MT82 - 1. Bucking at low speeds, clunking. 2. Stern Lawsuit

[Konamoth]

I've owned many cars and have to say it has nothing to do with people's driving. It has to do with the car. I agree you can drive it smooth if you are Mindful and drive it a specific way. And on another note I have to say this is the first car and newest car I've owned where you had to be careful how you let the clutch out or you will get massive bucking around town. I still feel it's definitely a software issue..

My question is do the people with Tunes have this problem?

I let a friend drive my car. It was his first time with this generation Mustang but he had owned Mustangs himself of the prior generation and he did the exact same thing with the Bucking. It's definitely not user error and user smoothness does help reduce the effect of whatever is going on but do I really need to drive the car a specific way that no other car likes to be driven? I still think it's in the programming and something with the clutch switch

Clutch... switch? Software?? Programming??? Tuning????

Are we forgetting the definition of a manual transmission? If we are, a reminder: it's right there in the name.

It is a powerful engine, with a lot of torque behind it. It is a manual transmission that engages and disengages at your behest. Being smooth with gear changes helps the same with this car, as it does in any. Newer does not mean it will be smoother. Yes, you really do need to drive the car a specific way that no other car likes to be driven, because a 430WHP manual mustang is not equivalent in driving feel to a 130HP manual Civic.

It is most definitely driver error. You cannot tune that out.

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[agrump]

When I first got my mustang I had problems with getting a smooth release of the clutch. I tried a lower tension clutch spring which helped with the clutch feel but still didn't address the smooth release. I discovered that I was not pressing the clutch pedal far enough. That was a problem for me since if I adjusted my seat to be able to do it, it left my gas/brake foot at an uncomfortable angle. I added a small extension to the clutch pedal and that fixed it.

As for the clunk, if it is the same clunk that you sometimes get when going from neutral to first, I found that that was caused by the 3.73 torsen differential. I switch to a 3.15 and the clunk completely disappeared. I was surprised as I thought it was a problem with the driveshaft. I recently put the 3.73 torsen back and the clunk has returned.

 

[WD Pro]

My handwriting is shit It’s really messy and full of spellings, sometimes it won’t even stay on the lines

Is there a problem with my pen … ?

Now joking aside - just like writing, shifting a manual is a process that involves some skill and even when mastered, some small adaptations when moving from one vehicle to another

WD

 

[Nightmonkey]

For starting, at least in the EU model, the owner's manual suggests that you should start in 2nd gear on the flat and downhill.
I use 1st gear only for maneuvering, in traffic jams and for starting uphill.
Just give it a try.

Regarding the clutch pedal spring, that was one of the first things I changed.
The much too light actuation force from the factory certainly helps if you're a chick who absolutely has to drive with high heels, but annoyed me with starting like a beginner driver.

Question: Does the Steeda clutch spring offer more resistance or less resistance? Is this an easy DIY?

Much more resistance, too much for me in daily driving.
Between Steeda and OEM with medium resistance is McMaster-Carr 9657K573.
Give both a try and make a choice.

 

[paulm1]

"bucking at low speed" you can't lug this engine. The power and torque is much higher in the rpm range compared to a pushrod motor. If you are driving below 1500 rpm at 3rd gear and above (generally, sometimes 2nd also) and hit the throttle the car is going to "buck", you are lugging the motor. Any manual trans V8 car with a high rpm powerband will do it. If you want low end torque tune the car (though I don't think there's much to be gained there) or buy a camaro.

 

[Skye]

There is no bucking at high RPMs, only coming off a stop or driving very slow.

Another vote for the Steeda clutch spring. MY shifting performance improved greatly after install.

+1 for replacing the factory clutch spring. Multiple threads exist for the process of changing within these forums. You can also study videos on the Internet.

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/steeda-clutch-spring-better.173206/

I found the factory Ford clutch spring in the Mach 1 to be like and on/off switch, an all-or-nothing experience. I struggled with bucking, sometimes stalling. I couldn't really "feel" the clutch bite point.

As so many others can attest, replacing the clutch spring can alleviate a lot of your issues. It's not that expensive. Definitely worth a try.

 

[shogun32]

There is no bucking at high RPMs, only coming off a stop or driving very slow.

put 1200-1500 RPM on the tach when you feather the clutch from a stop. And don't just drop the pedal when you haven't yet gotten engine and road speed in sync. The Steeda clutch spring lets you feel where the detent is between hydraulic activation and useless dead air. The Ford one makes that near impossible. I wanna whip that engineer with a chain, for being so damn stupid.

I switch(ed) between 4 different brands and their manuals. The VW GTI was the easiest not to flub, followed closely by Ford (GT and Ecoboost, perfection with Steeda spring) with the Camaro being the hardest to read and had the shortest bite range, and until you recalibrated your leg to KEEP PRESSURE on the clutch pedal for 'longer' than was needed in the other cars, it was not uncommon to flub the start.

Your problem is lack of driver skill compounded by the Ford's choice of spring. If your RPMs drop materially during takeoff, you F'd up the start. I recently bought a '22 EB and as my passenger can attest clutch prowess has been unsteady. It's because of the Ford spring.

 

[Blacktop17]

Clutch... switch? Software?? Programming??? Tuning????

Are we forgetting the definition of a manual transmission? If we are, a reminder: it's right there in the name.

It is a powerful engine, with a lot of torque behind it. It is a manual transmission that engages and disengages at your behest. Being smooth with gear changes helps the same with this car, as it does in any. Newer does not mean it will be smoother. Yes, you really do need to drive the car a specific way that no other car likes to be driven, because a 430WHP manual mustang is not equivalent in driving feel to a 130HP manual Civic.

It is most definitely driver error. You cannot tune that out.

I have owned many cars over the years and several Mustangs all of which were easier to drive than the 2017 stock or modified like I have it now. My other Mustang is supercharged and has a lot more horsepower many more mods. It has a Spec stage 3 plus clutch and it's still releases better than my 2017

 

[Konamoth]

I have owned many cars over the years and several Mustangs all of which were easier to drive than the 2017 stock or modified like I have it now. My other Mustang is supercharged and has a lot more horsepower many more mods. It has a Spec stage 3 plus clutch and it's still releases better than my 2017

...Good for you? Again, your other mustang, whatever make/model it is and your 2017 are two completely different cars, with different engines and transmissions. If you've owned so many over the years as claimed, I'd expect you'd understand that they do not all shift, release, or drive the same. Modified or otherwise.

 

[boB]

+1 for replacing the factory clutch spring. Multiple threads exist for the process of changing within these forums. You can also study videos on the Internet.

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/steeda-clutch-spring-better.173206/

I found the factory Ford clutch spring in the Mach 1 to be like and on/off switch, an all-or-nothing experience. I struggled with bucking, sometimes stalling. I couldn't really "feel" the clutch bite point.

As so many others can attest, replacing the clutch spring can alleviate a lot of your issues. It's not that expensive. Definitely worth a try.

(cross-post from Mach 1, I try not to do that often)
Steeda has a 95 lb/in spring (555-7023) that they sell for 2011-2014 Mustangs, a reviewer (on CJ Pony Parts) noted the 35 lb/in spring made the clutch too stiff but the 95 spring fits a 2018 and felt just right.
The spring is still about 2x the price of the one from McMaster (9657K573), it's up to you if you are ok with that to support the vendors.

 

[Nightmonkey]

Good hint, don't understand why Steeda doesn't offer this as an option.
I was not aware of this and was happy to get such a spring from a specialized company in Denmark.
The cost would have been the same for me.

The GT350 has a two piece spring, has anyone tried these for comparison?

 

[Tucker80]

I'm surprised by how many people report struggling to drive a manual mustang. I owned dozens of manuals and have driven hundreds of different manuals ranging multiple manufactures, vehicle types, power levels etc. and never had an issue. I test drove 5 manual S550's, before landing on my 21, and none of them had transmission or clutch related problems.

The issues described here are 100% user error / lack of skill. If after a day or two of driving the car and you're still bucking and bouncing around you've bought the wrong car and should move on to an automatic. Trying to explain away the lack of skill with "clutch problems" or "spring strength" is comical.

 

[IPOGT]

I'm surprised by how many people report struggling to drive a manual mustang. I owned dozens of manuals and have driven hundreds of different manuals ranging multiple manufactures, vehicle types, power levels etc. and never had an issue. I test drove 5 manual S550's, before landing on my 21, and none of them had transmission or clutch related problems.

The issues described here are 100% user error / lack of skill. If after a day or two of driving the car and you're still bucking and bouncing around you've bought the wrong car and should move on to an automatic. Trying to explain away the lack of skill with "clutch problems" or "spring strength" is comical.

Not everyone is as perfect as you are. Good for you.

 

[Tucker80]

Not everyone is as perfect as you are. Good for you.

It's not about being perfect. It's about acknowledging it's not a machines fault especially when the part in question is completely controlled by the operator. If you can't keep it from bucking after a few days it's just not for you. It's really that simple.

 

[Rapid Red]

When it bucks, you can feather the clutch and add some throttle. Doing this at the same time, as the RPM increases bring the clutch back out.

In other words down on the gas up on the clutch, you do not want to slip the clutch.

The problem is all about the power-to-weight ratio to move the car. You'll need more gas peddle when the clutch is fully engaged.

The Steeda spring gives a much better feel for that.


power-to-weight ratio to move the car. EXACTLY V
There is no bucking at high RPMs, only coming off a stop or driving very slow.

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