McLeod RXT TWIN DISC 96-10 Ford Mustang Excluding GT500/GT500KR Clutch Kit

If your 1996-2010 Mustang GT with the 4.6L V8 is slipping in third or fourth under boost, or the stock single disc is glazed after a few hard launches, the McLeod RXT twin disc kit 6335803M is the step up built for that car. It is a complete power pack: twin ceramic discs, pressure plate, floater and adapter ring already matched to a billet aluminum flywheel for the 8-bolt modular crank, with a 164 tooth ring gear, zero balance and a 1-1/16 inch 10 spline hub. It does not fit the GT500 or GT500KR, which use a different gearbox and their own McLeod part numbers.

What the clutch kit does in a 96-10 Mustang 4.6L

From 1996 through 2010 the 4.6L Mustang GT ran a five-speed: the Borg-Warner T-45 in early cars and the Tremec TR-3650 from 2001 on. Both use the 1-1/16 x 10 input spline this kit is cut for. A twin disc splits the clamp load across two smaller discs separated by a floater plate, so it holds far more torque than a single disc of the same diameter while keeping pedal effort low and rotating mass down. McLeod rates the RXT street twin at about 1,000 to 1,100 horsepower in its catalog copy, and the ceramic facings are aimed at supercharged, turbo or nitrous cars that still see street miles. The aluminum flywheel cuts weight compared with steel, so the engine revs up faster between shifts; a steel version of this same kit is sold as a separate number.

Symptoms that point to a twin disc upgrade

• Clutch slipping under load: rpm climbs but speed does not, worst in higher gears after a power adder goes on.
• Chatter or shudder on takeoff from a glazed disc or a hot-spotted flywheel.
• Burning smell after launches or trailer loading.
• Pedal that grabs high or low, or gears that grind going into first because the clutch no longer releases fully.
• Noise when the pedal is pressed, which usually means the release bearing is worn and should be replaced in the same job.

How to confirm the clutch is the problem

Do a slip test in fourth gear at low rpm: roll into full throttle and watch the tach. If it jumps ahead of road speed, the clutch is not holding. Before buying, rule out an oil leak from the rear main seal or the input shaft seal, since oil on new discs will ruin them too. Our automatic vs manual transmission repair cost guide explains what a clutch job typically involves, and the clutch slipping causes and fix guide walks through the other checks, including linkage adjustment.

Fitment

Listed for the 1996-2010 Ford Mustang with the 4.6L V8, excluding the GT500 and GT500KR. That covers the GT and the T-45 and TR-3650 five-speeds that share the 10 spline input. It is not for V6 cars, the 2003-2004 Cobra with the six-speed T-56, or any car swapped to a 26 spline gearbox. The flywheel is drilled for the 8-bolt crank, so count the crank flange bolts before ordering; if your engine has a 6-bolt crank, look at the McLeod 6-bolt aluminum flywheel instead. If you are unsure, send us the year and VIN and we will check it before it ships. Need a street-oriented organic option for the same car? Compare the RST HD twin for the 96-10 4.6L.

Install notes

• Test fit each disc on the input shaft by hand; they must slide freely. Clean the spline and use dry graphite only if needed.
• Install the disc marked flywheel side forward, then the adapter ring with the floater attached using the supplied bolts and no added washers.
• Line up the drive straps and the alignment mark between the adapter ring and pressure plate, then torque the six nuts to 25 ft-lb and then 35 ft-lb in a star pattern. Do not use thread locker.
• Replace the pilot bearing if there is any doubt; a pilot bushing remover makes that quick.
• 1996-2004 cars are cable clutch: set the free play so the bearing is not riding the fingers. 2005-2010 cars are hydraulic; McLeod says to replace the factory slave while it is apart, and the McLeod slip-on hydraulic bearing for 2005-up TR-3650 is an option.
• Break it in with about 1200 normal street engagements, traction control off, and never on a chassis dyno. See how to break in a new clutch.

Use the manual transmission fluid your gearbox calls for and check the level while the car is on the lift. Browse more Mustang drivetrain parts in our shop.

Will this fit my 2003 or 2004 Cobra?

No. The 2003-2004 Cobra used the T-56 six-speed with a different input spline. This kit is cut for the 1-1/16 x 10 spline used by the T-45 and TR-3650 five-speeds in the GT.

Does the kit include a flywheel?

Yes. It is a power pack with a billet aluminum flywheel for the 8-bolt modular crank, 164 tooth ring gear and zero balance, already matched to the twin disc assembly.

Is a throwout bearing or pilot bearing included?

They are not listed in the kit contents. Plan on a new release bearing and pilot bearing, and on 2005-2010 cars replace the hydraulic slave while the transmission is out.

How much power will it hold?

McLeod's copy rates the RXT street twin at roughly 1,000 to 1,100 horsepower. It is aimed at supercharged, turbo and nitrous cars that are still driven on the street.

Will an aluminum flywheel make the car hard to drive?

It revs more freely and takes a little more care pulling away from a stop, but the twin disc keeps pedal effort light. If you want more inertia for street driving, the same kit is offered with a steel flywheel.

How do I break it in?

Drive it normally for about 1200 clutch engagements with traction control off before any hard launches. McLeod says not to break it in on a chassis dyno.

• Automatic vs Manual Transmission Repair Cost