ALL ABOUT CLUTCHES

A clutch in your fast Ford has one job to do – to transfer the power from the engine to the gearbox, via the flywheel.

Now, obviously, you’ll be wanting as much of that energy as possible to be transferred across, hopefully without destroying either your clutch or flywheel in the process. Perhaps what’s most important is the last bit; there’s no point in having any clutch if it explodes every five minutes, although there are equally no hero points achieved for having a highly-tuned engine where all the power goes to waste in a huge cloud of stinky smoke and clutch slippage either.

The truth is, when there’s any sort of engine tuning or ‘enthusiastic driving’ thrown into the mix, the extra torque loads and extreme conditions your clutch has to endure can mean it struggles to cope.

That’s where uprated performance clutches come in, designed specifically to ease the burden and keep your fast Ford putting power to the wheels. But hardcore clutches do come with their own considerations. As ever, it’s a case of striking the perfect balance for your needs.

So, here’s what you need to know…

WHAT IS A CLUTCH ?

A conventional clutch setup has three main parts: the clutch plate, the release bearing and the cover. The plate is