MCleod RST, RXT clutch

[HellsBells]

Does McLeod make an aluminum flywheel?

 

[Fastbreak]

Does McLeod make an aluminum flywheel?

http://www.mcleodracing.com/products/Aluminum+Flywheels.mcl

 

[AutoXRacer]

I ran an RST for slightly less than a year before it failed due to a mis-machined floater plate. I had it matched to a Fidanza 2004 aluminum flywheel. I loved the clutch, smooth, quiet, felt just like stock, actually pedal was lighter than stock. Great clutch until the failure...

Anyway, I sent McLeod my whole clutch assembly, they swapped out my Fidanza for their own aluminum flywheel, upgraded my clutch disks to RXT, and speced out and measured my assembly...shipped it back, walked the mechanic through the install, and its been prefect ever since!!! I will never try any other clutch...

Now with my new 800HP motor, my RXT is going back in. I swapped my aluminum flywheel for the McLeod lighten steel due to my increased torque the engine will be producing (need strength with high horsepower). Since my RXT clutch discs were less than a year old, McLeod swapped out my 10 spline hubs for 26 spline hubs for my new T-56M transmission.

Clutch installation is easy; not any harder than a single disk clutch. The only difficulty is setting up the adapter plate on the flywheel which tons of people use loctite and you shouldn't. Easiest way is to buy the whole package from McLeod, clutch and flywheel. They will assemble it in house, check clearances, spec it all out and ship it out to you ready for install. Never, ever, remove the adapter plate off the flywheel!!! Once McLeod specs it out...don't mess with it. This is the problem everyone has when they do it at home.

Anyway, here is my setup:

Flywheel with adapter plate:

Floater with 1st disk installed:

2nd disk installed:

And finally the pressure plate:

Of course, the T-56M has a shield that needs to be installed prior to the clutch assembly, so I had to take it all apart...

Here is a picture of the 1st disk installed

And here it is...

I highly recommend the RXT...don't bother with the RST...they suffer from heat if you have a high horsepower motor (supercharged or turbo) or if you race you car. Just get the RXT with a McLeod flywheel; aluminum, lightened steel, or full steel. It will come all speced out and you will guarantee yourself no issues.

I would also stay away from the aluminum flywheel. When I had mine I experience drivetrain noise...buzzing at RPMs below 1,600. And if you have or plan on an aluminum driveshaft, definitely don't combine it with an aluminum flywheel!! You'll get buzzing below 2,500 RPM and its LOUD!!! Just my personal experience.

There are so called pro mechanics that have installed tons of clutches in the past...they obviously are not following McLeod's installation instructions...I say this because I had my first clutch installed by Mustang specific shop that has installed 100s of McLeods...yet they some how missed my clutch issues which would have been easily detected upon assembly and clearance checks. Oh well...

There is no better mechanic than yourself.

 

[HellsBells]

whoops, i went with the aluminum flywheel

 

[06S281Extreme]

I run the RXT with McLeod's aluminum flywheel and it bites hard with no issues so far with over 5,000 miles.. I do get that buzzing sound from having the alum flywheel and alum 1 piece drive shaft, but i only get it in 4th gear if i go under 1800rpm.. Other than that it revs fast and never slips, clutch pedal pressure is butter like my old Audi S4.. Can't go wrong with one of these clutch flywheel packages, personally i would not mix and match to save a couple dollars.

 

[HellsBells]

I run the RXT with McLeod's aluminum flywheel and it bites hard with no issues so far with over 5,000 miles.. I do get that buzzing sound from having the alum flywheel and alum 1 piece drive shaft, but i only get it in 4th gear if i go under 1800rpm.. Other than that it revs fast and never slips, clutch pedal pressure is butter like my old Audi S4.. Can't go wrong with one of these clutch flywheel packages, personally i would not mix and match to save a couple dollars.

Good to hear!

 

[Diabolical!]

I went with their full weight steel flywheel which is actually noticeably heavier than the stock flywheel. I've always found that a heavier flywheel gets me off the line much quicker and helps 60' times immensely. If I road raced, I'd use a lighter flywheel, but for drag, heavy flywheel = good. I did the install myself and have never had so much as a whisper from the clutch. Much better than the SPEC that it replaced.

 

[BruceH]

I run the RXT with McLeod's aluminum flywheel and it bites hard with no issues so far with over 5,000 miles.. I do get that buzzing sound from having the alum flywheel and alum 1 piece drive shaft, but i only get it in 4th gear if i go under 1800rpm.. Other than that it revs fast and never slips, clutch pedal pressure is butter like my old Audi S4.. Can't go wrong with one of these clutch flywheel packages, personally i would not mix and match to save a couple dollars.

I've had the buzzing in 4th at 1700 or so rpms with both the 10 spline and 26 spline RST clutches I've had and both had steel flywheels. It's common with twin disc clutches. The floater plate causes the noise. Other than that I've had no issues with RST clutches. Follow the directions, use a torque wrench, and everything will be fine.

 

[rzaenglein]

What are you guys using for slaves on the rxt's? Stock or Mcleods slave cylinder. Have you guys had to shim?

 

[AlbertD]

What are you guys using for slaves on the rxt's? Stock or Mcleods slave cylinder. Have you guys had to shim?

I went with a new OEM slave, pilot bearing, Mcleod heavy steel FW, and RXT. No shimming, bolted everything up to spec, and it works perfectly.

 

[BruceH]

What are you guys using for slaves on the rxt's? Stock or Mcleods slave cylinder. Have you guys had to shim?

Stock slave. It takes less force to move a McLeod so the stock works great.

I haven't had to shim. A couple of things to keep in mind. First of all don't disassemble the floater. It's shimmed and set up from the factory and there is no need to take it off. Second, use a torque wrench and use the McLeod specs. Some of them are pretty low but they hold just fine. My guess is that those who have had issues didn't follow the torques and/or disassembled the floater. This is one time that you want to do it yourself because goodntight just isn't going to cut it and can cause issues.

 

[AutoXRacer]

What are you guys using for slaves on the rxt's? Stock or Mcleods slave cylinder. Have you guys had to shim?

I also used a new OEM slave...just bench bled it and bolted it right up.
Perfect!!

I will also re-iterate what Bruce said, DO NOT DISASSEMBLE THE FLOATER RING!! And follow McLeod's install instructions to the "T".

 

[rzaenglein]

Thats what I've heard they are light so the stock slave doesn't get over worked. Thanks for the valuable input guys!

 

[fdjizm]

Good to know for the future!

 

[07 procharger]

My first aftermarket clutch was a spec3+...that pile of crap is sitting on my shelf and I wont give it away. I then went to a RST with a PRW billet steel flywheel.

I too suffered from warped floater plate drag. Had to use 2 hands to pull it out of gear at times. I r+r the clutch and installed a new floater ring that McLeod sent me free of charge.

Still had floater drag after the new one went in.

Now for what ever reason I cannot understand...when I ordered my T56 from JPC...I ordered another RST with it. I guess I just want to see if I can get one that works properly...I'm in break in mode so I won't really know until later this week.

Or maybe I'm the worst McLeod nut swinger there is, I will say this...I have NEVER missed a shift at the track with either RST clutches...Not one. They performed excellent in that regard.

 

[rzaenglein]

Where are you guys getting your OEM slaves? Whats the best price? I could of swore I bought one for a little over $100 awhile ago but every where I'm looking they are all around $220

 

[drive_55_not]

Where are you guys getting your OEM slaves? Whats the best price? I could of swore I bought one for a little over $100 awhile ago but every where I'm looking they are all around $220

Tasca had them on sale a while back for like 130 but it looks like they've nearly doubled the price now.

I'm currently using a Sachs 60225. Rockauto has those for 120.


.

 

[AutoXRacer]

Where are you guys getting your OEM slaves? Whats the best price? I could of swore I bought one for a little over $100 awhile ago but every where I'm looking they are all around $220

I paid $200 for mine. The ones less than $200 are not OEM Ford. But maybe from the same manufacturer, but I am not sure.

I'll pay extra to make sure its an OEM Ford part when it has to be.
I've read of not so good reviews on aftermarket units.

 

[AlbertD]

I paid $200 for mine. The ones less than $200 are not OEM Ford. But maybe from the same manufacturer, but I am not sure.

I'll pay extra to make sure its an OEM Ford part when it has to be.
I've read of not so good reviews on aftermarket units.

+1, got mine from Tasca as well

 

[DiMora]

I just bought a lightened steel McLeod flywheel + a new slave from JPC Racing today. Plus a T56 Magnum XL driveshaft safety loop.

Gonna send my RST to Lee at McLeod for conversion to an RXT plus have hum do a factory setup and check tolerances. Gerald, will you post pics (maybe with some circled bolts) of what I should NOT disassemble upon return to me? When you say floater ring, I thought that was the ring between the clutch discs, but then I read elsewhere not to remove the big gold ring from the flywheel.