The Best Mustang Clutch Kits & Brands for Your Build

Lethal Performance LPX and LPXHD Twin Disc Kits

Lethal Performance presents a pair of performance clutch kits that fit nicely between the RST and RXT. We aren't biased — we swear! Seriously, we've put a lot of effort into ensuring these can stand up next to the best aftermarket clutch brands. If you want more performance than the RST can offer without the aggressiveness of the RXT, Lethal Performance's LPX models are just what you're looking for.

Kevlar material discs found in the LPX and LPXHD are more durable than Mustang clutch discs made from organic material, but less harsh on transmissions than discs made from ceramic. The LPX and LPXHD can hold up 800rwhp and 1000rwhp, respectively. Each Lethal Performance Mustang clutch kit comes with aluminum and steel flywheel options.

For more info and help choosing the right Lethal Performance clutch for your build, check out our video guide:

Vengeance Clutch Stage 1 and Stage 3

Vengeance Clutch is a relatively new brand producing some of the best performance clutch kits for Mustangs and other high-performance vehicles. They offer a range of single and twin-disc options for high horsepower and torque levels, with options for both street and track use.

The Vengeance Stage 1 clutch kit is a great choice for Mustang owners looking for a high-performance clutch with a torque capacity of 750rwtq, as it comes with a 1045 Billet flywheel that's finned to dissipate heat and a precision-crafted pressure plate that offers easy pedal pressure while doubling the clamp load, making it one of the easiest modulating clutches you'll ever experience.

For Mustang owners seeking a more aggressive clutch, the Vengeance Stage 3 clutch kit is an excellent choice with a high torque capacity of 950rwtq. It also includes the 1045 Billet flywheel and precision-crafted pressure plate, making it equally smooth and easily modulated.

Mantic Twin-Disc

Mantic offers both organic and ceramic twins, with the organic rated for less horsepower. We recommend the organic twin from Mantic for street cars, where the ceramic will be more aimed at higher-horsepower cars built for the dragstrip.

Centerforce SST

Centerforce also makes a really nice twin-disc clutch. Even though we've never run one on a Lethal Performance project car, we've got many customers running their twin-disc clutches, and they've always gotten fantastic feedback.

STOCK POWER LEVELS TO FULL BOLT-ONS

We'll start with the best clutch kits for stock power levels by recommending the Lethal Performance Street Fighter 525, Exedy Mach 500, McLeod Street Pro, McLeod Street Extreme or Lethal Performance Street Warrior 700 performance clutch kits. All of these single-disc kits work great and are very affordable. The Street Fighter 525 and Mach 500 will work with the stock flywheel or aftermarket flywheel. However, the Lethal Street Warrior 700 and McLeod Street Pro/Extreme clutch require an aftermarket McLeod or Lethal Performance LP-854 flywheel.

If you plan to race your Mustang at the drag strip or anticipate being very hard on the car while on the street, we recommend the Lethal Performance Street Fighter 525 (or the Lethal Performance Street Warrior 700 if needed) or McLeod Street Extreme over the Mach 500. The Mach 500 uses an organic disc, while the Street Fighter 525 uses a Kevlar disc and the Street Warrior 700 a ceramic. The Kevlar and ceramic material will always hold up to heat better and last longer in harsh conditions.

For full bolt-on cars and mildly boosted Coyotes, we recommend the Lethal Performance Street Warrior 700, Exedy Mach 600 or the McLeod Street Extreme Mustang clutch kit for the single-disc options. All three of these single-disc clutches use ceramic discs, which as mentioned before, hold up to abuse and heat much better than an organic disc would.

TWIN-DISC CLUTCH KITS

We recommend the best Mustang clutch kits with a twin-disc setup for your 2011-2017 GT or 2012-2013 Boss 302.

McLeod Racing RST Twin Disc Clutch Kit

For a full bolt-on car or mildly boosted car that won't see the drag strip, the McLeod RST is a great setup. The standard McLeod RST twin kit uses two organic discs and is offered with either an aluminum or lightened-steel flywheel. The RST is rated to 800hp. We don't recommend the RST for drag racing or very aggressive driving as the organic material doesn't hold up to excessive heat and will eventually fail. Also, if used to drag race, the RST won't be covered under any type of warranty.

Lethal Performance LPX and LPXHD Twin Disc Kits

The latest offerings from Team Lethal feature a pair of kevlar discs and either an aluminum or lightened steel flywheel.

• Rated up to 800 (LPX) and 1,000 (LPXHD) horsepower.
• Kevlar material can withstand extreme heat better than organic discs.
• Suitable for the drag strip as well as the street.

McLeod Racing RXT Twin Disc Kits

The McLeod RXT is without a doubt the most popular and best-selling twin-disc clutch for the Coyote Mustang. We've used the RXT on three of our Coyote projects which were all supercharged and tested on the strip and the street. The clutch is bad to the bone and will hold what you throw at it. There's an urban legend about it destroying transmissions, a story we really don't agree with, as all three of the Lethal cars that ran the RXT at the track never saw a failure or issue.

The McLeod RXT uses twin ceramic discs and is offered with an aluminum or lightened-steel flywheel. It has a great pedal feel to it and can be driven around town without issues. Due to the more aggressive material used on the RXT discs, slipping the clutch as you would a stock Mustang clutch doesn't work the same. Since the ceramic material likes to grab if you try to slip it off the line lightly, you will get chatter. That's just the nature of the beast when trying to slip a clutch rated at 1,000hp.

Centerforce DYAD and SST Twin Disc Clutch Kits

Centerforce makes a really nice twin-disc clutch. Even though we've never run one on a Lethal Performance project car, we've got lots of customers running their twin-disc clutches who always provided us with excellent feedback on them.

Mantic Twin Disc Clutch Kits

These are also really nice twin-disc performance clutch kits. There are two options for the Mantic twin — organic and ceramic. The organic version would be for those who are making good power but don't take the car to the drag strip often or drive the car really hard on the street. As mentioned before, organic material doesn't like to get really hot. So if you plan to take the car to the drag strip with sticky tires and launch it hard, or know you'll be driving it really aggressively, we always recommend going with the ceramic material over the organic material discs.

Vengeance Clutch Stage 1 and Stage 2

The Vengeance Stage 1 clutch kit is another great choice. It has organic twin discs and 750rwtq. We've tried these out, and the drivers all have fantastic things to say about how they engage and drive — both under a load and cruising.

If you plan to do some more aggressive street driving or hit the strip from time to time, the Vengeance Clutch Stage 2 kit is a better option. It has 850rwtq and premium faced ceramic 240mm twin sprung friction discs. Like all Vengeance kits, it has smooth engagement, plus a soft pedal effort and top-notch release.

HIGH HORSEPOWER COYOTE MT-82 CARS (1000+ RWHP)

For those who plan to make 1000rwhp+ and drag race their cars, the go-to clutches would be the McLeod RXT1200HD, Mantic Ceramic Twin or Centerforce DYAD.

CLUTCH ACCESSORIES

Be sure to pick up the essential components that go along with your performance clutch kit project. Some of those things would be a new hydraulic slave cylinder, pilot bearing, flywheel bolts and a stainless braided high-volume clutch line.

STOCK AND LOW BOOST LEVELS

The 2010-2014 clutch differs from the 2007-2009 GT500, as it has a thicker clutch assembly from the factory along with a shorter hydraulic slave cylinder. Power ratings on the 10-14 GT500 are also larger compared to previous years. With that said, our clutch recommendations are pretty much the same for the 10-14 GT500 as the 07-09 GT500, with the McLeod RXT being the top-rated Mustang clutch kit in the GT500 community.

The McLeod RXT used on the 10-14 GT500 uses sprung-hub ceramic discs, unlike the solid-hub discs found on the 07-09 GT500 RXT. The sprung-hub discs are designed to be friendlier on the transmission and dampen any drivetrain noise normally seen with a solid-hub disc. The other thing about the RXT and RXT1200 HD for the 10-14 GT500 is that it doesn't come with a new flywheel. Why is that? The McLeod clutch assembly for the 10-14 GT500 uses an adapter ring to mate the twin-disc clutch assembly to your factory flywheel.

"But what if my flywheel was glazed from my stock clutch going out?" you may ask. No need to worry. The adapter ring we just mentioned for the 10+ GT500 clutch from McLeod bolts to your stock flywheel is actually used as a new friction surface for the clutch. So even though your stock flywheel may be glazed, it won't matter — at no point will the discs on the new RXT ever touch the surface of your stock flywheel.

T The new Lethal Performance LPX twin disc clutch is also available for the 10-14 GT500 and is rated at 800hp for the standard version and 1000rwhp for the HD version. The Kevlar material used on the LPX is not as aggressive as the ceramic material used on the RXT from McLeod. Therefore, the LPX will be a great fit for those looking for a really good street and strip performance clutch kit.

The Mantic Twin Disc, Centerforce DYAD and the Spec E Trim are all recommended options for the 10+ GT500, as well.

CLUTCH ACCESSORIES

You've picked out your awesome new performance clutch kit. Don't forget any necessary accessories you'll need for the installation.

STOCK AND LOW BOOST LEVELS

For owners of stock 2007-2009 GT500s, as well as cars with tunes and smaller supercharger pulleys, the top-rated Mustang clutch is (again) the McLeod RXT, which is offered with either an aluminum or lightened steel flywheel. The RXT uses twin ceramic discs, meaning it can handle the power you plan to make for the drag strip or on the street.

We used the RXT and the RXT1200 HD setups on three of our GT500's over the years with great results. We do not recommend the RST here, as the GT500 is a heavy car that generates too much power for the RST's organic material.

Another great new option for the GT500 is the Lethal Performance LPX twin-disc performance clutch kit. The LPX uses Kevlar discs and can handle both street and strip applications. It is rated to the 800hp range with the standard pressure plate and 1000hp with the HD pressure plate.

HIGHER HORSEPOWER LEVELS

Plan to make big power with your GT500? The McLeod RXT1200HD, Mantic Ceramic Twin Disc, Centerforce DYAD and the Spec E Trim are all very good options. Our personal experience is with the McLeod RXT1200HD, which is the performance clutch kit we ran on our 2013 GT500 that supported over 1200rwhp and ran 9.30's at the drag strip.

CLUTCH ACCESSORIES

Once you've chosen the clutch, you'll also want to pick up any extras that are required for installation or otherwise recommended. Some of those things would be a new hydraulic slave cylinder, pilot bearing, flywheel bolts and a stainless braided high-volume clutch line.

STOCK POWER LEVELS AND BOLT-ONS

Looking to upgrade your 2005-2010 Mustang clutch? If you plan to stay near the stock power range with a few simple bolt-on enhancements, the best clutch kits for your Mustang are the Spec Stage 2 clutch kit, McLeod Street Extreme, Centerforce Dual Friction, Ram Powergrip or Lethal Performance Street Fighter 525 (again, no bias here…). Our customers flock to these performance clutch kits because they are smooth shifters that handle the power you'll need from your stock Mustang. The Vengeance Clutch Stage 1 kit is another great option here.

MILDLY BOOSTED SETUPS

When you're ready to put a bit more power behind your 2005-2010 Mustang GT, be sure to upgrade to a performance clutch kit that can handle the extra HP. A single-disc clutch like the McLeod Street Extreme, Centerforce Dual Friction, Ram Powergrip HD or Spec Stage 2+ is a popular choice.

If you're boosting your daily driver, you'll appreciate the lightweight pedal feel and smooth operation of the Centerforce dual friction, which handles up to 600rwhp.

The McLeod Street Extreme is rated in the 700hp range and features ceramic discs that support the added power from performance mods.

The Ram and Spec models are also great options when upgrading your Mustang clutch, and many happy car owners are ecstatic to have them in their vehicles.

HIGH-HORSEPOWER APPLICATIONS

Ready to push your ride to its limits? We've got both single-disc and twin-disc recommendations for the best performance clutch kits for your 05-10 Mustang GT.

SINGLE-DISC CLUTCH KITS

Single-disc clutches meant to handle a great deal of power can't be treated like a typical stock Mustang clutch. They don't slip as easily and will chatter if you try to ease them off the line. To avoid that sound (and sensation), we recommend you launch at higher RPM and release the clutch more quickly than you might otherwise.

Great options for a single-disc clutch include the Spec Stage 3, Spec Stage 3+ and Centerforce DFX, all of which earn rave reviews from Mustang owners.

TWIN-DISC CLUTCH KITS

When we get right down to it, the best clutch kit for a high-horsepower build will have twin discs. Instead of trying to contain all that force with one heavy piece of metal like a single-disc clutch does, a twin-disc clutch disperses the load across two discs. This makes driving less of a chore and allows your clutch to handle a lot more power more effectively.

Vengeance Clutch Stage 3 Kit

For aggressive street driving and the ability to compete on the track occasionally, the Vengeance Clutch Stage 3 kit has 1000rwtq and premium faced ceramic 240mm twin sprung hub friction discs.

McLeod Racing RST

Want a smooth-operating clutch that can handle up to 800rwhp but doesn't give your leg a workout on the street? The RST's organic material gives it a refined manner, but we wouldn't recommend it for the strip or if you're very aggressive in your driving habits.

The McLeod RXT and RXT1200 HD

The McLeod RXT and RXT 1200HD are what we put in our Lethal Performance vehicles, so we don't hesitate to recommend that you put them in your Mustang.

• RXT handles up to 1,000 HP.
• RXT 1200HD can handle up to 1,200 HP.
• Heavy-duty pressure plate on the 1200HD applies stronger force than a standard plate.
• Both RXT models are built for street or strip.

STOCK POWER LEVELS AND BOLT-ONS

Some of the best Mustang clutch upgrades for the stock 99-01 Cobra and 03-04 SVT Cobra are the Spec Stage 2 clutch kit, McLeod Street Extreme, Centerforce Dual Friction, Ram Powergrip and Vengeance Clutch Stage 1 (6 or 8-bolt). Each is designed to drive smoothly and support stock power levels, as well as cars with some bolt-ons.

Once again, we also have to call out our own Lethal Performance Street Fighter 525. Equipped with Kevlar discs, this clutch is rated for 525 ft-lbs of torque and can be driven on both the street and strip with no issues.

MILDLY BOOSTED SETUPS

When adding a bit of boost (for example, a smaller pulley on the stock blower) to a Cobra, a clutch with higher horsepower ratings than stock is recommended. For single-disc clutches, a McLeod Street Extreme, Centerforce Dual Friction, Ram Powergrip HD or Spec Stage 2+ are all really good products that are popular with Mustang drivers.

The McLeod Street Extreme Mustang clutch kit is made with ceramic discs that allow it to handle the power from a blown application. It is rated in the 700hp range, so you've got plenty of room to grow if you opt to add more boost.

The Centerforce dual-friction supports up to the mid-600rwhp range and offers very smooth engagement — a great feature for daily drivers. The dual-friction also has a really light pedal feel, so your leg won't get a workout during your morning commute.

The Ram and Spec are also popular clutches that provide great holding power and perform well on the street.

HIGH-HORSEPOWER APPLICATIONS

More power you say? We've got single- and twin-disc recommendations on the best performance clutch brands for your Cobra.

SINGLE-DISC CLUTCH KIT

Plan to use more power but only want to run a single-disc clutch? We recommend the Spec Stage 3, Spec Stage 3+ and Centerforce DFX. Each clutch kit is widely used and has earned rave reviews from Mustang performance enthusiasts such as yourself. As single-disc clutches designed to hold a lot of power, they don't slip as easily as a stock clutch and can talk back with a bit of chatter if you try to ease off the line. We recommend giving it more RPMs and a quicker release from a stop.

TWIN-DISC CLUTCH KIT

We really recommend a twin-disc clutch when big power is your goal. It will better spread the horsepower load between the two discs than a single-disc setup that uses just one plate to support the full load. This makes the twin-disc Mustang clutch easier to drive and allows it to handle the abundance of power more efficiently. Below are some of the best Mustang clutches for high-horsepower Cobra builds.

McLeod Racing RST

The McLeod RST, rated up to the 800hp range, is among the best Mustang clutch kits with a light pedal, seamless engagement and polite manners on the street. The RST's organic disc material makes it a good choice for street setups, but we don't recommend the RST for the track or very aggressive driving. The organic material just won't handle the heat.

Vengeance Clutch Stage 3 (6- or 8-Bolt)

Once again, the Vengeance Stage 3 clutch kits are some of the best newer clutches we've seen for aggressive street driving and casual strip use. They have 1000 rwtq, premium faced ceramic 240mm twin sprung hub friction discs, smooth engagement and killer release characteristics.

McLeod Racing RXT and RXT1200 HD

McLeod's RXT and RXT1200 HD, rated at 1000hp and 1200hp, respectively, are Lethal Performance's top-selling (and therefore top-rated) Mustang clutch kits. They each share the same basic platform, but the RXT1200 HD benefits from a heavy-duty pressure plate design that is stronger than the RXT's standard pressure plate.

Several of our project cars were installed with either the McLeod RXT or RXT1200 HD. We certainly wouldn't keep using them in our own projects if we didn't love their performance.

The pedal feel for each is slightly different. The RXT is light and behaves politely — perfect for street use. The HD, on the other hand, is a bit heavier (as you might expect) because of the higher-clamping pressure plate. Both clutches feature ceramic plates that are eager to handle whatever you throw at them.

26-SPLINE UPGRADE

For 2003-2004 Cobras that make big power, we always recommend doing a 26-spline input shaft upgrade. The 03-04 SVT Cobra comes from the factory with a 10-spline input shaft. Really, anything over 600rwhp should make the switch to the stronger 26-spline unit. We offer the genuine Tremec 26-spline input shaft, as well as the Lethal Performance brand 26-spline input shaft. The 26-spline shaft, in general, will support higher horsepower levels much better than the factory 10-spline one which has been known to break even near stock power levels. Remember, when you do the 26-spline conversion on an 03-04 Cobra, you'll also need to make sure that you order a 26-spline performance clutch kit, so it's compatible with the new input shaft upgrade.

OTHER COMPONENTS TO UPGRADE

For 2003-2004 SVT Cobra owners, we also recommend either the Lethal Performance or McLeod throwout retainer sleeve. The throwout bearing retainer sleeve on the factory 03-04 Cobra Tremec T56 is known to break, as it's not a single-piece sleeve but tack-welded together. Both Lethal Performance and McLeod throwout bearing retainer sleeves are machined as one piece out of high-quality materials and will not break. A clutch quadrant, firewall adjuster (available from well-known suppliers like McLeod Racing and UPR Products) and a new OEM cable are also highly recommended when putting in a new Mustang clutch assembly. These will allow you to properly adjust the clutch for the correct engagement and make sure the clutch doesn't drag when not engaged.

STOCK POWER LEVELS AND BOLT-ONS

At Lethal Performance, our most popular Mustang clutch upgrades for the 99-04 GT and Mach-1 at stock power levels are the Lethal Performance Street Fighter 525, Spec Stage 2 clutch kit, McLeod Street Pro, Centerforce Dual Friction, Ram Powergrip and Vengeance Clutch Stage 1. These are among the best Mustang clutch kits designed for great driveability. They support stock power levels as well as cars with some bolt-on performance parts.

MILDLY BOOSTED SETUPS

When adding a mild boost to a GT or Mach-1, a performance clutch kit with higher-than-stock HP ratings is recommended. For single-disc clutches, a McLeod Street Extreme, Centerforce Dual Friction, Ram Powergrip HD or Spec Stage 2+ are all good offerings and popular among the Mustang community.

The McLeod Street Extreme is made with ceramic discs, so it will handle the power from a blown application. It is rated in the 700hp range, so you've got plenty of room to grow if you decide to crank up the boost.

The Centerforce Dual Friction supports up to the mid-600rwhp range and offers very smooth engagement, which is a great feature for cars that are driven daily. The pedal effort on the Dual Friction is really light as well, so it doesn't feel like you're doing leg presses at the gym when driving.

The Ram and Spec offerings are two other very popular Mustang clutches, providing great holding power and street ability.

HIGH-HORSEPOWER APPLICATIONS

You know we've gotta have some high-horsepower options. Below, you'll find some of the best Mustang clutches for New Edge models in both single-disc and twin-disc setups.

SINGLE-DISC MUSTANG CLUTCH KIT

If you want to make big power but only want to run a single-disc clutch, we recommend the Spec Stage 3, Spec Stage 3+ and the Centerforce DFX. These are widely used clutches that work great and receive good feedback from Mustang owners. Because they're single-disc clutches designed to hold a lot of power, they aren't easily slipped like a stock clutch and will have aggressive tendencies. So expect some chatter from your Mustang clutch if you try to baby it off the line. We recommend a higher rpm launch and quicker release of the clutch pedal to avoid clutch chatter.

TWIN-DISC CLUTCH KIT

Again, when making big power, a twin-disc clutch is recommended. The twin-disc setup spreads out the horsepower load better between the two discs, making it easier to drive, less aggressive and more likely to achieve the ultimate goal of handling a ton of HP.

McLeod Racing RST

We rate the McLeod RST up to the 800hp range. It's a great Mustang clutch kit with light pedal effort, smooth engagement and great street manors. The RST uses an organic material for the discs, which is why it's so good for street setups. However, because the organic material just doesn't like a ton of heat, we don't recommend the RST for drag applications or very aggressive driving.

Vengeance Clutch Stage 3

We have to throw in the Vengeance Clutch Stage 3 again for all the great reasons listed before, including its smooth engagement, amazing release and soft pedal effort. It's one of the best Mustang clutches to hit the scene in recent years.

McLeod Racing RXT and RXT1200 HD

The McLeod RXT and RXT1200 HD are by far our most popular-selling clutches and receive a ton of excellent feedback. The RXT is rated at 1000hp, and the RXT1200 HD is rated at 1200hp. The clutches are essentially the same except the HD uses a heavy-duty pressure plate with higher clamping force compared to the standard pressure plate. We've used the RXT and RXT1200 HD in several of our Lethal Performance project builds and still love it.

The RXT has great pedal feel to it and very good street manners for a 1000hp clutch. The ceramic discs used in the RXT and RXT1200 HD will handle what you can throw at them and work great for drag strip applications. The HD version has a slightly heavier pedal fee, which is a result of the higher clamping pressure plate.

• McLeod
• Centerforce
• Exedy
• Spec
• Vengeance
• Mantic

• The specific model and year of your Mustang
• Your driving style and preferences
• The level of performance you're seeking
• Your budget
• Clutch compatibility with your Mustang's engine and transmission
• The power output of any modifications you've made