McLeod Flywheel Aluminum Ford 4.6/5.0/5.4L Cobra 8 Bolt Crank - 96-15 Gt Muti Drill 164
The McLeod 563408 is a billet aluminum flywheel for Ford modular V8 Mustangs with the 8-bolt crankshaft flange: the 4.6L 4-valve Cobra (1996-2004), the 2003-04 Mach 1, 1999 to mid-2001 Windsor-built GTs, and the 2011-14 Coyote 5.0L GT and 2012-13 Boss 302. If your stock flywheel is glazed, hot-spotted or too thin to cut again, or you are building a supercharged or turbo combination and want the engine to rev faster, this is the drop-in piece that replaces it. It weighs about 15 lb, carries a 164-tooth ring gear and is zero (internally) balanced like the factory part.
The flywheel is the clutch's other friction face and the starter's ring gear. McLeod machines the 563408 from 6061-T6 aluminum and bolts a replaceable steel friction plate to it, so the clutch disc still runs against steel while the rotating mass drops well below a stock iron wheel. When the plate eventually wears, you replace the insert instead of resurfacing or scrapping the flywheel. The ring gear is hardened 1045 steel, and the part is SFI rated for track use. It is multi-drilled: one wheel accepts either the 10.5-inch or the 11-inch Mustang clutch cover pattern, which is why it shows up in so many Cobra and Coyote clutch builds.
Pull the transmission and measure the friction surface: if it is below the minimum thickness or shows deep heat cracks, replace rather than cut it. A slipping clutch on a manual car is usually the disc and flywheel, not hydraulics, so walk through our slipping diagnosis guide and the clutch chatter guide first. If you are weighing the job against other drivetrain repairs, our manual vs automatic repair cost breakdown lays out typical numbers.
McLeod lists this flywheel for 1996-2017 3.7L, 4.6L and 5.0L Ford applications with an 8-bolt crank and 164-tooth starter gear. The trap on 1996-2004 cars is the crank: Windsor-built 4.6 engines use the 8-bolt flange, Romeo-built engines use 6 bolts. The 8th VIN character is a quick check (X for a Windsor block, W for Romeo), but the 2001 Bullitt has a Romeo engine and 2001 GT production changed mid-year, so count the bolts on the crank flange to be sure. A 6-bolt car needs the McLeod 563406 6-bolt aluminum flywheel instead. On 2012-up cars, confirm your pressure plate pattern; some catalogs note the factory 9-bolt cover does not bolt to this wheel, so plan on a matching aftermarket clutch. Send your year and VIN with the order if you want us to double-check.
Expect slightly quicker revs and a little more care pulling away from a stop than with a heavy stock flywheel. Our lightweight vs stock flywheel guide explains the trade-off.
| Brand | McLeod Racing |
| Part number | 563408 |
| Fits | McLeod Flywheel Aluminum Ford 4.6/5.0/5.4L Cobra 8 Bolt Crank - 96-15 Gt Muti Drill 164 |
| Vehicle fitment | Ford 4.6/5.0/5.4L Cobra 8 Bolt (1996-2015) |
| Type | Flywheels |
| Condition | New |
| Ships | Same business day (in stock), from the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Only if the engine has an 8-bolt crank flange. Most 1996-98 GTs have Romeo-built 6-bolt engines and need the McLeod 563406. Count the crank flange bolts or check the 8th VIN character (X = Windsor 8-bolt, W = Romeo 6-bolt).
Both. The 563408 is multi-drilled for the 10.5-inch and 11-inch Mustang pressure plate patterns. On 2012-up cars confirm your cover is not the factory 9-bolt design before ordering.
McLeod lists it at about 15 lb with 0 (internal) balance and a 164-tooth ring gear, matching the modular V8's factory balance.
Do not machine the aluminum. The steel friction plate is replaceable, so a worn surface is fixed by replacing the insert.
A clutch kit matched to your transmission spline, new flywheel bolts, a pilot bearing and the release bearing. Bleed or inspect the clutch hydraulics while you are there.
