Thats the for the transmission, not the clutch, though. I’ll use my current car, a VW GTI as an example. My transmission can handle 4-500+ hp but my clutch can handle 270ish ft/lbs Of torque before it starts to slip. Before I get excited about the possibility of a tune with the MT I want to make sure it doesn’t involve pondering having to upgrade other items immediately just to handle the additional torque!I found this from car and drive
Nice thing about tunes is they are reversible. Bad thing is they void that nice factory warranty we might need for the new 7 speed.
You won't have to upgrade things immediately. If the clutch can't handle the torque and you're beating on it constantly at full torque, you'll just burn it out prematurely. Hopefully it lasts long enough for there to be aftermarket options that will handle the abuse you're giving it.
Nissan did the same with the Xterra. The stock clutch was great if you drove it on the road and occasionally backed it into a campsite but if you actually wheeled it you got about 60k out of it.Will be hard to say. I've yet to see what clutch they are using and what else it is being used in.
I'm hoping it's up to the task. Toyota used inferior clutches for many years in the Tacoma. I had to replace mine at 55K and heard of many who replaced much earlier. You can bet it's also coming out of China, so ?
Thanks! I appreciate the input. My plan isn't to go overly aggressive on a tune, but adding a few HP and some torque can sometimes have unintended outcomes, and it's nice to know that the clutch is likely to be able to handle a mild increase. I suspect that whatever tune Ford offers (you KNOW they will offer one) will be more or less the tune that SHOULD have come as standard but didn't for a variety of reasons! These small turbo engines are great because there is so much that can be done to them. I look forward to seeing what people do with the 2.3L!
That's something we won't know until enough people start smoking their stock clutches. Ford would never publish their internal specifications for clutch strength. It's generally designed to last through the warranty period (even though it's technically not covered), handling stock power and typical use (not abuse). Anything outside of those parameters and it's anyone's guess.
Mustang 2.3s are seeing reduced clutch life at 400-420wtq as well. No one knows how Ford spec'd the Bronco's clutch, but if it's anything similar to the other 2.3s this may be the ceiling. The Bronco has a lot more curb weight and tire weight than a Focus or Mustang, so it would be at a higher risk of early clutch failure. I'll be interested to see how that plays out.
You can absolutely push over 400wtq on a stock turbo with some bolt-ons and a tune, and that's enough to smoke the clutch on a stock 2.3 Mustang/Focus. We'll see if the Bronco is any different.
Yeah sure, if you're not so bright, you'd push that number on your daily driver
Bronco and 4WD aren't a focus or Mustang. Most tuned F150s are just breaking 400wtq, doubt the Bronco with the same tune is doing that. That said, if the trans is rated for 500+ as some have said, there is zero reason for concern.
I really hope they aren't reusing mustang clutches for this application. A clutch should easily last 100k in normal circumstances. Hell I still have my Tacoma that I learned to drive stick in. It's now pushing north of 170k on the original clutch and still going strong and I admit I smoked it more than a couple of times with hill start anxiety in the beginning.
I have a 2004 Xterra 5sp. It has a little over 192k miles on the original clutch and I did heavy off roading with it.
