Best affordable clutch?

Awad Alibrahim · Mar 18, 2021

My 2009 Mustang GT has about 75k miles, and recently I've felt that the stock clutch doesn't preform as well as it used to. I daily drive the stang and was looking for the best affordable clutches that handle at least 500hp and keep the stock pedal feel or provide an even lighter pedal feel.

Racer47 · Mar 18, 2021

exedy

Awad Alibrahim · Mar 19, 2021

Racer47 said:
exedy

Any stage/type or is there a specific one you'd advise me to get?

Juice · Mar 19, 2021

Centerforce

Racer47 · Mar 19, 2021

Awad Alibrahim said:
Any stage/type or is there a specific one you'd advise me to get?

mach 400 or mach 500, they are the most stock like, 500 will be a little stiffer pedal, 400 will be stockish. Everyone has their own clutch preference but after many years of doing this and looking at all the clutches available Exedy has the least issues, solid perfomance and fair price.

https://www.americanmuscle.com/05-07-mustang-clutch-kits.html

To get a lighter than stock clutch pedal and hold 500hp you'll need a twin disk clutch which costs a lot more, like $800 ish for a McLeod RST.

Right now American Muscle has a mach 400 (it will easily hold 500 hp) open box for $270. Thats a great deal and the right level of clutch.

https://www.americanmuscle.com/exedy-stage1-clutch-0510gt.html

Juice · Mar 19, 2021

https://www.lethalperformance.com/s...-mustang-gt/transmission/clutches/centerforce

$421.95 the dual friction has 90% better than stock (2x holding power) with a stock pedal feel.

Awad Alibrahim · Mar 19, 2021

Thank's for the great suggestions I'll be reading more about the clutches and I'm gonna try to save up for a mcleod rst or rxt, but If the stock clutch gives out at least I'll have great alternatives XD

Juice · Mar 19, 2021

Awad Alibrahim said:
Thank's for the great suggestions I'll be reading more about the clutches and I'm gonna try to save up for a mcleod rst or rxt, but If the stock clutch gives out at least I'll have great alternatives XD

I thought you asked for a budget friendly clutch that wont increase pedal effort? lol I think the mcleods are a bit more pricey.

Awad Alibrahim · Mar 19, 2021

Juice said:
I thought you asked for a budget friendly clutch that wont increase pedal effort? lol I think the mcleods are a bit more pricey.

Yeah I'm on a tight budget right now but I'm still saving up so I'm gonna wait instead of buying the clutch right now since my car is still somewhat driveable, I'm gonna keep saving up until I afford the mcleod but if the stock clutch completely goes out at least I do have great options. I hope you understood what I'm saying xD

Aerofinz · Mar 19, 2021

Racer47 said:
Right now American Muscle has a mach 400 (it will easily hold 500 hp) open box for $270. Thats a great deal and the right level of clutch.

https://www.americanmuscle.com/exedy-stage1-clutch-0510gt.html

Actually, it appears $270 is the regular price! The open box is only $60, but missing the disc.

phobik05 · Mar 19, 2021

Awad Alibrahim said:
Yeah I'm on a tight budget right now but I'm still saving up so I'm gonna wait instead of buying the clutch right now since my car is still somewhat driveable

Remember to budget for a new flywheel as well. If the one in there now is heat checked it's scrap.

RED09GT · Mar 19, 2021

I was not a fan of the McLeod RST. When I bought it, it was marketed to hold 800 hp. A couple years later, they add a disclaimer in the description that it is not suitable for racing and I found that out the hard way. The discs heat up and you will not be able to shift at all until it cools down. I never had issues like that with an Exedy Mach 500. The Mach 500 is stiffer than stock but you are used to it in about a week. It held up to a stock motor, single turbo car at the track with drag radials.

If you do want to go to a McLeod dual disc, go right for the RXT. The drivability is barely different than the RST and it can take the heat. The RST is strictly for the guy with a GT500 who wants something better than stock but drives it like he's afraid to hurt its resale value.

Juice · Mar 19, 2021

IMO, disclaimer that it is not approved for racing is misleading.
They should specify not approved for "drag racing".
99% of clutch wear happens pulling away from a stop.
Drag racing is super abusive "pulling away from a stop", and most clutches under those conditions have a short life expectancy.
Anyone who dragraces and complains abou clutch wear needs to think about that.

RED09GT · Mar 19, 2021

Juice said:
Anyone who dragraces and complains abou clutch wear needs to think about that.

So I guess I am the one complaining, huh?
Yes, I realize that almost all clutch wear is from the standing start and is certainly amplified by using sticky tires but when a company advertises it to be capable of XXXhp but then later amending that statement after seeing some failures and not assisting the customers that were mislead by the original sales literature, than I guess I am fucking complaining.

Juice · Mar 19, 2021

RED09GT said:
So I guess I am the one complaining, huh?
Yes, I realize that almost all clutch wear is from the standing start and is certainly amplified by using sticky tires but when a company advertises it to be capable of XXXhp but then later amending that statement after seeing some failures and not assisting the customers that were mislead by the original sales literature, than I guess I am fucking complaining.

I was not pointing fingers at you or anyone.
My point was, if someone wants to drag race, they must accept frequent clutch jobs. Dont get your panties in a bunch. Im not a keyboard cowboy who likes to pick internet fights. I was just commenting on the statement from the manufacturer. Should have edited the quote. My bad.

RED09GT · Mar 19, 2021

Juice said:
I was not pointing fingers at you or anyone.
My point was, if someone wants to drag race, they must accept frequent clutch jobs. Dont get your panties in a bunch. Im not a keyboard cowboy who likes to pick internet fights. I was just commenting on the statement from the manufacturer. Should have edited the quote. My bad.

Apologies as well, I have had a shit week with work.

McLeod originally released both these clutches sometime around 2006 or 2007, shortly after introduction they advised customers not to drag race with the RXT and that the RST was okay to drag race with. The Sintered Iron of the RXT would fuse one of the discs to the floater plate if it got too hot. Then they switched the RXT from sintered Iron to ceramic and it worked well and took that disclaimer off. A couple years after several people had smoked an RST, they changed their tune on the RST.
I wasn't happy after spending $1100 on a clutch and flywheel only to have to dish out another $540 and over $250 of shipping charges to upgrade it to something that finally worked.

Awad Alibrahim · Mar 19, 2021

phobik05 said:
Remember to budget for a new flywheel as well. If the one in there now is heat checked it's scrap.

Yep, I'm thinking of getting the aluminum flywheel aswell. Is there a difference between the aluminum and steel flywheels from mcleod? Also, which throwout bearing is better oem ford or the mcleod throwout bearing?

Awad Alibrahim · Mar 19, 2021

RED09GT said:
I was not a fan of the McLeod RST. When I bought it, it was marketed to hold 800 hp. A couple years later, they add a disclaimer in the description that it is not suitable for racing and I found that out the hard way. The discs heat up and you will not be able to shift at all until it cools down. I never had issues like that with an Exedy Mach 500. The Mach 500 is stiffer than stock but you are used to it in about a week. It held up to a stock motor, single turbo car at the track with drag radials.

If you do want to go to a McLeod dual disc, go right for the RXT. The drivability is barely different than the RST and it can take the heat. The RST is strictly for the guy with a GT500 who wants something better than stock but drives it like he's afraid to hurt its resale value.

Yeah I'm leaning towards the rxt because I want to track the car from time to time and because I'm the type of dude that takes care of my vehicle but beat the shit out of it at the same time, and it's daily driven. So you can pretty much say that the parts will pay for themselves xD xD

Midlife Crises · Mar 19, 2021

The McLeod RST and RXT clutches are not SFI certified for drag racing. Think about that if you intend to visit a drag strip.

Juice · Mar 19, 2021

Midlife Crises said:
The McLeod RST and RXT clutches are not SFI certified for drag racing. Think about that if you intend to visit a drag strip.

I never heard this before. Scattershield, yes. Internals, no.

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