it needed a little heat up to really work well. Otherwise, I liked it.

 

[Black 93 Fox]

Of course they don't because a hard hitting clutch is more likley to break things.

I have a SpecIII. It was definatly a hard hitter. My stock T-5 was doing just fine but not too soon after swapping from the stocker to the Spec the teeth where the input shaft and countershaft gear got cleaned off. I put in a TKO500 and it handled the Spec for a while but of course not soon after I decided to tear the motor down so the Spec III has been sitting there in a drawer.

What I liked about the Spec III was that it grabbed hard and made the difference when powershifting. No slip, all grab. The downside to this was for daily driving, if it was a little wet it was so hard not to spin the tires. It's an on/off switch clutch. It made launching more difficult. With a set of sicks it would have been perfect but on 275/40R17 Nitto DR's it just grabbed and the tires went. The stock clutch had that little bit of give that prevented shocking the tires so hard. Also I noticed with the Spec III, it was heat sensitive. Hard to explain but it was a little unpredictable. It seemed it needed a little heat up to really work well. Otherwise, I liked it.

He is right about the spec I had a stage 1 and it was hard to not spin the tires when it was wet cause the clutch doesnt like to slip. I like my King Cobra clutch but that wouldnt hold up to the power you want. I would look into centerforce maybe.

 

[v8only]

I agree with the rest, the ford unit won't hold, the spec's will DEF take out your tranny, you're gonna have to spend the dough on a real clutch man, sorry.

 

[QDRHRSE]

www.nitrostangracing.com Get the mcleod dual friction kit with the FMS HD pressure plate modified by promotion. Its $289 and modified to handle over 450hp and high rpm's. It isn't a hard hitting chatter box. I run the fidenza aluminum flywheel. Its an absolute great set up! Pedal pressure is about the same or a hair less than a stock king cobra. Pick up arp flywheel bolts. arp-200-2802. Use loctite on the threads and tq to 70-90ft/lbs and go 24 ft/lbs on the press plate with loctite as well.

Perfect! When I read another of your posts I thought that your set up would be to expensive. I probably should have asked. Thanks for the info! Also, do you like the Fidenza flywheel? I've seen them on EBAY really cheap and I wasn't sure of the quality since I'd never heard the name.

 

[QDRHRSE]

When I was researching transmissions and clutches, I saw G force recommends mcleod. They don't recommend hard hitting clutches.

You must be a psychic!!! How did you know I have a G Force Tranny? Fine...enough. I'll try it out. The guy that I normally get parts through has been trying to sell me the Mcleaod clutch with the Mcleod aluminum flywheel but he wants almost $700....so I thought it was too pricey. My mistake.

 

[Grn92LX]

Be sure its a fidenza and NOT a cheap brand. The cheapest I seen a fidenza aluminum flywheel for on Egay was $280 I think. I think I told you about it in another thread, but this flywheel is a really sweet piece. It comes with green loctite for the weight bolts and dowel pins.

 

[tunedin302]

The guy that I normally get parts through has been trying to sell me the Mcleaod clutch with the Mcleod aluminum flywheel but he wants almost $700....so I thought it was too pricey.

That's the price of the twin disc that comes with it's own flywheel. I think it is good to around 1200 hp.

 

[Grn92LX]

You must be a psychic!!! How did you know I have a G Force Tranny? Fine...enough. I'll try it out. The guy that I normally get parts through has been trying to sell me the Mcleaod clutch with the Mcleod aluminum flywheel but he wants almost $700....so I thought it was too pricey. My mistake.

Like he said, that was probably the twin disk mcleod. Good luck with your purchase.