clutches

[LittleHorse]

I'm upgrading to a 4.0 clutch on my 2.9 motor, just trying to get this thing running don't want to spend a fortune. I have an F-150 to do my towing and the biggest tires I'm going to run will be 32 or 33's.

I've seen a lot of threads for "what's the best clutch". I might do a 4.0 swap in the future but if needed I can get a Luk or a Zoom at that point. I want to know what's the best compromise between cost and performance.

On ebay there are AC Delco and Sachs, and then there's Duralast from AutoZone which carries a lifetime warranty. They all run in the $140 range, not including slave cylinder.

Any of these three I should avoid? I figure of AC Delco is a OE parts supplier for GM they can't be too bad, but it doesn't have the life time warranty of the duralast at autozone. Anybody even know who actually makes the duralast before it's rebranded?

 

[4x4junkie]

Just get a stock-replacement Luk clutch for a 4.0L (IIRC, they're called "RepSet" or something like that). There's really no need for any other type, the simple fact it's for a 4.0L gives you all the holding power you'll ever need for the 2.9L (OEM-type clutches usually have a much better pedal feel than "hi-performance" ones too).

 

[LittleHorse]

ok, so what's the difference in the clutches from <92 and 93-97? Everybody has different part numbers for them. The TRS tech article just says anything up to 97.

The flywheels are the same and the input shafts are the same since they have the same transmission, yet something in the clutch changed. I have a Luk set picked out for a pretty good deal on ebay but it says 93-97.

I'm seeing Luk clutch sets offered w/ slave, but it lists the slave as "OEM" without stating a manufacturer. That makes me skeptical.

 

[LittleHorse]

ok, so what's the difference in the clutches from <92 and 93-97? Everybody has different part numbers for them. The TRS tech article just says anything up to 97.

looks like the master and slave are different. The throwout bearing is different as well, presumably because of the different slave.

Fingers crossed that a 93+ slave works with a <92 master and line...

I put in a question to the seller (grip force clutches) asking the manufacturer of the "OEM" slave cylinder they include with their LuK kit. No answer yet, but they're on the west coast so it's still 6AM.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

I agree with Junkie, whoever replaced the clutch in my Explorer put in an aftermarket clutch and it killed my leg the first week I drove it... It was so stiff I thought something was wrong with it... Now I'm used to it, but it still hurts my knee sometimes...

 

[LittleHorse]

I agree with Junkie, whoever replaced the clutch in my Explorer put in an aftermarket clutch and it killed my leg the first week I drove it... It was so stiff I thought something was wrong with it... Now I'm used to it, but it still hurts my knee sometimes...

oh definitely, I've had a Centerforce 2 clutch on another car, among others, and got tired of the clutch pressure pretty quick.

An OEM replacement clutch is all I'm looking for, but there are a lot of manufacturers out there making clutches. Just wanted to make sure I got one that's somewhere near the quality of the original.

I did hear back on the slave cylinder from the folks with the LuK and they said everything they sold was either Luk, Sachs, Seco, Exedy/Daiken, or Valeo.

Am I gonna have any trouble with mating a 93-97 slave cylinder to a master and hose assembly from a '90 BII? I haven't read anything indicating that but I have to wonder why Ford changed them and what they changed. Call me paranoid, but I'm on a tight budget and can't afford to be buying stuff twice.

 

[4x4junkie]

There is a difference in slaves between some years (different hose fitting), but I don't recall what year it changed. You can use the slave for whatever year yours is however.


When I did mine, I just specified all the parts be for a '94 4.0L, except for the slave cyl itself which was for my '90. It all went together perfect.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Just make sure you get a clutch for a pre-98 truck because they switched to an 8-bolt flywheel then...

 

[Will]

just make sure you get one for pre-98 because they switched to an 8-bolt flywheel then...

Good thing the slave doesn't bolt to the crankshaft.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Good thing the slave doesn't bolt to the crankshaft.

I fixed it, I have a terrible habit of not being specific about what I say

 

[LittleHorse]

yeah the clutch is from a 93-97, but the fact that it started with 93 led me to do more research, which then revealed that the slave and throwout bearing were the only thing different.

I went ahead and bought it (the luk), supposed to be here next Monday. $171 for pilot bearing, alignment tool, plate, disc, release bearing, slave cylinder. Not bad.

Got a Sachs flywheel on rockauto for $63 shipped. Turns out Sachs is an OEM for several European manufacturers like BMW, Audi, etc.

Now to buckle down and actually spend some time looking for a transmission.

 

[cocoasranger]

I put a 93 10" clutch set into my 89 2.9L Ranger 4X4 along with a pre 98 4.0L fly wheel and it worked great. Check out clutchcity.com where there are charts showing all the different clutch parts combinations.