Clutch replacement help

[Shinnysideup]

I have a 1980 CJ5 with a 4 speed manual transmission. It will need a clutch this summer and I am considering a Centerforce mid range clutch. Does anyone have experience with them? Are they worth the money? Are they more difficult to install than a OEM clutch? How is the pedal pressure? How many miles do they typically last.

I am running 33 inch swampers with stock axles and engine.

 

[Ggg]

Other than the weights on the pressure plate which use centrifugal force to apply more pressure at higher rpm they work, grip, and install the same as any other clutch. I am not knocking their product but unless you are spinning high rpm's it is no better than a stock clutch, and in typical offroading high rpm is not the name of the game.
How long will it last?.....nobody will be able to tell you, it depends on how good or bad you drive a manual transmission.

 

[Shinnysideup]

Beautiful so I can save some money on this project and go with stock.

Thanks for the info

 

[Ggg]

Unless you are making big horsepower where you need a bigger clutch to handle the power, or some exclusive use like mud bogging where the rpm's are high and you can take advantage of their special design, I would use a stock clutch.

 

[Shinnysideup]

No mud bogging or huge horsepower. Leaving the Stock 258 alone. If it aint broke don't fix it.

Thanks for the info it will save me a little money for my next mod.

 

[volaredon]

No mud bogging or huge horsepower. Leaving the Stock 258 alone. If it aint broke don't fix it.

Thanks for the info it will save me a little money for my next mod.

I will tell ya as I drive mine; I just put a C-force into my TJ today.
I guess it is the CF-II;
I bought the pressure plate several years ago from Ebay and it would up not fitting what I got it for; (It lists the same one for a Jeep 4.0 and a Dakota 3.9; I figured it would be the same as well for a 318; it isn't)
I got it at a helluva price (I forget now but seems like it was like $30 for the pressure plate) so I went to a clutch and driveline shop and told them I had a CF pressure plate and they sold me a stock disc; he took it out of a kit and said he'd reorder the disc, and TO bearing to replenish his kit; IDK the kit brand but it was not CF! though he had several CF banners and a huge decal in the window that said he was an authorized dealer for them;
I replaced the master/slave combo last fall, not alot of miles on it (but that did came from the dealer at the time) so I felt no need to replace that again;
the clutch I replaced was a Car Quest "stock replacement"; IDK the vendor; the stamping on that disc and this new one are the same. If I had to guess, I would say the disc was probably a Sachs.

the clutch I replaced wasn't terrible but with 50K on it, being that I had to yank the trans and replace the synchro's anyway, I only replaced the clutch because I had it apart at the time not because the stock clutch was showing symptoms of problems. my problem was dead synchros on 1st and 3rd.
I cannot believe this is the same Jeep; my daily driver, at that.
The gears go in so much smoother I don't think it was ever this smooth; the softer-than-it-used-to-be, even with hydraulic actuation pedal will be the hardest aspect to get used to; almost no pedal "feel" but it does grab and hold great so far.

 

[Jester32]

Ya. Stock is where it's at. Used to run centerforce in my nova but I spun it to 8500 rpm. Now I went automatic when I went with nitrous. Any other application I always go with stock. Its more cost effective and over kill isn't always good lol.

 

[volaredon]

My brother had an 80 CJ5 that we put a 351C into, with a T18; he went with a CF and never had an issue, that was with mechanical clutch linkage.
I would have probably gone stock on the TJ, if I didn't have the CF here already; meaning $0 out of pocket at the moment; even a stock clutch would have cost more, when I had the CF one sitting here! being that I just went thru the transmission for new synchro's, being able to put a clutch in at the same time while it was apart, for that kind of money the CF was too good of a deal to pass up.
so considering did I get "screwed" by going with the CF over stock?
My "Jeepin" is alot more highway than anything. and the softer pedal will be a relief up on I-55 and 294 when traffic backs up......