preferred clutch of choice

[RangerFabWorks]

What clutch do you guys like to use? i just picked up a 95 f150 with the straight 6 and mice have decided to make a home in the pressure plate.

i want an 11' clutch, easy enough. just order one for a 5.0

but what brand do you guys like to use?

EXEDY
LUK
SACHS
PERFECTION
VALEO

Much more expensive brands............


SOUTH BEND
CENTERFORCE

 

[4x4junkie]

LuK.

Centerforce is the only other I might consider using, but not unless the motor was built up some. Seen too many issues with brands other than LuK & CF... Squealing noises upon engagement, discs disintegrating, etc. There was just a recent thread here that had the center hub of a disc that spun and gave out (not sure what brand, but it didn't appear to be LuK).

 

[RangerFabWorks]

LuK.

Centerforce is the only other I might consider using, but not unless the motor was built up some. Seen too many issues with brands other than LuK & CF... Squealing noises upon engagement, discs disintegrating, etc. There was just a recent thread here that had the center hub of a disc that spun and gave out (not sure what brand, but it didn't appear to be LuK).

The last LUK clutch I ran, was in my 90 ranger with the 302 and m5r2. I had a lot of issues with clutch engagement. And when I pulled it apart. I found half the fingers on the pressure plate were bent further then the others. But I also realized I didn’t have the alignment dowels in the flywheel. So maybe that caused and issue.

I’m running a stock exedy in my mustang. And so far I like it. But it does have a weird engagement point (but I’m used to hydro clutches. Cables take a little getting used to)

I also installed a Sachs clutch in a Dakota I had. But I found 3rd gear was gone after I got it together. So I never got to put too many miles on that setup before I scrapped the truck.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Luk or Sachs seemed to be the two most go with. I went Luk for my Ranger.

I have yet to install though...

 

[RangerFabWorks]

this is one of the biggest concerns i have with luk clutches. this was the last one i ever used.......

 

[Denisefwd93]

this is one of the biggest concerns i have with luk clutches. this was the last one i ever used.......

?

 

[RangerFabWorks]

?

The fingers on the pressure plate were bent in towards the left. I had a lot of trouble out of the 2 luk clutches I installed

 

[Denisefwd93]

But up above, you said you left out the alignment dowels, surely that must have caused a problem, no?

Excedy seems to have good reports,

I once read somewhere, of course I don't know where now, but they were saying that luk makes the clutches for all these other outfits.

 

[RangerFabWorks]

But up above, you said you left out the alignment dowels, surely that must have caused a problem, no?

Excedy seems to have good reports,

I once read somewhere, of course I don't know where now, but they were saying that luk makes the clutches for all these other outfits.

Yes I did leave the alignment dowels out. But I ant imagine that causing that much of a difference.

Luk used to be the oem manufacturer for ford. I believe that has changed.

 

[4x4junkie]

I see a bolt unscrewed partway at the top also. If the PP isn't properly against the flywheel, that would cause the fingers to appear misaligned as well.

 

[RangerFabWorks]

I see a bolt unscrewed partway at the top also. If the PP isn't properly against the flywheel, that would cause the fingers to appear misaligned as well.

i was in the process of unbolting the clutch when i took the picture.

maybe on a daily driver i will try luk again. but im not fully convinced on my tow rig that it will stand up to the abuse it will go through.

i decided to give sachs another try. seeing as how i liked the way the one i had in my previous truck felt. well see if i made the wrong decision or not

 

[RangerFabWorks]

got the sachs clutch in, either ive gotten super used to driving the stage 2 exedy in my mustang, or sachs makes a super soft clutch but i can push this thing in with my pinky. feels good on the road though. ill report back after 500 miles.


i did find taking the f150 apart that there is no provisions for alignment dowels for the pressure plate. so my previous experience with Luk was NOT do to me not installing the dowel pins. so im glad i didnt try to risk it buying another Luk clutch since ive had 4 bad experiences with them

 

[Denisefwd93]

I think I'm going to go with your recommendation for Sachs.

 

[gw33gp]

I used a Sachs clutch in my 89 STX. It worked very well. I wore out the original clutch by switching to 31" tires with the 3.73 gears. I ran off-road a lot and did a lot of towing like that. I eventually went to 4.10 gears and installed the Sachs clutch. The Sachs clutch had well over 100K miles on it when I sold it and it was still working perfectly. That clutch has at least another 100K miles on it with the current owner and is still running strong.
My current Ranger has a Luk in it with about 130K miles on it since installing it. It looked identical the original clutch. My original clutch was not worn out but the throw out bearing was making a little noise. I bought a complete kit and replaced everything in the clutch system except the master cylinder. The Luk clutch has seen a lot of off-road duty and has towed a lot also. It is still running strong but the slave has developed a very slow leak which requires topping off every couple months. It has not gotten any worse but I keep an eye on it. Of course, the slave is not Luk.

 

[Denisefwd93]

The clutch in my truck now we did not change in anticipation of swapping in the engine. (we swapped the transmission) I mean why pay for it twice.

anywho,. It really is hard to press down and it's at the top 2" & it chatters, lol

hopefully, with the newer 98 engine, new flywheel, clutch pressure plate, it'll be good for the next hundred thousand miles, I would really like to be able to go to Maine, and Tennessee with this "beast" !