Another step in my supercharger support mods, I got the Spec Stage 3+ Clutch and Aluminum Flywheel put in last weekend. While I was at it, I swapped out the Hurst for the Pro 5.0 Shifter.

The stock clutch was doing fine up until the KB, but it wouldn't hold the power. It would slip just a little going into 3rd gear or higher at WOT. No big deal, could have drove it normally for thousands more miles like that, but I figured might as well swap it out.

The Spec holds up to 800 hp, so it should do. Make sure you get a "+" model, as they have springs in the clutch plate and are much more street friendly. Otherwise, you'll have a very chatty race only clutch.

Speaking of chatty, the Spec was a little chatty for the first hundred miles, but at a little under 200, it sounds much better. It is suppossed to take 450 miles to break it in, but even if it doesn't get any less chatty, I can live with it as is. Seems with the lighter flywheel, there is a little more gear lash and tranny noise as well, but part of that is the stiffer Pro 5.0 transmitting them into the cockpit.

Grip is MUCH better than before. Clutch engages at the stock pedal position, and pedal firmness feels just like before. Besides less slip overall and a little chatty every once in a while in first or reverse(which is still getting better), it feels just like stock.

I did go ahead and swap out the slave cylinder/throw out bearing while I was in there. There are no aftermarket heavy duty slave cylinders, so the stocker at $180 is the only option. The original one was fine, but I figure the stock slave cylinder is the weak link in the clutch right now, so might as well have a fresh one. I've heard stories of heavy duty pressure plates destroying the stock slave cylinder after a few thousand miles. Since the Spec gives a pedal pressure close to stock, I think it may hold up just fine.

The Pro 5.0 is in, and probably calls for another thread, but I'll talk about it here. I replaced a Hurst with it, and the Hurst wasn't really as bad as I thought.

Hurst Goods:
1. Much quiter than the Pro 5.0. I had to put some foam rubber between the shifter and the tunnel where the two bolts attach it to the frame. Then I filled the center console with some egg shell foam with a hole cut out for the shift stick and rubber boot. The Pro 5.0 is a much more solid piece, and it transmits more NVH into the cockpit.
2. The Hurst shifter throw is MUCH shorter, probably half, that of the Pro 5.0.

Hurst Others:
1. Very notchy shift, almost a pop-pop from gear to gear.
2. Locks me out when shifting from 2nd to 3rd at WOT. This alone made the Hurst unacceptable for me.

Pro 5.0 Goods:
1. Much smoother shifts than the Hurst. No pop-pop going from gear to gear. Then again, the Pro throw is much further, so possibley the "pop" into gear is just over a longer period of throw, so it comes out more like a "click". Playing with both shifter handles while out of the car, they feel the same until you hook them up to the tranny. Regardless, overall, the Pro 5.0 feels less notchy.
2. More solid, so I'm sure I'll have fewer missed shifts due to the design of the remote mounted shifter. This, combined wth a CHE K member brace with torque limiters, should eliminate the lockout into 3rd at WOT.
Just looking at the Pro 5.0, you can tell it's a much better, much sturdier piece.
3. Even has shift stops, and doesn't reuse the stock rear bushing or the plastic pieces that connect to the tranny shifter arm. Overall, a more complete piece, exept for the shift handle.
4. Comes with two settings for shifter stick height. So you can be 'down in the hole' like stock, or up so you don't hit the coke in the cupholder.
5. Hurst handles bolt right up.

Pro others:
1. Like I said, more NVH, and a much longer throw. The longer throw reduces the force needed to shift, kind of like having a longer crowbar, so overall the shifts feel easier, so the longer throw is worth it.
2. The shift handle doesn not fit the stock ball, and they supply a very ugly cheap plastic ball that would be better suited on a lawn mower. So... pretty much worthless. I bolted up the Hurst stick and still use the stock ball, which I like, but can always get the chrome stick and white ball and swap out with two screws.

My recommendations:
If you're NA, stick with the stock clutch. It works pretty well, and many even with over 400HP have been using it with great results. Much cheaper, and much better driveability than aftermarket. But if you're making more than 400rwhp, and really want to upgrade with a few draw backs and risks (chatty, premature slave cylinder blowout,more gear lash/noise, increase pedal pressure), might look into a Spec.

If you drive on the street, and hardly ever race, and want a really short throw, want a much fimer shift than the spaghetti noodle feel of the stock shifter, and want to keep your enterior quite, get the Hurst.
If you plan on doing any racing or hard shifting into third, want a fimer than stock but a smooth shift, extra protection of shift stops, and more solid construction, get a Pro 5.0.

By the way, changing out the clutch was a total PITA. Took me, and 4 mechanics helping over different time periods around 11 hours. I could do it agian in about 3, but I'd rather not. There are quite a few tricks, and not many have swapped out a clutch on the 05+. If you have somebody do it, make sure they have done one before. I was the guinnea pig at the shop I went to, and after 9 hours, we gave up and called some guys down the street that had done their first one the week prior. Put it this way, the tranny in the tunnel is tight as a (put age of an abstinent female here). And the clutch bleed nipple is hard to get to. It helps if you don't have a blower hitting the back of the firewall so the rear of the motor will rotate down further.

So if you're planning on getting a TS blower, put the clutch in first. I know the Saleen hits, real bad, and I've heard a lot of people had to remove the Saleen blower to get the clutch in. I didnt have to remove the 2.6L KB, but it was touching.

Hope this helps someone, someday.

 

Great write up, thanks for the info. I guess I should start saving for a clutch too along with the blower.

 

Same here.

 

Great write-up Brad. Hey, what's your cars build date? I've read the stock **** fits the Pro, however, Ford changed the thread between 05 and 06 models. Wondering if you have an earlier build date and the Pro fits the stock ***** from the later model. I have a Pro in the mail right now, so I guess I'll find out in about a week.

 

Brad your car is getting more and more amazing. I would love to see it in person sometime but I don't think that's going to happen. Good work my gray brother!

 

Build date 4/27/05, a late '05. Not sure what the thread pitch is, but the stock thread is much "finer" than the Pro 5.0 stick. Some say they have gotten the stock **** on, by basically forcing it to crossthread.

It has been a pain to find a replacement Hurst stick so I can sell the shifter.
Hurst won't sell me one until February for some reason.

And I can't find anywhere else that carries it, Hurst part number 2380050, Hurst straight black stick for stock ****.

 

Yeah, the supporting mods since the blower install have been adding up, but I'm just about there. Might get a shift light next, cuz she bounces of the rev limiter pretty quick these days.

So far: new wheels, bigger tires, taller tires called for lowering springs in the rear, which called for an adjustable panhard bar. Need more stop for the go, so new brake pads, lines, rotors, and fluid and painted the calipers and replaced a leaky one. But just pads probably would have sufficed. New gauges and SOS pod, and now the clutch and flywheel, and figured I'd swap out the shifter and slave cylinder while I was at it to get everything done at once.

I'm going to see what kind of difference just the shifter does on the 2nd-3rd shifts at WOT once I get the clutch fully broken in. Then bolt up the CHE K member brace with TL's and see what that does. Everyone that has a power adder says it is a must have. Along with everything else

 

Yeah, I've read that too about the stock ****. I have an MGW, so that's a no go for me. I'll find out in a week. And yeah, I looked for the stick as well and couldn't find anything. Eh, Feb is in a few days, so I'm sure they'll get one to you soon. Thx...

 

Good luck, let us know how it works out!

 

Thanks for the write-up Hatchman. I couldn't decide between the Hurst and the Pro 5.0. I currently have the Roush and the noise is just too much. My car is a daily driver that will probably never see the race track, therefore the Hurst sounds like the one for me. I'm hoping they make a longer chrome stick to take away some of the notchyness. I put a longer one on the Roush and it helped reduced its notchyness but didn't help much with the noise at all.

Jon

 

the spec will become quiet over the first 600 miles or so. mine is as quiet as the stock was. almsot no NVH or chatter out of it now. ive got a few thousand on it so far and loving every minute of it