So I took out my Steeda clutch spring...

[Kong76]

I noticed the exact same thing after running the Steeda spring and switching back to stock. I think whats kicking in is muscle memory of where you felt the clutch engagement of the Steeda spring. Now you know memory wise with the OEM spring where that engagement point is. After a bit I started losing that memory and ended up going to a 65lb spring which didn't have any free play but still gave me a sense of the engagement point but not as stiff as the Steeda.

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[robwlf]

i took mine out ... i went with no spring at all.. and it feels fine, my 16 i wasn't fond of either spring..so now they both sit on my garage shelf lol

 

[Roadway 5.0]

The spring is for sure a "to each his own" type modification. For me, I was literally going to sell my new Mustang after two months of ownership due to the clutch engagement. I had been driving manual cars for 20 years and I absolutely hated the clutch engagement. I installed the Steeda clutch spring as my first "mod" and the $20 saved me from selling the car. 3 years later and I still love it -- very natural feel.

This is very true for a lot of mods, but I think for a $20 product with quick swap time, you are going to get more realistic opinions instead of people deluding themselves into loving it.

Well said on both accounts.

 

[robwlf]

i agree with ya road ive been driving manuals all my driving life.. prob 25 yrs and the clutch before i removed the spring had me all messed up lol

 

[Ghost50]

Same. When I first bought the car the clutch feel reminded me of an ex-gf’s Mazda Protege.

Even the Steeda spring didn’t make the pedal heavy enough for my liking.

Wish there was a way to adjust these clutches like the older generations.

 

[TheLion70x77]

I replaced it with the stock spring as I noticed that my 1-2 and 2-3 shifts were becoming less smooth and more jerky. When I first removed the stock spring it seemed better, but after replacing the Steeda back to stock I found the stock actually easier and smoother to accelerate. Also, I enjoy how easy it is now to depress the clutch, with the Steeda it actually required some force! I also noticed that once in a while the clutch pedal would sag instead of sitting right at the top.

Anyone else come to the same conclusion?

I had issues with the pedal sticking to the floor at WOT when shifting in lower gears 1-2, 2-3, it happened constantly with the steeda 35 lb assist spring. So I returned it to stock and it occurred far less frequently and when it did, it was usually a slow return rather than a completely stuck to the floor...until just recently at 30k the organic plates delaminated and consequently I'm in for a new clutch. I don't drag race, but I do lots of sustained higher speed and high RPM driving on back roads (think shortened HPDE sessions).

I did a bunch of research on this and it's not just a Ford issue. Chevy had that issue with the Corvettes and Camaros when they were still using single disk clutches. There are limits to how much friction you can generate with single disk WITHOUT making it super grabby (on/off switch engagement) or an overly heavy pedal. They also require a larger diameter disk than a twin disk, so the centrifugal forces result in the clutch acting like a big gyroscope at high speed, so often it's slow to re-engage or slow to release in street oriented clutches.

Most after market single disk clutches do fix the engagement issues, but you suffer altered pedal engagement distances, heavier clutch pedal and a more grabby engagement which makes street use far less enjoyable and smooth. Also, at high speeds at the limit on the track, a smoother clutch is going to be easier to drive at the limits without breaking loose during a shift. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

This why most people report issues with the clutches at high RPM's on the 2011-2017 GT's, Boss 302's were the worst offenders. In 2018 Ford moved over to a twin disk on the regular GT's. The GT350 also uses a twin disk 8.5' clutch with an optimized MOI, however the OE design is very on/off switch engagement. I suspect they focused more on performance and durability than easy to drive given it's track oriented nature. Not only does a low MOI (moment of inertia) allow for better acceleration (lower rotating mass to accelerate) and sharper response, but it also reduces the gyroscopic forces acting on the clutch, so it's easier to get it to move quickly at speed. Take a fidget spinner and spin it on the tip of your finger, with the weights being at the outer edges, you'll notice how it's slow to tilt or move. The rotating masses provide horizontal gyroscopic stability. Same thing occurs with clutches.

I suspect people are burning up the OE clutches like mine at low mileages on NA cars, many stock or just bolt on NA, even though they don't drag race (neither do I) and don't ride the clutch (neither do I) because at high RPM's it's slipping lot due to slow engagement / disengagement. Thus it's burning itself up quite quickly and over heating. Most of the aftermarket twin disc clutches fix that issue, lower mass per disc and the mass is closer in, so lower MOI, slightly stronger fingers on the pressure plates as well all combine to make an effective clutch that can engage and release quickly at high RPM.

It sucks, but if your having issues with it sticking, nothing is going to fix that but a new clutch or avoiding shifting at high RPM / WOT...but where's the fun in that? Ford dropped the ball on the 1st and 2nd gen MT-82 mustangs in terms of the factory clutch, it's worse on the 2nd gen's (2015-2017) and Boss 302's because both the Road Runner 5.0 in the Boss and the 2nd Gen 5.0 can rev out to 7,500 RPMs (2nd gen with mods, Boss does it stock) as they share the same valves, springs, rods, crank and high flowing heads (Boss is CNC ported, 2nd Gen's are cast but flow just as well). The 5.0 was made to wind out and that's how it makes it's power, that also means it needs a well designed clutch that can handle high RPM operation...which Ford seems to have done a very poor job on until they went to a twin disk in the 2018's which I suspect would improve that issue significantly.

 

[TheLion70x77]

Count me as another owner that did the Steeda spring and went back to stock. I honestly never had an issue with the stock setup but all the glowing reviews and the low price of entry made it seem like an easy one to do. After a couple of days I swapped it back to stock and its been over 18 months and I still think the stock clutch feel is linear and smooth.

Agreed, I did like the feel of the steeda even though I only ran it for a few days, but the stock wasn't bad at all and balances pedal feel with linearity quite well. It's far better than the absolutely numb clutch in my friends 2013 BRZ...talk about vague...

I think you'll get more feel out of a better clutch design than messing with the pedal spring. I'm sure if your after ultimate in pedal feel you could combine the Steeda 35 lbs spring with a high end twin disk in either organic or ceramic pad compounds depending on your uses / power adders, but I still think the best over all balance for a dual purpose car is going to be a new clutch with the stock pedal spring.

 

[TexasRebel]

Agreed, I did like the feel of the steeda even though I only ran it for a few days, but the stock wasn't bad at all and balances pedal feel with linearity quite well. It's far better than the absolutely numb clutch in my friends 2013 BRZ...talk about vague...

I think you'll get more feel out of a better clutch design than messing with the pedal spring. I'm sure if your after ultimate in pedal feel you could combine the Steeda 35 lbs spring with a high end twin disk in either organic or ceramic pad compounds depending on your uses / power adders, but I still think the best over all balance for a dual purpose car is going to be a new clutch with the stock pedal spring.

How about a wet clutch?

 

[A7X]

I'm happy with my Steeda spring but the increased clutch effort will be an issue with my daughters especially in stop and go driving, so I'm putting the stock one back in

I'll keep the Steeda though when they don't drive the car as much

I put the stock one back today. I can't believe how easy it is to drive now.

It's like the Steeda spring trained me how to clutch in a certain way, and with the stock one back it's super easy to drive and I'm not missing any shifts

And my daughters won't have such a hard time using the clutch.

 

[A7X]

I noticed the exact same thing after running the Steeda spring and switching back to stock. I think whats kicking in is muscle memory of where you felt the clutch engagement of the Steeda spring. Now you know memory wise with the OEM spring where that engagement point is. After a bit I started losing that memory and ended up going to a 65lb spring which didn't have any free play but still gave me a sense of the engagement point but not as stiff as the Steeda.

Basically what I found today. Except I'll stick with the stock spring for now and put the Steeda back in down the road so to speak

 

[Coyote15]

I put the stock one back today. I can't believe how easy it is to drive now.

It's like the Steeda spring trained me how to clutch in a certain way, and with the stock one back it's super easy to drive and I'm not missing any shifts

And my daughters won't have such a hard time using the clutch.

Felt the same way. I believe the hype of the Steeda helped when I didn't even dislike the stock. I already returned my spring!

 

[JKL1031]

Can anyone help me with my phypothesis..

It seems like the factory spring has a surge right at the top of travel return[which also is the engage point of the clutch and the point to slow down and modulate the pedal during take off and even between shifts] and this is what's causing the non linear feel. the people with knee pain are in pain not because they are pushing the pedal in to disengage, but its from the spike in resistance trying to slow down this surge of the factory spring..

I have knee pain myself and would like to know what is best.

 

[Kong76]

My engage point in nowhere near the top of the return. My engagement is about an inch off the floor. I do feel that kick you mention at the top though. Oem is a 185lb spring.

 

[Ghost50]

I’m trying to recall how my stock spring felt but I do seem to remember a surge at the top of the pedal. I always attributed it to how soft the spring was.

My break point wasn’t at the top though. Like Kong mentioned mine was maybe 1-2” off the floor.

 

[JKL1031]

Hhmm perhaps there is difference in the pedal pushrod adjustment..(cant remember if its threaded or not.)

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