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  1. #1
    FEP Super Member mmb617's Avatar
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    Default Questrion about Centerforce clutches.

    My son is looking for a clutch setup for his '67 Mustang project. It has a '94 351w under the hood. I had that same motor in my car at one time so I know that a clutch for an '85 5.0 Mustang works with it.

    He wanted to get a Centerforce unit for it's easy pedal effort as I have one in my car and that feature definitely works. He needs both clutch and flywheel but as he isn't going to be racing the car he doesn't really want to spend $400 for a flywheel when he could buy one for less than half that price. The Centerforce website says that their clutches require use of their flywheel, and they only offer one, a billet steel SFI rated unit for $400.

    When I bought my Centerforce clutch 10 years or so ago I did not use their flywheel so I wonder why they say that in their ads now. Is that just to cover their butt legally in case of clutch failure?

    I can't imagine they are using any sort of proprietary bolt pattern, so is there any reason why you would have to use a Centerforce flywheel with a Centerforce clutch?
    408/T5/3.73's

    We're not fast racers, we're more what's known as half fast racers.

  2. #2
    Moderator wraithracing's Avatar
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    Default

    I have never used a Centerforce clutch/pressure plate with their specific flywheel. I have installed 2 over the years. One way back in my 1984 Trans Am and another in my 85 GT. I have a brand new one sitting in the box in the shop awaiting my 79 PC with a 347 swap. So IMHO I think its their way of selling more parts. That is unless they have suddenly changed the pattern as you suggested, but that would seem to really limit their overall clutch and PP sales to me. Good Luck!
    ​Trey

    "I Don't build it hoping for your approval! I built it because it meets mine!"

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  3. #3
    FEP Senior Member
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    They are using different bolts patterns on some applications. I ran into that on a Pantera project. The clutch/PP REQUIRES the flywheel. It will not bolt to the stock flywheel.
    Bleed Ford Blue! '84 Grabber Orange SVO, '88 Saleen 1 of 4 w/Automatic, '89 Steeda, '71 DeTomaso Pantera GT5 Wide Body EFI 4.6 DOHC...soon to be a Gen3 Coyote and some Old Ford Muscle w/ BB power. 1.21 Jigawatts!!?? PETRO EXPRESS=CITGO=BOYCOTT!
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  4. #4
    FEP Super Member mmb617's Avatar
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    I have a CF clutch in my car and did not use their flywheel, but that was 7 years ago so things could have changed as the part number of that clutch is no longer available.

    I would have to think it would be poor market strategy to change the pressure plate bolt pattern to require use of only their flywheel on something as common as a small block Ford engine. That would probably lead more customers to buy a different clutch than it would convince them to buy the CF flywheel. But I have seen manufacturers make strange marketing decisions before so who knows?

    I think he's going to buy the CF clutch, mainly for the counterweight assist feature and use a different flywheel. He'll buy the clutch through Summit as they have a very good return policy and if it won't bolt up to the stock bolt pattern flywheel he'll return the clutch and buy something else.

    I did read through some reviews of several different CF clutches on the Summit website and couldn't find any that mentioned having problems using a non-CF flywheel, and in fact several mentioned using a different one without problem so I think it'll be OK.

    Anytime you are matching a car and drivetrain from different eras there are issues to address. We're just trying to anticipate potential problems before they occur.

    This is his car that was pretty much a completely stripped out pile of parts when he bought it. About all it lacks now is a few interior pieces as it already runs and drives. He has over $20k in it so far as just about everything on it is new except the motor and transmission which I donated to him.




    408/T5/3.73's

    We're not fast racers, we're more what's known as half fast racers.

  5. #5
    FEP Power Member qtrracer's Avatar
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    I also have a CF "Dual Friction" clutch/pressure plate in my 86 using a Fidanza aluminum flywheel. Was planning on going to a 26 spline clutch when I swap to a new trans - either a TKX or Astro - not planning on changing the flywheel or the pressure plate.

  6. #6

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    Some clutch manufacturers require the use of their flywheels with their clutches to ensure material compatibility between the friction material and the friction surface on the flywheel. I don't know if that is going on with Centerforce here or not.
    Jack Hidley
    Maximum Motorsports Tech Support

  7. #7
    FEP Super Member mmb617's Avatar
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    It won't be long till we'll know whether there is any problem with mounting them up as he just ordered a CF clutch set and an FRPP flywheel.

    If it were me I wouldn't bother to change clutch setups at all, but it's his car and he wants a new clutch. I donated the engine he's using to him and it's a stock 351w that was my spare motor when I was racing. I also gave him the clutch setup that's in the car now. It was one that I had changed out at the end of a season simply because it had enough passes on it that I wanted a new one before the next racing season started. it's working fine in his much lower HP application, so I'd use it till it showed signs of being worn out.

    We're also looking into whether a Maximum Motorsports clutch cable will work with his setup. He converted the car from it's original Z-bar to cable clutch and is using the recommended adjustable clutch cable at the moment. It's been my experience that the MM cable is the best you can buy and I can't see why it wouldn't work on his car. I'll probably end up pulling my MM cable off and letting him see if it works with his car before he buys one that may not work.
    408/T5/3.73's

    We're not fast racers, we're more what's known as half fast racers.

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