Centerforce Clutch and B&M Shifter

1. Start by removing the shifter...        read full caption 1. Start by removing the shifter boot and knob from inside the car. Disconnect the clutch cable from the fork. Remove the reverse-light harness, the cruise-control harness (if applicable), and the exhaust, then drop the driveshaft. While not shown in this shot, we used a transmission jack before removing the crossmember to slowly lower the transmission without ripping the motor mounts. This gave us better access to the two upper bolts going into the bellhousing.

2. With the tranny out, we...        read full caption 2. With the tranny out, we took out the remaining bolts to remove the bellhousing, then loosened the clutch-cover bolts and removed the old pressure plate, clutch disc, and flywheel.

3. We initially tried to save...        read full caption 3. We initially tried to save some time by getting another flywheel resurfaced before doing the swap, but as usual, it didn’t work out as planned. All 5.0L flywheels beginning in 1981 share the same 50-ounce imbalance (left). What we didn’t know was that the flywheels are different from ’86 on up (right). These accept a larger 10.5-inch clutch versus the older 10-inch clutch and have a different bolt pattern. The flywheel we resurfaced was from an ’85-and-older model and our car is an ’89. If you have an older 10-inch assembly, Centerforce recommends you purchase a newer flywheel and upgrade to the 10.5-inch clutch.

4. Once we got the original...        read full caption 4. Once we got the original flywheel resurfaced, we torqued its mounting bolts to 75 lb-ft in a cross pattern and used an alignment tool to reinstall the clutch disc. This cheap but effective tool aligns the hub of the clutch disc to the pilot bushing in the back of the motor, allowing the transmission to be installed in one shot. We then torqued the clutch-cover bolts to 25 lb-ft.

5. After we put the bellhousing...        read full caption 5. After we put the bellhousing back on, we placed the throw-out bearing on the clutch fork. Be sure that the throw-out bearing is seated correctly with the retaining clips (arrows) under the bearing lip as shown here.

6. To complement the new clutch,...        read full caption 6. To complement the new clutch, we installed a B&M short throw shifter to eliminate missed shifts when we have our foot on the pedal. We started by using a Dremel tool to clear out some of the plastic to get at the upper shifter-boot bolts. Just make sure you don’t cut too close to the clip mounts, or you’ll never get the plastic cover to seat correctly again. Remove the shifter boot and mounting bolts and take out the stock assembly. Then check the plastic bushing (arrow) for cracks. If all’s well, scrape the mounting area, apply some RTV, and install the trick new B&M shifter.

7. B&M supplies metal spacers...        read full caption 7. B&M supplies metal spacers (below) that fit into the grooved slot where the mounting bolts go. They are eccentrically shaped to allow you to bias the shifter’s location rearward if you want. We then put the trans into Second gear and adjusted the positive stops until it hit the shifter handle then backed off by a quarter-turn. We did the same in Third gear and then tightened the lock nut. This will help avoid any over-thrown shifts that can damage the shifter forks. You can either use an aftermarket knob, or the original knob for a stock appearance.

There are many things in life greater than the rush of raw horsepower—yeah right! Nothing in the world compares to dumping the clutch for killer burnouts or power-shifting grabs down the quarter-mile. But like most fun things, it may come to a premature end when those joy rides make your stock clutch unhappy. Daily commutes become a chore, your clutch leg cramps up, and what used to be fun on-ramp blasts end in clutch smoke.

We’d been experiencing this over the past several weeks but didn’t think to replace the beater clutch while we already had the tranny out (see “How to Rebuild a T5,” Feb. ’01). If you already have a potent motor under the hood, or are lost in the many assembly choices, then trust us, move over to the Centerforce Dual Friction assembly. This unit generates up to a 90 percent increase in clamping capacity over stockers, and you’ll be amazed at the reduction in pedal effort and the smoother operating characteristics. And to ensure solid shifts, we also installed a B&M short throw shifter. Although we went over our allotted $500 budget by $1.85, it proved to be excellent bang for the buck, and we couldn’t be any happier to be back in the saddle again.