Clutch Recommendations

[Diesel Max]

Throw out bearing is toast and truck has 148K on it. Since the transmission is going to be out of the truck, I'm going to put a new clutch in.

What are the opinions on the LUK clutch for the ZF5 trans ??

Any other thoughts or experience with other brands of clutches for the ZF5 ??


Appreciate any and all opinions.

 

[bird hunter]

I would like to know too. I have something making a whirring noise every once in a while, and when a give a little push with my right foot, it goes away.

 

[plywood]

LUK makes one that is a 12 1/4" conversion for the 87 6.9 year and I believe it's got a good amount of springs in the disc, so it makes up for the loss of the dual mass somewhat.

I found it searching ["12 1/4" 6.9 clutch] IIRC.

 

[reklund]

From my recent research, Southbend will be getting my money when the time comes.

 

[GOOSE]

My brother put a Centerforce in his '86 F250 4 speed 6.9 for plow duty and is happy with it. I drove it and pedal feel is feather light compared to my '91 zf. I would try a Centerforce in my truck after driving his. Those high price high zoo 1000hp clutches seem like overkill for our trucks.

 

[Diesel Max]

Bird hunter........... Mine started off making the whirling noise. If I pushed the clutch in about an inch, the noise would stop. You could hear the noise in neutral with the clutch out and sometimes driving at lower speeds. Tonight, it started squeeling like a power steering pump getting ready to explode. I got about 1 month out of mine after it first started making the noise. I would say get ready for yours to go soon.

Thanks for the other recomendations.... Ill check into Southbend and Centerforce as well.

 

[65sixbanger]

My brother put a Centerforce in his '86 F250 4 speed 6.9 for plow duty and is happy with it. I drove it and pedal feel is feather light compared to my '91 zf. I would try a Centerforce in my truck after driving his. Those high price high zoo 1000hp clutches seem like overkill for our trucks.

your brothers four speed cannot really be compared to the ZF, many differences. Since the Zf comes with a DMF from the factory there are a few different options you can do. I would go to SMF, look on ebay...

 

[bird hunter]

Is it cheaper to replace the stock DMF with a SMF? I know the SMF will make some noise, but I wonder if it is worth it? What do most of you do?

 

[plywood]

The DMF is somewhere in the neighborhood of $1200-$1600, where as the SMF is about $600.00. Also the SMF can be resurfaced nextime saving even more money where as the DMF cannot, or at least it is not recommended.

The DMF is supposed to protect the tranny better, so it could be a bad trade off in theory.

 

[Diesel Max]

Is it cheaper to replace the stock DMF with a SMF? I know the SMF will make some noise, but I wonder if it is worth it? What do most of you do?

If you go with the OEM DMF from Ford it will cost you about $1300.00 in parts for the entire clutch kit.

Looks like from my research so far, you can go with a SMF from southbend or LUK for about $600.00 for the entire clutch coversion kit.

Not sure about the noise difference between the SMF and the DMF, hopefully some other forum members will chime in about the noise differences and their experiences.

 

[plywood]

Ha, I beat you by a minute.;p

 

[Diesel Max]

Ha, I beat you by a minute.;p

Ya, I saw that........... You must type faster then me !!!! ;p

 

[Diesel JD]

Another option would probably be to do whatever Cheaper Jeeper did. He did something similar to what the LUK smf kit does with off the shelf parts at Autozone and for a lot less bones too. I don't really know anything about the ZF5 and the pros and cons of the various flywheel setups, so I'm saying it's an option, whether it's good or not is up to you.

 

[RLDSL]

Call Ft Wayne Clutch and get a 12 1/4" solid flywheel , a kevlar pilot bushing, and a rebuilt 100%kevlar lined hustler clutch , You will be VERY happy with that setup. That lining has much more friction do it doesn't require extra spring pressure so you don't wear your knee out to get a heavy duty clutch, good for me because i don't have any knees left, if it weren't for that clutch, I'd have had to put a slushbox in
THey match the parts up on those rebuilds that put out better clutches than any new ones I've ever bought. Heck, I'm half crippled, cant hardly walk yet these folks made me a clutch I can pull well over 18k with comfortably on a regular basis and never skip a beat, and never once get a sore leg

 

[BigRigTech]

I used a T19 SMF/pressure plate from a 1987 6.9 in my 92 460 to IDI conversion - the disc was part number CP31103A. 11" with springs and 10 spline input, 1.25". My other truck has the LUK 12.25" clutch and SMF - I bought it used with the ZF for $400. The ZF is in my truck and works great as does the used clutch - been in there 3 years now.