Warning: New King Cobra clutches

[autosay97]

I don't usually get on the forums and bash anyones product but this one takes the cake.

I installed a king cobra clutch kit the other day and after the first drive was immediately disappointed with it. Its about 250% stiffer than stock. I got over that eventually, the bad came out of it last night after datalogging a run or two.

After playing around with my timing maps on my stock 98 cobra I decided to go test it. 1-2 shift perfect, 2-3 shift perfect, 3-4 BOOM clank clank clank...

Limped it to the house and pulled the tranny. The clutch disc completely blew apart, the thin metal that links to the disc hub to the organic material ripped apart seperating the organic material from the clutch disk hub. I had to mic the metal.... .031"

Looking over the datalog I was running 106 mph when this happened, pretty scary considering what could have happened. These clutches are not safe even for a bone stock 300 hp cobra. Looking over it I noticed it doesn't say "valeo" on it like the old ones did....the new king cobras are junk

 

[Rotarded]

So your opinion on these clutches is based off of one clutch that you had this happen to?

 

[autosay97]

How many should it take?

Absolutely. This thing put a couple small holes in my bellhousing. You must not have read the .031" part!

Just want to make sure no one else makes the same mistake I did. You can take this info and my opinion however you want. Any clutch that rips apart on a stock car is not worth buying.

 

[svtcobralover]

Could it have been a bad install?

 

[autosay97]

I don't see how, flywheel was resurfaced and this is about the 12th clutch I have installed. There is clearly a difference between the old king cobra clutches made by ford and these new chinese models. The old ones were great, I had 2 of them in previous cars. The new ones have way more pedal effort and are not near as sturdy.

 

[autosay97]

Here is a pic of one of the tabs that ripped, as you can see each tab is less than 1" long and a touch over .030" thick. This is the section that actually connects the clutch disc hub to the organic material.

Carnage! Note the section of clutch disc that tore out and threw a spring into who knows where.

 

[STAMPEDE3]

I blew 2 CF DFs at the track the same way on the 3-4 shift.

It happens.
Not the first, won't be the last.

 

[autosay97]

I blew 2 CF DFs at the track the same way on the 3-4 shift.

It happens.
Not the first, won't be the last.

I would expect that from a modified car, mines stock as a rock lol.

 

[19mustang95]

So its an ebay special "king cobra" clutch?

 

[autosay97]

Yep, its definitely not a valeo clutch like the old ones were. I would consider it a knock off hence the thread title "New King Cobra clutches". I have had the old ones, they are great which is why I bought this one assuming it was the same. I guess since FMS quit selling them people are labeling these junkers as king cobra!

 

[SVT CAMR]

Thanks for the warning.
I have had that kind of carnage also with the centerforce.

here is some clutch info I have been working on.

Here is the "OLD" style 800 series by McLeod. (Kevlar Pucks FW Side and organic on PP side)

Here is the flywheel side of the "NEW" 800 series Mcleod. (Kevlar)

Here is the other side of the 800 & 500 series discs from Mcleod. Note: this is also on both sides of the 100 series discs. (Organic)

Here is the Flywheel side of the 500 series. (Ceramic) I'm leaning toward this one.

I was also looking at SPEC but they are too hit of miss. I was thinking of going with a stage 1+ which is the stage 2 kevlar on the FW side and stage 1 organic on the PP side.

And of course lets not forget RAM but I had a problem many years back with them and customer service so I will buy nothing from them.:shrug:

On another note I cannot believe Ford would stop doing business with Valeo. Valeo was the Chit with pressure plates for our cars.
Here is the valeo replacement for the 03-04 cobra. I should call them and see if they make a 03 version in 26 slpine.
valeo # 7560scv46


I have been trying to decide which clutch to choose now for 2 weeks. I like to use a FRPP 11" cobra PP but if they are made in china too I think I will spend the extra $ on the Mcleod PP.

 

[STAMPEDE3]

I would expect that from a modified car, mines stock as a rock lol.

I don't expect a centerforce DF (damm sure not 2 of them) to blow on a bolt on 96 cobra.

Not saying the new King Cobra isn't junk but even good clutches blow. More often than most think.

 

[autosay97]

The flywheel side of the "new" mcleod 800 shows the "tabs" that failed in my clutch disc. Matter of fact they look the exact same. Note how all of the spec discs are solid, they don't have the "tabs" that are rivoted to the disc hub, I would consider specs' discs more structurally sound. I don't see there outer disc ripping away from the disc hub.

I am going to go back to what worked for me a couple years back. Stock 03/04 cobra clutch and pressure plate. Our cars (96-98 cobras) are lighter and make less power than stock 03/04 cobras do so they put a lot less strain on the clutch. Not to mention I am going to be running a 4.10 gear.

I don't know that ford quit with valeo or not, I do know that this "king cobra" clutch does not have valeo stamped on it like the old ones did. In essence it is not a true original king cobra clutch.

 

[006]

The flywheel side of the "new" mcleod 800 shows the "tabs" that failed in my clutch disc. Matter of fact they look the exact same. Note how all of the spec discs are solid, they don't have the "tabs" that are rivoted to the disc hub, I would consider specs' discs more structurally sound. I don't see there outer disc ripping away from the disc hub.

I am going to go back to what worked for me a couple years back. Stock 03/04 cobra clutch and pressure plate. Our cars (96-98 cobras) are lighter and make less power than stock 03/04 cobras do so they put a lot less strain on the clutch. Not to mention I am going to be running a 4.10 gear.

I don't know that ford quit with valeo or not, I do know that this "king cobra" clutch does not have valeo stamped on it like the old ones did. In essence it is not a true original king cobra clutch.

Give us the link for where you bought it from.

There have been tons of cobra clutches littering eBay lately and from all the research I've done, it appears that most of them are from China.

Example:

My 99 cobra hops VIOLENTLY even with IRS braces and bushings - Mustang Forums at StangNet

I wonder if it is worse because we have convertibles? (weight, balance, etc.....)

Have you ever heard of anyone breaking (obliterating) their clutch disk splines? Check this out. This happened a couple days after my first trip to the local track after my mods. I was driving down the highway and it let go. I replaced this POS with a McLoed.

There are supposed to be mating splines!!!

Made in China!!

BTW, Valeo still makes clutches for our cars and the parts are readily available in many places. This includes 10.5" clutches used on the 96-98 Cobras, the 99-01 11" clutches and the 11" 03-04 clutches as well.

 

[94venomV8]

I've had spec clutches in 3 cars and many more of friends and family cars. Never hd one issue and they have taken a beating for sure. My old car I was leaving with nitrous on a 347 and it was running in the tens with the manual trans at the time. Never had a hiccup. My car now I run a spec 3+ and it hasn't hiccuped with the KB and now will be going with the turbo setup and I'm sure it will take that, if not I wilL buy another spec. Also I should add that the pedal effort is close to stock on the 3+

 

[goldbomb79]

Did you have the flywheel turned when you put the new clutch in, and did you use a torque wrench to tighten the bolts down? I'm not knocking you or saying you didn't, I was just wondering. I've seen clutches installed on a used flywheel and people not breaking it in at all, and they've exploded like that. One of my friends tightened one bolt way tighter than the others once and it flexed it enough to chuck it through the floor board of his fox.
I'm guessing you installed it right, and just got a defective clutch. Sounds like you have my luck.

 

[Iso]

Well this isn't what i like to see, I have a brand new FMS king cobra clutch sitting at the shop. I'll have to open it up and see what it has stamped on it.

 

[CptJagermeister]

Dang, I was going to put a "New" King Cobra in mine too, glad I went with a Valeo :rockon: