I'm looking for some advice on a new clutch. My SVT has a 3.0 with no power adder and a LSD. When I had the 3.0 installed, I did the quaife and the sachs/valeo clutch kit from BAT. With daily spirited street driving I got a ton of miles out of that combination. Now the 'tour has about 180k on the clock and it's time to replace the clutch again. The car is still a daily driver, but it will become a back up car that will probably see more open track events in the future (within the next 12 mos or so). I've searched the forums and found that there's mixed feelings on the Spec stage 1's. I've seen a few that like the clutchnet pieces. And, if I go OEM/OEM+, the Sachs/Valeo or Exidy/Luk kits are viable. It also looks like the Fidanza aluminum flywheel has a good reputation. Has anyone used the clutchnet lightweight flywheel? Please share with me any advice and experiences, good or bad.
-
Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.
You can register to join the community.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Clutch Advice Please
- Thread starter SVTPWR
- Start date
shotwell
Veteran CEG'er
There's much info here if you search a bit. LOTS and LOTS of opinions.
In my car the original clutch was a LUK. I replaced it at 98k just because it was apart already. It never failed and had plenty of life left in it.
My next clutch was a Centerforce Dual Friction, Ford TOB. It lasted about 35k. It slipped and shuddered for about 25k of that. Yes I broke it in correctly. TOB wasn't leaking. I wouldn't recommend this one. Garbage in my opinion.
My current clutch is a Spec Stage 1, Spec TOB. I have 18k on it currently and have had no problems. I have read about a lot of problems, just haven't experienced any. I'm a lot harder on it now then I ever was on the LUK or Centerforce. I can really put it to the ground with the Quaife LSD and sticky tires too.
Make 100% sure that your flywheel is machined properly OR replaced. I believe this is what causes more than half of clutch failures in these cars after replacement.
My car is still stock with the exception of transmission mods. If I were in your shoes I'd go to the LUK OEM SVT clutch. I'm sure others will chime in.
In my car the original clutch was a LUK. I replaced it at 98k just because it was apart already. It never failed and had plenty of life left in it.
My next clutch was a Centerforce Dual Friction, Ford TOB. It lasted about 35k. It slipped and shuddered for about 25k of that. Yes I broke it in correctly. TOB wasn't leaking. I wouldn't recommend this one. Garbage in my opinion.
My current clutch is a Spec Stage 1, Spec TOB. I have 18k on it currently and have had no problems. I have read about a lot of problems, just haven't experienced any. I'm a lot harder on it now then I ever was on the LUK or Centerforce. I can really put it to the ground with the Quaife LSD and sticky tires too.
Make 100% sure that your flywheel is machined properly OR replaced. I believe this is what causes more than half of clutch failures in these cars after replacement.
My car is still stock with the exception of transmission mods. If I were in your shoes I'd go to the LUK OEM SVT clutch. I'm sure others will chime in.
Tex
Hard-core CEG'er
The Stage 1 that the PO put in my 3L has ~54,000 miles on it. It seems to still be ok. I DD with it occasionally, but I hate the gear rollover / chatter / TOB noise, whatever it is, when it's in neutral with the clutch out. It does seem to grip pretty firmly compared to my stock SVT. I probably wouldn't go with a SPEC if I were to change it, though.
BrianKemp
CEG'er
centerforce pooo
centerforce pooo
ive driven my 3.0 for one month of the last year thanks to centerforce clutch fried so quick it wasnt funny and i never even raced it just regular daily driving centerforce says nothing is wrong with it although visual inspection says otherwise
centerforce pooo
ive driven my 3.0 for one month of the last year thanks to centerforce clutch fried so quick it wasnt funny and i never even raced it just regular daily driving centerforce says nothing is wrong with it although visual inspection says otherwise
After reviewing everything I could, I decided to go with clutchnet. I ordered their aluminum flywheel, yellow plate, and 6 puck disc. The big Brown truck dropped it off today. Unfortunately, I'm not going to have time to tackle the job for another couple of weeks. I've got a few days off around the 4th of July and I plan to do the install myself (thanks to the great resources on CEG). Hopefully all goes well and I can report positive results. Thanks to the few that replied to my post.
post up some pics of the goods. What did the setup total out to be price wise?After reviewing everything I could, I decided to go with clutchnet. I ordered their aluminum flywheel, yellow plate, and 6 puck disc. The big Brown truck dropped it off today. Unfortunately, I'm not going to have time to tackle the job for another couple of weeks. I've got a few days off around the 4th of July and I plan to do the install myself (thanks to the great resources on CEG). Hopefully all goes well and I can report positive results. Thanks to the few that replied to my post.
BrianKemp
CEG'er
got it for ya
got it for ya
k i did the legwork what im replacing my centerforce with is the spec stage 3 im ordering it direct form spec for about 400 with shipping which is cheaper than i found on all the sites and btw its cheaper than the stage 2 by 10 bucks and they said it would be fine for daily driving with 3.0l conv
got it for ya
k i did the legwork what im replacing my centerforce with is the spec stage 3 im ordering it direct form spec for about 400 with shipping which is cheaper than i found on all the sites and btw its cheaper than the stage 2 by 10 bucks and they said it would be fine for daily driving with 3.0l conv
Tex
Hard-core CEG'er
Yeah, good luck DDing with that 6-puck...
k i did the legwork what im replacing my centerforce with is the spec stage 3 im ordering it direct form spec for about 400 with shipping which is cheaper than i found on all the sites and btw its cheaper than the stage 2 by 10 bucks and they said it would be fine for daily driving with 3.0l conv
after the number of spec clutch failures recently no one is going to recommend Spec. If Spec steps up and admitts that there is a materials or QC problem and fixes it then I am sure Spec might become a recommended clutch again. I did like how my Stage 3+ drove but when three of us have had the same type of failure with under 10k miles there is a serious issue.
if this was more then 3 years ago Spec would have been a great choice.
elraido
I kant speel
k i did the legwork what im replacing my centerforce with is the spec stage 3 im ordering it direct form spec for about 400 with shipping which is cheaper than i found on all the sites and btw its cheaper than the stage 2 by 10 bucks and they said it would be fine for daily driving with 3.0l conv
Should have gone with stock SVT or clutchnet.
Redlineracer12
Addicted CEG'er
After reviewing everything I could, I decided to go with clutchnet. I ordered their aluminum flywheel, yellow plate, and 6 puck disc
I'm very curious to hear how the yellow plate works for you.... Specifically pedal feel and engagement. I want to go with the yellow full face disc, but am torn between yellow pressure plate or a stock SVT pressure plate.
I am curious about the yellow pressure plate also. since it is interchangable with the stock one then you need to make sure the clutch disk you get is the same thickness as stock.
if you want to use the spec pressure plate then I believe you have to order a thicker clutch as the spec disk is thicker then stock.
now chances are the pressure plate is a luk stamping with a revised diagrahm to hold more power. Spec is this way so I would guess others do the same.
if you want to use the spec pressure plate then I believe you have to order a thicker clutch as the spec disk is thicker then stock.
now chances are the pressure plate is a luk stamping with a revised diagrahm to hold more power. Spec is this way so I would guess others do the same.
BrianKemp
CEG'er
Love my new stage3
Love my new stage3
stage 3 is in and i got it in a day and a half(sweet) it grabs sooo good. it can get a little jumpy but it will be fine once i get used to it, it just made the smooth shift window a little smaller. seen some stage 3+ failures but they seem to be specific to that clutch and not the stage 3 or 2(maybe2+ same as 3+). my favorite thing about it is that they are about an hour and a half from where i live.
Love my new stage3
stage 3 is in and i got it in a day and a half(sweet) it grabs sooo good. it can get a little jumpy but it will be fine once i get used to it, it just made the smooth shift window a little smaller. seen some stage 3+ failures but they seem to be specific to that clutch and not the stage 3 or 2(maybe2+ same as 3+). my favorite thing about it is that they are about an hour and a half from where i live.
stage 3 is in and i got it in a day and a half(sweet) it grabs sooo good. it can get a little jumpy but it will be fine once i get used to it, it just made the smooth shift window a little smaller. seen some stage 3+ failures but they seem to be specific to that clutch and not the stage 3 or 2(maybe2+ same as 3+). my favorite thing about it is that they are about an hour and a half from where i live.
one known stage 3 failure and many stage 1 failures just like the stage 3+ failures. but again those are all clutches from the last few years. anything older then 4 years has been fine ....
Tex
Hard-core CEG'er
stage 3 is in and i got it in a day and a half(sweet) it grabs sooo good. it can get a little jumpy but it will be fine once i get used to it, it just made the smooth shift window a little smaller. seen some stage 3+ failures but they seem to be specific to that clutch and not the stage 3 or 2(maybe2+ same as 3+). my favorite thing about it is that they are about an hour and a half from where i live.
That's probably because not a lot of people get a stage 3 instead of a 3+...
elraido
I kant speel
That's probably because not a lot of people get a stage 3 instead of a 3+...
Exactly. Kind of like saying, well you don't see a lot of people crashing Vyrons....no one has them. Odds are they are made out of the same material and it will fail.