[JOECARLO777]

I just have a few questions about the clutch in my GT500. I'm still getting familiar with it because it's a total different feel than my '03 cobra. It seems very light for the horsepower this car has and it engages very high. It's a little tough engaging in 1st gear on an incline. On the other hand the clutch in my '03 was heavy and and engaged at a lower point. I know this is a different clutch than my '03 cobra, but what is it supposed to feel like? Did Ford ever find a fix for the clutch issues in the GT500? If they did, is there a production build date for when the fix took place?
Thanx,
Joe

 

[fghtrpilot]

Joe,
I know this info is on the site, use the search function to find it.

 

[subsailor]

I just have a few questions about the clutch in my GT500. I'm still getting familiar with it because it's a total different feel than my '03 cobra. It seems very light for the horsepower this car has and it engages very high. It's a little tough engaging in 1st gear on an incline. On the other hand the clutch in my '03 was heavy and and engaged at a lower point. I know this is a different clutch than my '03 cobra, but what is it supposed to feel like? Did Ford ever find a fix for the clutch issues in the GT500? If they did, is there a production build date for when the fix took place?
Thanx,
Joe

big difference you are feeling is between cable and hydraulic cluthes i believe. wasn't your '03 a cable?

 

[6-Speed]

There is a wealth of information on the clutch issue. Use the search function and enter "clutch" and you'll get quite a few to choose from. Here's a good link that I found by doing just that:

http://www.fordgt500.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2467&highlight=clutch

 

[shlbysvt]

I believe alot of the clutch issues have been resolved with the 2010. They have a larger diameter clutch as well as a larger master cylinder.

 

[milezperhour]

the clutch should be effortless and engage on the low side. if its high, and having problems engaging 1st, reverse, or 2nd..take it in...you would need the tsb done...then you'll know what it really is suppose to be like.

 

[03reptile]

A quick response. Your 03 had cable, your Shelby does not. My 03 clutch was tough to push in but honestly, I preferred it to the 07 Shelby. I've had the TSB completed and still have the ocasional shudder on first gear take off. (especially on an incline). Ford really screwed the pooch with this set up. None of us truely know if the 2010 revised clutch has eliminated the first gear shudder as I don't think anyone has recieved their new one yet, but I sure hope so. There is nothing more embarassing then having someone in the car and have that happen. You then have to explain the clutch issue to off-set their assumption that you can't drive. It really is unconscionable that Ford put this clutch system in their premier Mustang.

 

[Three Cobras]

A quick response. Your 03 had cable, your Shelby does not. My 03 clutch was tough to push in but honestly, I preferred it to the 07 Shelby. I've had the TSB completed and still have the ocasional shudder on first gear take off. (especially on an incline). Ford really screwed the pooch with this set up. None of us truely know if the 2010 revised clutch has eliminated the first gear shudder as I don't think anyone has recieved their new one yet, but I sure hope so. There is nothing more embarrassing then having someone in the car and have that happen. You then have to explain the clutch issue to off-set their assumption that you can't drive. It really is unconscionable that Ford put this clutch system in their premier Mustang.

Pretty much agree with all of this based on my own experience. However, I think it is also fair to say that, with a production run now over 30K units, Ford was venturing into new ground puting that many 500+ HP cars into the hands of so many folks - a large percentage of whom might be knuckleheads with little experience driving a clutch. They (I think) got the balance wrong probably favoring very low wear (and fewer warranty claims they probably thought) at the price of smooth engagement. I still think the hiss is cool, but the cable operated clutches in all my other Mustangs have been far smoother and more predictable than this unit. Here's hoping the '10 clutch pack solves the problem. At some point (hopefully far in the future) I'll probably need to replace the clutch and hope a better unit will be available and proven by customer usage.

 

[pmorritt]

tsb aside, clutch feel is pretty much subjective depending on experience and types of cars driven in the past. When I got my monster I stalled it coming out of the parking lot at the dealership_lol. Have never stalled it since. All a matter of feel. Few months ago changed to 3.73 gears and she wont stall even with clumsy engagement at low rpm's and even starting out in 2nd. :bluecap:

 

[Vette Killer]

A quick response. Your 03 had cable, your Shelby does not. My 03 clutch was tough to push in but honestly, I preferred it to the 07 Shelby. I've had the TSB completed and still have the ocasional shudder on first gear take off. (especially on an incline). Ford really screwed the pooch with this set up. None of us truely know if the 2010 revised clutch has eliminated the first gear shudder as I don't think anyone has recieved their new one yet, but I sure hope so. There is nothing more embarassing then having someone in the car and have that happen. You then have to explain the clutch issue to off-set their assumption that you can't drive. It really is unconscionable that Ford put this clutch system in their premier Mustang.

Weird...I have seen so many posts on the clutch shudder taking off and I have not experienced it once in the 2+ years I have had my car. I guess I am used to a lot heavier clutches in the muscle cars I had in the past; going to pick mine up Tuesday after the TSB which is supposed to be an even lighter feel. Maybe it is only an issue on certain cars or something, I have driven a few others (for only very brief drives) and never noticed it in them either.

 

[brandon mitchell]

The clutch master cylinder transfers the clutch pedal pressure to release the clutch. It is very important for your clutch to function properly.

 

[ram_g]

In addition to cable vs. hydraulic operation, the GT500 has a dual disk clutch setup whereas I'm almost positive that the '03 Cobras had a single disk setup. Dual disk clutches have (approximately) twice the swept area of a corresponding single disk setup, so they can handle much higher torque at the same or even reduced clutch disk clamping force. The designed clamping force translates to pedal firmness or lightness - of course with a hydraulic system you can design in any firmness you want by picking the master/slave cylinder ratios, but you can also achieve that with a cable system by appropriate design of the release lever and the clutch quadrant geometries.