Hi folks,

I have an '81 F150 4X4 with a 4.9 and a New Process 4 speed I'm rehabbing for my father. The engine took a dump on me, but a found a low mileage '85 4.9 out of a Bronco at a good price. My brother is coming up this week from Santa Fe (to southern Colorado) to help me with the swap.

My question is this: As long as the engine is out, it seems silly to me not to put a clutch kit in it. The clutch that's in it now is extremely stiff, but otherwise functions okay.... though it's probably got around 100k on it. I'd like to order the kit before my brother gets here (he has limited time), so we're not sitting around waiting for parts to come in. Anybody know if it is a 10" or 11" clutch (New Process; Trans Code A)? Once we pull the old engine I can measure it, of course, but if no one near here has a kit in stock, we could sit around 2 or 3 days waiting for one to come in.

TIA

 

Get the 10'' clutch. That's the stock size.

All 300 flywheels were pre-drilled for both the 10'' and the HD 11'' clutch. However, using an 11'' clutch on a truck that has a linkage designed for the lighter (and easier to pedal) 10'' clutch will result in an unusually hard pedal (so I've heard).

Make sure you use the 1981 300's carburetor and ignition system. NOT the 1985's. The 1985 used a computer controlled feedback carburetor while the 1981 was just a straight DSII electronic ignition.

 

I put an 11" in the 88 with a 351W, and the pedal effort is just as good if not better than when it had the 10. I went with a LuK brand, and have found their clutches to have good pedal. I went from a stiff SOB in the 86 with a Valeo brand to a larger clutch in it as well, and the pedal got much better.

 

Thanks to both! My father is 85, so I'll probably go with the 10" just because it may have a slightly lighter pedal effort. That's pretty-much all I needed to know at this point. Again... thanks