difference in ford racing HD & king Cobra kits
 

i talked to a jegs tech guy and he confirmed for me that the only difference in HD and King Cobra clutch kits is the King Cobra has a redesigned pressure plate that reduces pedal effore by 10% that and its 40$ more expensive he said that the holding power is the same. That is a bunch of crap in my oppinion, why pay 40$ for 10% less pedal effort.

Also, with the mods below plus a set of subframes, do you think the HD clutch kit will be enough?

I have the FMS HD clutch and have gotten used to the pedal effort. IMHO you probably won't notice the 10% reduction but will notice the $40 :eek: As far as I can tell, the FMS HD clutch is about as good as any single disc stock type clutch you can get. Anything better starts out around $250 and up, centerforce, Ram dual disc etc...

Clutch preferences
 

The King Cobra clutch set up is fine for your Mustang and a good buy, in my opinion.

I have one (20,000 miles, now) and have zero complaints.

The heavier clutch set-ups cost a lot more and are not necessary unless you have big mods and/or race constantly.

When you install whatever clutch you buy, don't overlook the little things like replacing the pilot bearing and the rear main seal too while the transmission is out, as well as the big stuff, like resurfacing or replacing the flywheel. It makes for a better installation and helps avoid problems (like vibration) when you get it back together.

Most people say you need body builder legs to use the Motorsport HD pressure plate. They have been proven reliable, big time.

One of the most popular combinations is the Centerforce pressure plate with the Motorsport HD clutch disc. Great grabbing power, and pedal effort that doesn't kill you in traffic.

I forget about what percentage the King Cobra reduces pressure by. I thought it was more than 10%, and if it is, I'd pay $40 for something that will be nicer over the next several years and 80,000mi or so.

My King Cobra setup grips very well. I've abused it quite a few times with no slipping as of yet. It's been in the car for over 2 years. Check the sig for the mods.

Isn't the FMS HD clutch the same as stock?

Umm, No! The FMS HD is one of the toughest single disc clutches you can get. A stock pressure plate has springs with about 1/2 the rate of the FMS HD, is not SFI approved, and is soft. The FMS disc is made of a high fricton lining with metallic fragments rather than an organic lining.

The pedal pressure doesn't bother me but then again, I'm 235#'s and have some pretty big quads.

I misread the FRP website, then. They made it sound like it was a "direct OEM replacement". I read "direct OEM replacement" as "identical to stock". Oh well...in a few months, my left leg will be a lot bigger than my right, I guess. ;)

The only problem with the HD clutch is when I drive another stock stickshift trans, like my 88 2.3 Notch. It feels really weird to have so little spring pressure, and takes a few trys to get used to a normal clutch again!

IMO the king cobra clutch sucks. we put it in our 82 GT when it had the T-5 and it slipped like crazy. put a burn mark in the flywheel.

i thought those clutches could harness more than 400 hp...

we are running 351W with over 400hp

Zephyrman....JEG'S is exactly correct, the 10% loss is only felt by your foot, the pressure of the plate is the same......Here is a direct quote from the FORD Motorsport catalog.

"The King Cobra clutch pressure plate has the same torque capacity and nodular iron pressure plate as the standard H.D. clutch, it requires 10% less pedal effort due to a new, stronger cover and revised internal geometry."

Its the same as the H.D. it's just easier on you!, best clutch I ever had. HOPE THIS CLEARS UP YOUR FAULTS WITH JEGS!

Just Got the King Kobra
 

Well, I just got my Stang back from Ford today. I had the clutch assembly replaced, previously a CenterForce II Clutch and pressure plate, half worn after 15k miles...Something wrong I'd say. Anyways, replaced flywheel, pilot bearing, clutch assembly, and my clutch cable and clutch fork. Holy $hit..although the clutch cable was stretched a little, I'm telling you..it's about an Inch to disengauge it, and it actually all feels alot better then it did when I first got the car with the Centerforce already in it. Although, I must say...for myself...for having to put the pedal to the floor to shift for 3 weeks, it's like learning to drive a standard all over again.