What do people think about the Mcleod clutch?

[ng8264723]

Kirkham's website ecomends the Mcleod set up. My trans guy is recomending another setup. What is evryone using and how do they work?

[ENTDOC]

go with the Mcleod

[RodKnock]

That's the one my engine builder recommended (Kirkham still does too).

[Jamo]

muy goodo...

[RICK LAKE]

ng8264723 Which One??? There is only about 6 different ones for your car. Rick Lake

[blykins]

McLeod and RAM are both good clutch setups. I happen to sell both....I give discounts to CC members. Let me know if I can help. I specialize in Ford stuff.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by blykins

McLeod and RAM are both good clutch setups. I happen to sell both....I give discounts to CC members. Let me know if I can help. I specialize in Ford stuff.

Brent, the ERA manual recommends the RAM clutch disc Part #4148 (11" x 1 1/8-26 spl) but I can't find that particular part on the RAM site. Is that a typo on ERA's part?

[Stentor]

I have a McLeod Street Twin in my car and have been pleased with it.

[ng8264723]

Rick,
The website recomends 2 different 12 inch clutches. I wanted to see if people liked the recomended units. I bought the race version. It sounds like it is working well in these cars.
Chuck,
Did you buy the recomended race version? I know you tacked your car on occasion. Did it hold up well?

Forte recomends his own flywheel drilled for a chevy set up. He thinks it's a better way togo b/c the chevie clutches are cheaper and better quality than the mccleod
chris

[blykins]

Patrick, I'll check into it.

You don't necessarily have to go with a heavier 11.5"-12" clutch to get good performance.

McLeod has a nice 11" setup with a diaphragm pressure plate that's rated for 550hp and RAM has a nice 11" setup, also with a diaphragm plate that is rated for 600. The RAM uses a little rougher clutch disc though, so you may experience a little chatter on take-off.

The 12" pieces are made to fit onto a 11.5" pattern, but you get a little more clamping force.

Unless you're drag racing on wrinkle walls, I see no need to go with such a large clutch setup. Cobras are so light and they usually break traction before they really load the drivetrain.

[RICK LAKE]

ng8264723 Chris clutches are just as important as a camshaft is to a motor. You have to deceide what you are going to do with the car. Street, Autocross and roadrace, 1/4 mile blasts. Then the next thing is to match the clutch to the weight of the car and HP and torque of the motor. If I did nothing but track race, it would be a multidisc like a Tilton 8" clutch assembly. Some of the GT-40 guys run them. Light, strong, good holding power. IMO down side, clutch has to be in or out. NO SLIPPING, they burnup or glaze fast. Nascar uses them. This is why every car coming out of the pit burns rubber, it cleans the tires too. I have both my flywheels setup for any 11" clutch from either Ford or GM will mount up to my car. The only thing is changing the thrownout bearing or adjusting the linkage. We raced Ram, Zoom, Schiefer, and Stock Borg and Beck. Some made the car run a little faster, some made the first 60' a little quicker. We broke discs in everyone of them. I am going with Brent and going to try the new street twin RST that just came out. This clutch will need the proper setup and air gaps to work correctly. Breakin is also important for any clutch, (heat cycles) The only clutch I will tell you to stay away from is CENTERFORCE. Kevlar disc,I have not tryed. Would think they will take some abuse with this material. Don't get crazy on the pressure plate clamping force numbers. IMO no more than 2,800 lbs. See what the spec is. Some floater clutches also make noise at idle. Rick L

[Dimis]

Originally Posted by RICK LAKE

... I am going with Brent and going to try the new street twin RST that just came out....

APB - RICK LAKE!
Or anyone else for that matter...

I was wondering how you went with the street twin RST clutch?
Are there other/better options?

Many thanks

[elmariachi]

Brent (blykins) hooked me up with my McLeod setup and it works great. Plus he stands behind his stuff and if you need something handled, he is on it.

Jim

[mpanten]

I have the twin disc (from Brent) and I love it. I use a steel flywheel. It really is the best of both worlds. Rated for loads of power and the feel is like that of any manual set up you would get in a new car. I had a few issues with the slave cylinder and Mcloed's recommended tolerances but I have had it for two years with no problems. Im not sure what it would be like with an aluminum flywheel but I suspect it would still be very streatable.

[RICK LAKE]

Dimis Does it take a long time to have a thread reach your neck of the woods? I upped the power of my 452 to 482. More compression, bigger camshaft, little more head work. Limit of 6,200 rpms on the motor. Torque is over 600 ft HP is only in the 540 range, off the flywheel. To run this power with a single disc and pressure plate would need a 3,200 pound pressure plate and disc in 11" or 3,000 in 12" The twin setups have great power numbers and a soft pedal with feel. It will take more abuse than a single disc. Little slipping is key.
Twins are not cheap and you could replace this clutch with 3 single disc setups. I am getting old and pulling the trans, scotchbrite the surface on the flywheel insert to get better grip back is a pain. I got 5 years out of a organic disc and 7 out of a kevlar one. I am hoping that this is the last one until another rebuild or motor swap to a 498.
I look to buy the best parts I can at the best prices. I do alot of questions to people who run parts I am looking at before I try them. If I was to be real serious, I would have gone to a 7-8" triple disc setup for about $1,200.00 dollars plus setup with different weights and arms. Rick L.

[gsharapa]

They are great and have used them in 5 of my 6 Cobras I did. Keith Craft uses them also.....

[ERA 626]

I have used a McLeod single disk setup in my ERA 452 FE for 16 years. Worked great. But the motor is fairly mild at about 500 HP maybe less. I am now building a 482, we are shooting for 600HP 600 Ft lbs. I was advised by a few people who know a lot more that me to go with the dual disk McLeod.

[HTM101]

I've read favorable comments about them, but my experience was disappointing.

I installed the components to the letter of the instructions. My transmission is a Toploader and at that time was using the typical Girling master and slave cylinders. When I drove the car and shifted below 5k rpm all was OK. When I got to 6k and higher it felt like I was forcing the shift lever through a brick wall. 7k shifts were ...*&*%

The next winter I pulled the transmission for some upgrading. I discussed my prior shifting issue with David Kee. He suggested using 400 grit sandpaper on the blocker rings for some additional friction. I did that, ditched the dual discs and installed a Ram single disc setup, and set the Girling cylinders on the shelf and replaced them with a McLeod HTOB. This set up is perfect. Night and day difference. A 7k rpm shift feels the same as 3k.

I was expecting great performance from the McLeod dual disc, but couldn't get it to work for me. Darn it.

[blykins]

Originally Posted by ERA 626

I have used a McLeod single disk setup in my ERA 452 FE for 16 years. Worked great. But the motor is fairly mild at about 500 HP maybe less. I am now building a 482, we are shooting for 600HP 600 Ft lbs. I was advised by a few people who know a lot more that me to go with the dual disk McLeod.

There are single disc clutches that will support that easily, but the material of the disc opens up opportunities for chatter.

I've used the RAM Powergrip HD in Cobras with absolutely no ill street manners and they are rated for 650 hp.

The McLeod twin disc is also a nice alternative but they can be a tight fit inside of a Toploader depth bellhousing. They are very streetable and easy to drive. You'll spend about $300 more for one.

I use McLeod and RAM on all of my engines. There are other brands but they stink.

[1985 CCX]

Mines been fine
Support great
Nothing bad here