McLeod RXT Clutch Mustang Shelby Gt500 1-1/8in X 26 Spline W/Steel Flywheel

A 2007-2009 Shelby GT500 with a pulley swap, a tune or a bigger blower will find the end of the factory clutch fast, usually as a flare on a hard shift or slip at the top of fourth. The McLeod 6918-07 is the standard RXT twin disc built for that car: ceramic discs, a light pedal, and a dedicated billet steel flywheel with a 164 tooth ring gear, zero balance, for the 5.4L's 8-bolt crank and the 1-1/8 x 26 spline input of the Tremec TR-6060.

What the RXT twin does in a 2007-2009 GT500

From the factory these cars made 500 horsepower and 480 lb-ft from a supercharged, intercooled 5.4L DOHC V8, and the TR-6060 used 215 mm clutch discs (the 2010 car moved to 250 mm). The RXT replaces that setup with a McLeod twin: a pressure plate, two ceramic friction discs with a floater plate between them, an adapter ring and a steel flywheel, plus a pilot tool. Four friction faces give it the holding power, which is why McLeod can keep the pedal lighter than stock. McLeod's older copy rates the RXT at 1,000 horsepower and its current copy states up to 1,100.

The steel flywheel suits a street car. It carries enough mass to make a clean launch from a stop in a heavy car, and it is less fussy in traffic than an aluminum unit.

Symptoms on a modified GT500

• Tach jumps on the 2-3 or 3-4 shift at full throttle
• Slip in fifth or sixth when you squeeze into boost at highway speed
• The engagement point creeps toward the top of the pedal travel
• Shudder pulling away, or a hot clutch smell after a few hard runs
• Difficulty getting into gear, which can also be a release problem in the hydraulics

Confirm it before you order

Run a low-rpm, high-gear pull and see whether engine speed climbs ahead of road speed. Then check the hydraulic system: fluid level and color, a slave that weeps, and whether the pedal returns fully. Air or a leak can mimic a worn disc. If the old disc is oil soaked, fix the leak first, because McLeod's checklist says the cause of the first failure must be corrected before the new clutch goes in. The slipping diagnosis guide walks through the order of checks, and flare vs slip helps you read what the tach is telling you.

Fitment

This listing is for the 2007-2009 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 with the 8-bolt crank, 1-1/8 x 26 input, 164 tooth ring gear and zero balance. It is not the part for 2010-2014 cars; those take a different McLeod number such as the 10-14 GT500 RXT 1200 assembly. If the engine, crank or transmission has been changed, confirm the spline count and bolt pattern, or send us the year and VIN and we will check it.

Making well past 1,000 horsepower or running a lot of nitrous? The RXT 1200 HD version for the same car adds clamp load at the cost of a firmer pedal. For a car that is mostly street driven with milder mods, compare the organic RST twin for the GT500.

Install notes

• Check the old pilot bearing and replace it if it shows any wear; the pilot bushing remover pulls it without removing the crank.
• Test-fit the pilot tool in the pilot bearing, then hang the bottom disc flywheel side forward.
• Keep the floater straps directly over the pressure plate straps and match the alignment marks.
• Use only the hardware supplied with the clutch and do not add washers. Washers, lock washers, then nuts finger tight; no Loctite.
• Torque 25 ft-lb then 35 ft-lb in the 1-7-3-9-5-11 star sequence.
• Clean the input splines with a wire brush and use dry graphite spray if they need lube. Bleed the hydraulics with fresh fluid and replace a worn throwout bearing.
• Break in on the street for about 1,200 shifts with traction control off before any hard launches.

Does this fit a 2010-2014 Shelby GT500?

No. This part number is listed for 2007-2009 GT500 only. Later cars take a different McLeod assembly, such as the 6975-07HD RXT 1200 for 2010-2014.

What comes in the kit?

McLeod lists the pressure plate, two ceramic friction discs, the floater plate, the adapter ring, a billet steel flywheel and a pilot tool.

Should I buy the RXT or the RXT 1200 HD for my GT500?

The RXT is rated around 1,000 to 1,100 horsepower with a lighter-than-stock pedal. The RXT 1200 HD adds clamp load for builds above that and has a moderate pedal. Pick by the power you will make, not the power you have now.

Will the ceramic discs chatter on the street?

McLeod describes smooth engagement and a soft pedal for the RXT. Following the 1,200-cycle street break-in and keeping the flywheel surface clean and resurfaced gives the best engagement.

What torque spec do the pressure plate nuts get?

25 ft-lb, then 35 ft-lb, both passes in a star pattern, with no thread locker on the studs or nuts.

• Transmission Slipping Diagnosis Guide
• Shift Flare vs Slip: How to Tell the Difference
• Automatic vs Manual Transmission Repair Cost