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The DPS6 (Ford's name for the Getrag 6DCT250) is a six-speed dry dual-clutch automated manual. It is not a conventional planetary automatic, and the clutch job is not a manual-transmission clutch job either. The clutch pack slides onto two concentric input shafts, is held there by a retaining snap ring, and carries its own internal wear adjusters. That design is why a shop quote for a DPS6 clutch is so high, and it is also why you cannot just pry the old clutch off with a pickle fork and tap the new one on.
If you are planning to do this job in your own garage, the tools are the cheap part. Buying the wrong set, or skipping one, is what turns a weekend into a towed car. This guide breaks down the four tool groups that cover the job, what each one does, and when you can skip it.
What the Job Involves
On the Focus and Fiesta, the clutch is behind the transaxle, so the transaxle comes out of the car. Once it is on the bench, the sequence looks like this:
- Remove the clutch retaining snap ring and pull the dual clutch off the input shafts with a puller that pushes against the input shaft center.
- Replace the input shaft seals. Leaking seals that soak the dry friction surfaces are the number one reason these clutches shudder and slip in the first place.
- Inspect or replace the release forks and bearings. Worn forks and bearings are a common cause of repeat shudder.
- Install the clutch with the installer, pressing it evenly onto the splines, and refit the snap ring.
- Reinstall the transaxle, fill and check the gear fluid, and run the clutch adaptation (relearn) with a scan tool that supports the DPS6 routine.
Skip the relearn and a perfectly installed new clutch will still shudder, slip, or engage harshly, because the TCM is still working from the old clutch's touch points.
The Four Tool Groups
| Tool | What It Does | When You Need It |
|---|---|---|
| Clutch remover / installer | Three-jaw puller plus threaded center bar that walks the clutch pack off the input shafts straight, then presses it back on evenly | Every DPS6 clutch job. There is no workaround. |
| K1 / K2 reset fixture | Re-springs the clutch's internal wear adjusters back to install height | Any time you reinstall a used clutch: seal jobs, fork and bearing jobs, engine rear main seal work |
| Input seal remover / installer | Pulls the input shaft seals without scoring the shafts and drives new seals in square to the correct depth | Every clutch job, and every seal-leak repair |
| Scan tool with DPS6 relearn | Clears old clutch adaptives and runs the touch-point learn | Every time the clutch, actuators, or TCM are replaced or disturbed |
Clutch Remover and Installer Kits
This is the tool the job cannot be done without. The clutch pack sits tight on the splines and the pull has to be straight. A puller that cocks the pack to one side will bind it on the shafts and can damage the inner shaft or the clutch hub. Good kits seat a center screw against the input shaft and pull on the clutch through three jaws so the load is even all the way around.
What to look for: hardened forged jaws that do not spread under load, a threaded bar with clean, deep threads, and an installer adapter so the same kit presses the new clutch on. A case matters more than it sounds, because a missing adapter halfway through a job stops everything.
K1 / K2 Reset Fixture: Only for Reused Clutches
The DPS6 clutch adjusts itself for wear. The moment it comes off the input shafts, the K1 and K2 adjuster springs trip and the assembly expands to the position it wore itself into. In that state it will not go back on, and if it is forced on it will not set correct clearance. A reset fixture presses K2 until its lock catches, then K1, which returns the pack to its install height.
If you are installing a brand-new clutch assembly, it arrives at install height and you do not need this tool. If the clutch is coming off for any other reason and the friction material is still good, the reset fixture is what saves you from buying a new clutch you did not need. Typical cases: an input seal leak caught early, fork and release bearing replacement, actuator work, or pulling the transaxle to reach an engine rear main seal.
- Ford DPS6 Dual Clutch Reset and Reinstall Tool Set
- DPS6 Dual Clutch Transmission Reset and Reinstall Tool Set
Do not reuse a clutch that has been soaked in gear fluid. Oil in the friction material does not clean out, and the shudder will come right back.
Input Shaft Seal Tools
The input shaft seals are the root cause behind most DPS6 clutch failures. Fluid weeps past them onto the dry clutch, the clutch starts to judder on takeoff, and eventually it slips. Putting a new clutch in behind old seals is how people end up doing the job twice.
The seals sit on concentric shafts, so a screwdriver or generic seal puller risks scoring the sealing surface of the shaft. A dedicated remover hooks the seal cleanly, and the installer drivers set the new seals square and to the correct depth. A seal that is cocked or driven too deep will leak again.
Parts to Have on the Bench
Order these before the transaxle comes out so the car is not sitting on stands waiting for a box:
- Dual clutch assembly if the friction material is worn or contaminated: Ford Focus DPS6 Dual Clutch Kit with Forks
- Release forks and bearings: DPS6 Clutch Fork and Release Bearing Kit
- Clutch actuators if they are noisy, slow, or setting actuator codes: DPS6 Clutch Actuator Set
- Gear fluid to replace what is lost at the seals: XT-11-QDC Dual Clutch Transmission Fluid
- Input shaft seals (new, every time)
Common Mistakes
- Reusing old input shaft seals. The leak comes back, the new clutch gets soaked, and you are back where you started.
- Forcing a used clutch on without resetting K1/K2. It either will not seat or it seats with the wrong clearance and slips.
- Pulling the clutch crooked. Always seat the center screw against the shaft and tighten the jaws evenly before you start turning.
- Skipping the relearn. A new clutch running on old adaptives will shudder and can look like the job failed.
- Ignoring the forks. Worn forks and release bearings cause takeoff judder that feels exactly like a bad clutch.
DIY With Tools vs Paying a Shop
Independent shops commonly quote roughly $1,200 to $2,000 for a DPS6 clutch replacement with labor, and more when the seals and forks are added. A remover/installer kit and a seal tool kit together usually come in well under the labor portion of that quote. If you own more than one DPS6 car, or expect to do the job again (many owners are on their second or third clutch), the tools pay for themselves on the first job. Our DPS6 clutch replacement cost breakdown has the full shop pricing.
Get the Tools and the Parts Together
A DPS6 clutch job is one trip under the car if you have the remover/installer, the seal tools and the clutch parts on the bench before the transaxle comes out. Free shipping on every order.
Shop Transmission Tools → Core Transmission Parts →FAQ
Can I remove a DPS6 clutch without the special puller?
Not safely. The clutch is a tight fit on the input shaft splines and has to come off straight. Prying or hammering it off risks damaging the input shafts and the clutch hub. A remover/installer kit that pushes against the input shaft center is the correct way to do it.
Do I need the K1/K2 reset tool for a new clutch?
No. A new clutch assembly arrives at install height. The reset fixture is only needed when you reinstall a used clutch that has been removed from the input shafts, because its internal adjusters trip as soon as it comes off.
Do I have to do a clutch relearn after replacing the DPS6 clutch?
Yes. The TCM stores clutch touch points for the old clutch. After the clutch, actuators, or TCM are replaced, the adaptive values must be cleared and a clutch adaptation run with a scan tool that supports the DPS6 routine. Without it the car can shudder, slip, or engage harshly.
Which vehicles do these DPS6 tools fit?
They are made for the Ford DPS6 six-speed dry dual clutch used in the 2012-2018 Focus and 2011-2019 Fiesta. Check the listing for each kit to confirm its specific coverage.
Will DPS6 tools work on the MPS6 / 6DCT450?
No. The MPS6 (6DCT450) is a wet dual-clutch transmission with a different clutch design. DPS6 dry-clutch tools are not interchangeable with it.
Should I replace the input shaft seals every time?
Yes. Leaking input shaft seals are the most common reason the dry clutch gets contaminated. A new clutch behind old seals is the most common reason this job gets done twice.