Focus clutch or not?

[andyc1230]

After reading a lot if info on here about fitting a focus 1.8 clutch, I've just popped down to Tremona Grarage as my 1.7 needs a new one. They advised against it, as they said ford developed the car & fitted the best thing for the job.They did say that they would fit a focus one if I wanted.
They also qouted £477 including csc for a genuine item fitted.
Now I'm stuck & dont really know what to have fitted?

Tremona are highly recomended & trusted by every cossie owner that I know.

I cant believe I've had a puma for 5 years & know so little about it.

 

[Scotty1.7]

same reputation with us puma owners matey. I can see where there coming from and they are right. The cost is ok- it cost the same for ford to stick a standard one in the puma. But the 1.8 is proven to be a tough old thing.

 

[FlashBastd]

Go for the Fiesta ST item, it is even tougher.

 

[jacko]

st150 is heavy to press though, i have heard. Focus one is slightly lighter than the puma and bomb proof

 

[FlashBastd]

I hadn't heard of it being noticeably heavy, Focus one is probably too light though. After driving an old 1.9D Clio I wondered if the clutch in my Puma was even connected!

 

[jacko]

really, wow. softest clutch iv ever had was an ap-racing one. loved it. its my benchmark now; ap dont do hydraulic pressure plates :-( but found the focus one to be the closest and has put up with my driving.

everyone does seem to be going for the st150 clutch tho....tempted to give one a try but im just really happy with my focus one

 

[FlashBastd]

If you are happy with it then great, but that doesn't mean it is the best one out there.

When I fitted my Focus clutch I did so because I thought it was the "best" (read most capable, durable) OE replacement, had I known about the Fiesta ST clutch at the time then that is what I would have gone for, as it is rated for more power and torque, whereas the toughest thing that the Focus clutch is rated for is a 115PS 1.8 Zetec.

 

[Dal]

It's a good job we all have different opinions, likes and dislikes or it'd be a pretty dull and unexciting world.

k:

 

[jacko]

yes, and thats eldood's arguement....but in real world tuning one of the first things you do is take a cheap oe DIESEL clutch (probably rated to all of 5bhp!) and fit it into your petrol engined same car.....it just works! and its a lot cheaper than buying the 'sporty' clutch.
its a generally accepted rule that even a diesel etc clutch can be as good as an uprated clutch ie anything organic....

this is my point; yes the focus clutch isnt 'rated' to pull the skin off a pudding but its 220mm, it has a massive surface area and its oe so its soft and easy to live with....who cares what bhp it is.... its got more grip!!!

i like to really use my clutches....fast starts etc and a puma clutch literally lasted me a year....the focus one has had a bloody hard time, iv destroyed both engine mounts, a driveshaft and a stub axle snapped clean in 2...all using a quife atb diff which will not let the wheels spin....ie the clutch takes all the grunt.....and its done this with 160bhp for over 2 years!!!!

statistics arent everything.....the focus clutch is a lot better than 115bhp etc.....this is like argueing that a mondeo is faster than a puma because the dials go up to 160mph....its idiotic, childish and wrong!!!!

the only way this clutch has had an easy life is because i dont have abs...therefore traction control...which on a hard start would clamp the brakes; slipping and burning out the clutch

when i know the internal and external sizes of the st150 clutch plate and have pressed one down i will make a proper decision but for now im behind the focus clutch mainly because i think its cheaper and iv heard its lighter to press down

this is daft...i have the same problem with frp owners about caliper pistons....both stainless, both identical....one is £40, one is £8...both made by motorsport brake specialists....which one would the sensible person buy? and which one does the frp owner who reads statistics buy?! mad!

oh; the first person to do this with a focus clutch was a ford mechanic i believe.....

 

[Dal]

The thing about a diesel clutch is it must be able to handle a lot of torque rather than power.

I'd not like some weedy petrol clutch in my 355lbft Mondeo!

 

[FlashBastd]

I am really confused about your argument.

Yes the Focus clutch works, but the Fiesta ST clutch should be better, it is not only rated for more torque, but also more power. You haven't tried the Fiesta ST clutch, but you imply that the Focus clutch is the best thing out there.

Someone asks for advice and you seem to try and sell them on the idea that the Focus clutch is the best thing out there, when in reality it is the best clutch that you have tried, but the Fiesta ST clutch should be better still.

 

[ElDude at Allison Automotive]

lol..save your breath...

if people think it's better because it's 220 rather than 210 regardless of the construction then let ignorance be bliss as they say..

 

[jacko]

its 220mm outer...10mm bigger than puma but its also smaller internal diameter....it has a lot more surface area. its like comparing a fat donut to a weedy wedding ring when you put the two side by side!!!! it could have the worlds crappest constructions and it wouldnt matter!!

yes i like it, i recommend it. im not hugely fussed who buys what....but i hate people not thinking about my comments and just quoting figures....if everyone did that we wouldnt have a tuning scene cos no one would try anything.

looking at a pic of an st150 clutch it looks roughly the same thickness as the focus one....it looks like the next gen focus clutch!!! but the prices i have found for the plates are same as entire focus clutch kit. i have also heard its harder to press down...so i will continue to recommend the focus kit.

your right, it should be better....but i dont think it is...the only opinion i have on it is el-doods and im sorry but he has no technical background at all and would happily argue against me just cos...he probably thinks a helix paddle clutch is awesome for road use, sitting in traffic, breaking your legs holding it down....i dont....

i havent seen eldood change a clutch himself, write a how to guide on it.....so i really dont care what his opinion is, he's a spectator

people can pick whatever they want...but if the focus one is cheaper, its def strong enough, it shouldnt be mocked for being rated to 115bhp just because thats the power of the crap engine it was bolted to! it can hold a lot more power than that!!!

 

[ElDude at Allison Automotive]

looking at a pic of an st150 clutch it looks roughly the same thickness as the focus one....it looks like the next gen focus clutch!!! but the prices i have found for the plates are same as entire focus clutch kit. i have also heard its harder to press down...so i will continue to recommend the focus kit.

I'll try and keep this breif as there must be more to life..lol :lol:

Your totally wrong on that score ... there's a bit more to it than that... you seem to have missed the differences in the way the friction wheel is rivited together which is different.. not to mention the design of the cover plate which is a whole different ball game..

you can't buy the friction plates, it's only available as a kit with cover assembly

I have already said the ST clutch (when used with Fords newer plastic style bearing) is slightly softer to press on the foot... pay attention

he probably thinks a helix paddle clutch is awesome for road use, sitting in traffic, breaking your legs holding it down....i dont....

you really ought to try some of these products before spouting mis-information all the time...

The original Helix ORGANIC clutch that they used to sell with their own bearing was outrageously stiff.. so much so that yes, it did almost spoil the car especially in colder months when everything felt stiff anyway... after a while they reduced the clamping pressure on the cover and made them MUCH easier to operate, and even more so when used in conjuction with a standard Ford bearing... I doub't there are many cars out there at all now that still have the really stiff type on there...

The Paddle feels complelty different... much softer and eaiser to operate... not very nice round the town or for slow manovering i felt (craigs had this before he changed it and sold it on the 'the old Gimmer'...).. :wink: unless you were out there spanking it, it wasn't nice to operate on a standard road car...

the only opinion i have on it is el-doods

all 4 of us at Cadwell were using the ST item... if you don't like my appraisal, PM the others and get a wider opinion... :idea:

i havent seen eldood change a clutch himself, write a how to guide on it

I think you know full well there is a comprehensive guide on Pumapeople with lots of information and pictures which took me a fair time and effort to compose... :roll:

http://www.pumapeople.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=100487" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Rgds

Chris

ps... To answer the original post.... my own personal preference for the Standard puma is the standard clutch.. it's feel just right for the car, especially if you can source one of the original Metal type slave bearings which gives a slightly more springy pedal feel...

 

[jacko]

im impressed you did a clutch yourself! respect. i dont go on pp, some dodgy mods on there ;-p

i said plates....ie no bearing, focus still looks cheaper

i said it looks like a next gen focus clutch...ie there are changes

the st clutch looks good to me, i just can't abide by people diregarding the good focus clutch on the basis of power figures as its a lot better than that. it looks just as beefy as the st clutch. yes the st clutch may be built better, its newer so youd expect so but i dont think theyd be a lot in it

were on the same page, we just dont like each other so belittle each others comments readily, you are just as guilty as me for not reading my post thoroughly. i am still unaware why your negativity towards me started, i have only ever tried to help and you have only ever sought to improve your skills and knowledge. you learnt how to do the calipers by watching pumabuild, you may have seen my (or others) clutch threads and then had a go and done your own, thats how i learnt, but from a pro race mechanic in my spare time at uni many years ago. we should be able to get on with a little mutual respect. i respect that you really have expanded your technical knowledge and skills over the last few years...