The information presented in the following pages is accurate to the best of our knowledge. However, Midway Industries, inc. Centerforce® is not responsible for any inaccuracies that may be found.
Be prepared to check and do the following:
It is important to match the proper Centerforce clutch system with the vehicle and its intended use!
All patented Centerforce clutches are designed to be a direct bolt-on high performance clutch system needing no special modifications for installation.
Centerforce friction materials are designed to be used with the stock flywheel, aftermarket steel billet flywheels, or aluminum flywheels with steel insert heat shields. If you are replacing your stock O.E.M. Flywheel, be sure that the new flywheel meets the same specifications, such as ring gear tooth count, flywheel thickness, ring gear offset, etc. All billet Centerforce flywheels are designed to meet standard O.E.M. Specifications, and are S.F.I. Approved.
In order to maintain proper clutch service, it is not recommended to rebuild patented Centerforce clutches.
All patented Centerforce products are designed with longevity in mind, however, clutch life will greatly depend on the vehicle, your type of driving and output of the engine. For example a vehicle driven in heavy stop and go traffic will have a shorter clutch life than the same vehicle that is driven on the open highway. Regarding trucks with oversized diameter tires, they will typically get less clutch life than a truck with stock tire size.
Typically, the weight of the patented Centerforce clutch assembly will be very similar to the weight of a stock O.E.M. Clutch assembly. If rotating mass (weight) is a concern, Centerforce manufactures a light weight clutch assembly designed specifically for competition use. Available in limited applications the Centerforce LMC (Light Metal Clutch) Series saves a considerable amount of weight when compared to conventional clutch systems. Please note, these light weight clutches are intended for competition use and are not recommended for street applications.
Centerforce clutch systems utilize their patented Centerforce weight system where applicable, this combined with their superior friction materials allow Centerforce to engineer clutch products that increase performance without increasing clutch pedal effort. This is important in order to maintain comfortable drivability as well as to prevent overloading the release mechanism.
The answer is yes! While it is true that centrifugal assist is a direct function of rpm, the patented Centerforce weight system is effective and will add additional clutch performance at all engine rpm levels.
Dual Friction discs are custom built and designed to be used with specific pressure plate assemblies. The pressure plate assembly and clutch disc should always be replaced as a matched set. If the disc has worn out, so has the pressure plate. In some cases a dual friction disc is available separately due to changing of the transmission and/or input shaft dimensions.
No! The patented Centerforce clutch system should not be altered or tampered with. The Centerforce clutch is designed to be a direct performance replacement clutch system, and should not be modified. The Centerforce weight system is one of the design features incorporated into your new clutch. The weights are designed to add centrifugal assist to the diaphragm clutch spring and increase the clamping force as engine rpm is increased. The weights should be left as installed to assure proper clutch performance.
Yes, using a medium viscocity liquid thread locker reduces the possibility of pressure plate and flywheel bolts from coming loose.
Yes! Flywheels are subject to heat, scoring and warping during use; therefore the flywheel should always be properly resurfaced or replaced to assure good clutch performance. Resurfacing must be performed on a qualified flywheel grinding machine. Centerforce does not recommend resurfacing flywheels on a lathe or a blanchard grinder. Also, be aware that using a hand-held electric or pneumatic grinder/sander or scuffing the surface with sandpaper does not constitute a properly resurfaced flywheel. Refer to your factory service manual for specifics on your vehicle regarding flywheel resurfacing and specifications (flat, step, etc.). Some vehicles require new replacement flywheels instead of resurfacing.
On flywheels that originally use alignment dowel pins, the answer is yes! The alignment dowel pins properly locate the pressure plate to the flywheel for balance purposes as well as add pressure plate to flywheel shear strength. The alignment dowel pins should always be replaced if they are damaged, broken off, or missing from the flywheel.
Centerforce clutches are designed to be used with stock O.E.M. Style bolts or aftermarket bolts designed specifically for pressure plate retention. Clutch hardware must endure high loads, be sure replacement bolts are of high quality and match stock O.E.M. Bolt configuration, (i.e. If stock bolts are shouldered, replacement bolts should be shouldered too).
Bolt torque value should be determined by the bolt manufacturer or if using stock O.E.M. Bolts, refer to your vehicles service manual for proper torque specifications. Proper torque is crucial to your safety, take the time to get the correct pressure plate assembly and flywheel bolt torque specifications and tighten the bolts correctly using a high quality torque wrench.
All patented Centerforce clutch assemblies are designed to be a direct bolt in replacement for the stock clutch assembly. If any of the surrounding clutch components (bellhousing, flywheel, linkage, etc) have been changed from original, be sure they match stock (O.E.M.) specifications.
Yes! All Centerforce clutch assemblies are balanced to original factory equipment specifications.
Yes, if your vehicle is equipped with a pilot bushing or bearing, it is always recommended to replace it during the new clutch installation process. Where applicable, it is recommended to upgrade from a pilot bushing to a roller needle or ball bearing type pilot bearing.
It is not recommended to use Centerforce components with other manufacturers pressure plates or discs. Centerforce parts are designed to work as matched sets and to give superior clutch performance as well as reliable operation. Centerforce cannot guaranty parts from other manufactures.
Bellhousing alignment is crucial for proper clutch function and reliability of the related components. Due to manufacturing tolerances of engine blocks and bellhousings, it is possible for the transmission centerline and crankshaft centerline to be misaligned. The result of this misalignment may be hard shifting, pilot bearing wear, transmission main shaft bearing wear and failure of the clutch disc hub. Please refer to your factory service manual for proper bellhousing alignment procedure.
Although this may look abnormal, this bearing movement is one of its design features. Centerforce strives to supply only the best quality bearings available, for most applications we prefer to use a self aligning or self centering type throwout bearing. This bearing may appear to be off center or improperly manufactured, however, rest assured, the bearing will align and center itself properly during normal usage.
No! The patented Centerforce weights are limited to travel, they will not interfere with the throwout bearing, or make noise during operation.
We utilize the patented Centerforce weight system on all applications that are possible. However, in space limited applications (most front wheel drive cars), it may not be feasible to use the Centerforce weights due to clearance restrictions in the bellhousing. Rest assured, Centerforce has modified these clutch assemblies to increase the overall holding capacity without having the centrifugal weight system.
All related clutch parts should be checked for wear or possible problems. The clutch linkage starting from the clutch pedal bushings to the bell crank (z-bar) to the clutch fork and pivot ball should be inspected for wear and damage, any questionable parts should be repaired or replaced. If your vehicle uses a hydraulic linkage system, check for any hydraulic leaks as well as wear on the push and pull rods operating the hydraulics and all hoses.