What would be the best clutch for a 5.0? I've always heard good things about the centerforce clutch, but now i'm starting to hear that the king cobra is the way to go. Any comments please.
__________________
Currently sans Mustang
Gone but not forgotten: '83 Charcoal GT 5 spd,
'89 Black/Titanium GT 5 spd, '90 Black LX Hatch 5 spd, ...
I have a King Cobra and my car makes 367hp to the tires and it's holding up just fine.Make sure you get the steel bearing retainer and a new pilot bearing.The biggest thing with getting a performance clutch is the flywheel.If your just going to use your stock one and get it cut,your wasting your time.It even says in the instructions not to use the stock flywheel.Buy the billet Motorsport flywheel for $200.00 if you buy the King Cobra.My buddy has a centerforce in his car and he used the stock flywheel and it lasted 3000 kms(1800 miles)and it's toast.
Hope this helps Good luck.........
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92 LX Hatch Cobra upper & lower,Mac Equal length 1 5/8 headers,BBK 2.5 H-pipe,Dynomax Ultraflo 2.5 Mufflers,355's,KB SFC'S,S/P Kit,A/C Delete,elec fan,C&L 76mm MAF,24lb Inj,65mm TB,HD King Cobra clutch,FMS Billet flywheel,Pro 5.0,9mm wires,190 FP,Trick flow cam,Crane 1.6 roller rockers,Blaster coil,Zex Nitrous system,HPM Control arms,26x11.50 ET Streets,Draglites.
365.4 RWHP With the juice
12.7@106mph N/A 11.36@121.00 150 shot 1.52 0-60 FT
My buddy has a centerforce in his car and he used the stock flywheel and it lasted 3000 kms(1800 miles)and it's toast.
Hope this helps Good luck.........
This sounds like improper break-in, or travel issue, rather than a clutch issue.
This is MY third mustang with a centerforce clutch and stock flywheel, Tremec TKO and proper break in, and it holds up to power shifiting and a 10.5" slick. I dyno'ed 455 rwhp at 112 degrees outside, pump gas and 7 degrees of timing.
I personally have pulled out a king cobra clutch to install a centerforce clutch in a friend's car, and he was much happier with it. His 347 slipped the king cobra clutch regularly.
Centerforce has a much better pressure plate than the others.
__________________
After building Porsches, I now realize how elementary American cars really are!
For every one guy that says centerforce clutches are good there is two that say king cobra are better.It is true that the break in has alot to do with the length of time the clutch will last.I to have had 4 Mustangs and my current set up makes 467hp at the crank with no problems from the clutch.How much do centerforce cluthes cost again??? I think you could buy two king cobra's for the price of one centerforce.But hey, everyone has there own opinion.:thumbsup
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92 LX Hatch Cobra upper & lower,Mac Equal length 1 5/8 headers,BBK 2.5 H-pipe,Dynomax Ultraflo 2.5 Mufflers,355's,KB SFC'S,S/P Kit,A/C Delete,elec fan,C&L 76mm MAF,24lb Inj,65mm TB,HD King Cobra clutch,FMS Billet flywheel,Pro 5.0,9mm wires,190 FP,Trick flow cam,Crane 1.6 roller rockers,Blaster coil,Zex Nitrous system,HPM Control arms,26x11.50 ET Streets,Draglites.
365.4 RWHP With the juice
12.7@106mph N/A 11.36@121.00 150 shot 1.52 0-60 FT
For every one guy that says centerforce clutches are good there is two that say king cobra are better.It is true that the break in has alot to do with the length of time the clutch will last.I to have had 4 Mustangs and my current set up makes 467hp at the crank with no problems from the clutch.How much do centerforce cluthes cost again??? I think you could buy two king cobra's for the price of one centerforce.But hey, everyone has there own opinion.:thumbsup
Wow, I make 578 at the crank
True, you get what you pay for. Great!! So I can resurface the flywheel AGAIN, buy another throwout bearing, and waste a Saturday under the car changing the clutch AGAIN for the same amount of money? No thanks, I'd rather drive it!
Oh, I ran across this on the Centerforce website:
What type of flywheel is best recommended for my application?
The patented Centerforce clutch system does not require using a special type of flywheel. The Centerforce friction materials are designed for use with the stock flywheel, aftermarket steel billet (or nodular) flywheels, or aluminum flywheels with steel insert heat shields. However, Centerforce does not recommend the use of aluminum flywheels for street use. If you are replacing your stock OEM flywheel, be sure the new flywheel meets the same specifications such as ring gear tooth count, flywheel thickness, ring gear offset, etc. All Centerforce flywheels are designed to meet standard OEM specifications and are SFI approved.
5.0 ForLife, stick with what works, and is within your budget. The king cobra is better than stock, and much cheaper than a centerforce. If you plan on big power in the future, you will need to upgrade the T-5 anyway, and can swap in a real clutch at that time.
__________________
After building Porsches, I now realize how elementary American cars really are!
True, you get what you pay for. Great!! So I can resurface the flywheel AGAIN, buy another throwout bearing, and waste a Saturday under the car changing the clutch AGAIN for the same amount of money? No thanks, I'd rather drive it!
Oh, I ran across this on the Centerforce website:
What type of flywheel is best recommended for my application?
The patented Centerforce clutch system does not require using a special type of flywheel. The Centerforce friction materials are designed for use with the stock flywheel, aftermarket steel billet (or nodular) flywheels, or aluminum flywheels with steel insert heat shields. However, Centerforce does not recommend the use of aluminum flywheels for street use. If you are replacing your stock OEM flywheel, be sure the new flywheel meets the same specifications such as ring gear tooth count, flywheel thickness, ring gear offset, etc. All Centerforce flywheels are designed to meet standard OEM specifications and are SFI approved.
5.0 ForLife, stick with what works, and is within your budget. The king cobra is better than stock, and much cheaper than a centerforce. If you plan on big power in the future, you will need to upgrade the T-5 anyway, and can swap in a real clutch at that time.
WOW 578hp blown .I don't feel so bad now.Mine is stock besides the cam & heads are cleaned up a little .Your right why put in a clutch that will hold 600hp when the t-5 won't last anyway.
Save your money and buy the K/C and when you get a better tranny spend a bundle on the clutch...And if it takes you a whole Saturday to change a clutch,you should stick to golf.3 hours tops.:thumbsup
__________________
92 LX Hatch Cobra upper & lower,Mac Equal length 1 5/8 headers,BBK 2.5 H-pipe,Dynomax Ultraflo 2.5 Mufflers,355's,KB SFC'S,S/P Kit,A/C Delete,elec fan,C&L 76mm MAF,24lb Inj,65mm TB,HD King Cobra clutch,FMS Billet flywheel,Pro 5.0,9mm wires,190 FP,Trick flow cam,Crane 1.6 roller rockers,Blaster coil,Zex Nitrous system,HPM Control arms,26x11.50 ET Streets,Draglites.
365.4 RWHP With the juice
12.7@106mph N/A 11.36@121.00 150 shot 1.52 0-60 FT
WOW 578hp blown .I don't feel so bad now.Mine is stock besides the cam & heads are cleaned up a little .Your right why put in a clutch that will hold 600hp when the t-5 won't last anyway.
Save your money and buy the K/C and when you get a better tranny spend a bundle on the clutch...And if it takes you a whole Saturday to change a clutch,you should stick to golf.3 hours tops.:thumbsup
So, if what I gather is correct you guys are saying the centerforce costs more but
you can use a stock flywheel. And the King Cobra is cheaper but requires an
aftermarket flywheel? will the centerforce hold up to 600 HP? If I can get my
car to Anything over 400 HP I would almost be willing to close my toolbox. 450 HP
would be nice though. I don't really want anything more than that because I want
my car to be a summer daily driver.
__________________
Currently sans Mustang
Gone but not forgotten: '83 Charcoal GT 5 spd,
'89 Black/Titanium GT 5 spd, '90 Black LX Hatch 5 spd, ...
Mine is a daily driver.The K/C is $164 from Summit and comes with the Ford throw bearing.The flywheel is also a Ford Motorsport billet flywheel and is $199. from Summit.Also another thing to think about is if you use a centerforce clutch on a stock cast flywheel and it goes boom,that cast flywheel will break up into a million pieces and come through your floor boards like a gernade.The billet steel one will not do that and is made to match the king Cobra clutch.That was one of the main reasons why i bought the King Cobra,i did not want to use my stock flywheel in case it blew up.But hey if you got the cash buy the billet flywheel and the centerforce clutch,then kiss your tranny good bye.
__________________
92 LX Hatch Cobra upper & lower,Mac Equal length 1 5/8 headers,BBK 2.5 H-pipe,Dynomax Ultraflo 2.5 Mufflers,355's,KB SFC'S,S/P Kit,A/C Delete,elec fan,C&L 76mm MAF,24lb Inj,65mm TB,HD King Cobra clutch,FMS Billet flywheel,Pro 5.0,9mm wires,190 FP,Trick flow cam,Crane 1.6 roller rockers,Blaster coil,Zex Nitrous system,HPM Control arms,26x11.50 ET Streets,Draglites.
365.4 RWHP With the juice
12.7@106mph N/A 11.36@121.00 150 shot 1.52 0-60 FT
King Cobra vs. Centerforce 
.I don't feel so bad now.Mine is stock besides the cam & heads are cleaned up a little
