Recommendations for clutch/plate packages

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:34 am

Looking for some recommendations for a clutch/bearing/pressure plate package. I have been struggling with what came with the car and I would love to put in something I can rely on. Can some one share what they have had success with? One person recommended the quartermaster extreme 8.5".

It's for a T5 WC on the challenge car. Needs to handle 300 WTQ.

Thoughts?

Les Davis · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 2:04 pm **Posts:** 2059

Assuming your not planning to up the power significantly anytime soon, wouldn't you be just fine with a stock 5.0 Mustang clutch? Especially since the car is lighter than the Mustang. I would think a stronger clutch in this case would only be good for building up your left calf muscle.

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:30 pm

The stock clutch seems to be only good for about 250 WTQ. Combine that with R compounds and it goes away pretty quickly as I found at this past weekend.

Jason Tower · **Joined:** Wed Jun 11, 2008 3:31 pm **Posts:** 1173

Marty Howard wrote:

The stock clutch seems to be only good for about 250 WTQ. Combine that with R compounds and it goes away pretty quickly as I found at this past weekend.

speaking of which, how did your weekend go? other than the clutch

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:45 pm

Not well at all, unfortunately.

No fault to the event organizers, track or weather.

Karl Shultz · **Posted:** Tue Feb 23, 2010 2:22 pm

Does ACT make one for your drivetrain? They've been highly rated for years now, for good reason. I had two in the old GS-R. I know Ryan told me that he used them in his DSMs, cars that are famous for being heck on clutches. The "street" applications are plenty driveable, yet nicely grippy and positive feeling. Believe it or not, that ACT clutch was among my favorite mods I put on that car. Very satisfying to drive.

Jason Mauldin · **Posted:** Tue Feb 23, 2010 2:28 pm

In most cases, clutches are cheaper and easier to repair then a transmission is.

Is there any chance that your existing clutch was just worn out already, or was it a new clutch? The T5 is a relatively weak transmission, so you might want to consider retaining a weak clutch to protect the transmission.

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Tue Feb 23, 2010 2:39 pm

Jason Mauldin wrote:

In most cases, clutches are cheaper and easier to repair then a transmission is.

Is there any chance that your existing clutch was just worn out already, or was it a new clutch? The T5 is a relatively weak transmission, so you might want to consider retaining a weak clutch to protect the transmission.

The clutch was the one that came with the car, so it was probably worn anyways. But more than one person in the FFRC series has said the stock clutch just won't last.

yes the T5 is pretty week and I am probably pushing it, but it's 50 lbs lighter than the TKO we can use and that's rotational mass. about 80% of the current runners use the T5, the others the TKO 3350 (??).

jakepressley · **Posted:** Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:04 pm

I'd stick with the t-5, (at the risk of dropping my tranny next week with AV) I've never had a problem with mine. I have found that the stock clutch/pressure plate works better for track events... as a lot of the aftermarket stuff is like shifting a dump truck.

T-5's are cheap, check craigslist, and have a pretty good aftermarket (for stronger internals).

best
jp

jimpastorius · **Posted:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:23 am

I have been running a Sachs clutch in the Camaro's T5 for the past 4 years. The car is a lot heavier than a FFRC and is putting well over 310 at the wheels. In those 4 years, it has not seen street tires :-)

I got mine from Strano.

By the way, when we swapped the motor last month, the clutch looked great.

I am not sure what the Mustangs are running for a clutch. But no one has anything real fancy.

Arthur McDonald · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:54 am **Posts:** 2052

I replaced the (2nd) stock clutch in my 5.0 with one of these in 2003.

http://www.blueovalindustries.com/products.php?pid=623

It does make your left leg stronger. A tiny bit of chatter on take-up (which the accompanying documentation said should work itself out, but didn't), but then I didn't have the flywheel resurfaced, so that might be the cause.

There are Centerforce clutches for 5.0/T-5 applications, but the suggestion to just use a stock clutch and save the tranny might be the best advice.

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Sat Feb 27, 2010 10:15 pm

Ford offers lots of upgraded clutches including the King Cobra one that Art linked to.

Is the problem initial clamping force too low for the increased power/torque or is it overheating/wear from shifts that slip the clutch?

Do you rev match for downshifts even if you don't double clutch to save the syncros?

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Mon Mar 01, 2010 3:48 pm

The car was H/T through out the day. One thing I do need to adjust though is I can not LFB because of how close the pedals are together. I am going to add a bit between each while I have the car up in the air (if possible).

What it really looks like happened is the bearing or the pressure plate was keeping the clutch from fully enaging and caused

1) the car to pop out of gear in hard 3rd gear and 4th gear accelerations
2) finally over heat the clutch and start to spin in all gears

THSCC Forums

Recommendations for clutch/plate packages

Who is online