TLDR: (no spring or steeda spring is more linear and thus better for driving) Couple thoughts just to clear things up and help someone decide on this. It is an assist spring. Key word ASSIST. Lighter spring/no spring=less assist=stiffer more linear pedal feel. The point of it is to make the peddle feel lighter and assist with the movement of the pedal. Now the problem with this is it is not LINEAR at all. The stock spring you will notice forces your foot off at the very top of the peddle where the clutch engages!! Making it very hard to control and cause dumping the clutch/bucking. The steeda spring is lighter and does less ASSISTING and in turn makes the pedal more linear. No spring= even more so! I just removed the stock spring completely and gave it a drive and it's much easier to drive because the assist spring is no longer springing your foot off the clutch pedal, at the top of the pedal travel, right before it fully engages. Its the same stiffness throughout. This is the best way for me to describe this for people to understand. The science is cool and all but he doesn't realize it's an assist spring hence why he's confused the other spring and no spring made it slightly stiffer and more linear. Ford did the assist spring in an attempt to make the divability better by making the pedal lighter. Not realizing they actually made it harder to control the pedal. Mines off currently and I can assure you the linear feel is much more desirable and the pedal is still very easy to push in. The tiny bit of extra pedal effort is wayyy worth the linear feel you get IMO. Now if you want a tiny assist and still most of the linear feel, get the steeda spring. I'm going to try it out myself but I love the no spring feel right now. The pedal makes so much more sense. Anyways cool video I like seeing the differences in pressure you just didn't know it was an assist spring which is fine. Iv been reading forums and researching it for awhile then finally tried it myself then it all made since lol. Side note: the spring can be removed without vice grips. Push the pedal all the way in with the left hand then pull on it with the right until the bottom part slides off. It will spring off pretty hard so turn away before its about to shoot of. It's greased so it slides fairly easily. It should shoot into the floor board and will have 3 pieces total. And is totally reversable as long as the plastic doesn't break. 2018 gt pp1

Just installed today and it feels so much better. Definetely worth it.

I have to be honest... when this video started I thought to myself "oh man, this is going to be a snooze". But I can honestly say, I loved the science behind it, and how he walked us through each step of his testing. I learned a lot. Thx!

Just ordered the Steeda clutch sping for my 2019 Bullitt. Thanks for your wonderful scientific explanation. Convinced me to give it a try.

I stalled for the first time in years after I took a 2015 GT out for a test drive haha

Simple - I have had 17 spine surgeries. This video showed some difficulties which it took me 6hrs some acrobatics, lots of pain but I got it done!! I was worried that I was not going to be able to depress the clutch. Interesting was the science.showed why I like the new clutch feel along with the new trans mount shifter that took me 3 days to reach and torque the bolts. Been 3 months and changing to stainless headers,exhaust and complete Steeda bearing changes I have what is like a new car after 6+ months to get the work completed, remember I have severe spine downgrade and everything takes me longer but I am extremely happy today.

I changed my spring off the back of this video and what a difference it makes. Thanks Mike.

Great video! So Ford thinks the average Mustang driver needs help pressing the clutch pedal. For lots of city driving maybe so. The real Mustang enthusiasts want that traditional muscle car clutch feel and the Steeda spring does just that adding an ever so slight more linear help depressing. I like your scientific approach. Its all clear now. Thanks!

it's not a return spring but an assist spring, hence why it took more pressure to depress the clutch pedal.

Excellent video... it must have taken a lot of thought, time and effort to develop and build that scale and wooden leg mechanism. The charts were a nice touch too. You demonstrated that in the end it is a question of personal preference.

For the MT-82 it helps, but for the GT 350 years 2019 2020 and 2021 2022 mach 1's the spring doesn't function in conjjuction with the ford performance's tremec no lift shift functionality. Easily reversible.

I actually preferred the stock spring. I had a 12 that was heavy, I got used to the 15 and ended up liking it now

Very crafty! I have a ‘15 drop top GT and saw you on Zander’s subscriber meet video. Looking forward to watching your videos. This was great!

I think the most important thing about the science that was left out is at what point in the curve does the clutch engage! I think the stock spring interacts at an awkward point of the curve when the pressure has the most swing at the same time the clutch engagement/disengagement happens. Whereas the aftermarket spring has a smoother interaction at that point in the curve. JMO

Kinda sad he didn't get a real leg, but appreciate the effort!!!

Best video on the internet...Good job!

Very cool vid. Been waiting since you said you were going to do this. Like you i saw what seemed like different view points on the spring. Some would say easier, some would say it felt a bit more stiff. I guess i'm not up on how clutch pedals/springs work, but didn't get how a softer spring would make it harder to push. Very informative and interesting.

Nice Video :-) I will buy this spring immediatley! Greets from Germany! Vielen Dank für das Video! Ich kaufe mir die Kupplungsfeder jetzt sofort....

I drove one of the new mustangs only yesterday and I found it like that as well, stock it’s fine then mid way it snaps back, really hard to modulate and get smooth engagement.

Your graphs show the entire problem. You push in the clutch, you change gear, then you want to release the clutch to the engagement point quickly and then slowly after you hit the engagement point. With the stock spring, as you're lifting, the pressure needed to hold the peddle has a 50% difference along its travel from easiest to hardest... and the Steeda Spring only has an 18% difference. It's much flatter, and that consistency is what makes it feel smoother.

I just took the spring out & no more 3 rd gear lockout , 7000 rpm easy now

I loved your video !!! Keep up the good work. God bless you.

I have a new Bronco on order. Actually I have had one on order for 16 months now. I'm pretty sure the Bronco is set up the same way, since most of the manual parts are "borrowed" from the mustang. Assuming I am right about it being the same, and assuming Ford ever builds it, first thing I'll do is swap the spring. I hate soft squishy clutches.

I just bought a 15 GT and when test driving it I had to stop in a parking lot and work on the clutch bite and rocked all over the parking lot looking like and idiot trying to get used to it. I've stalled twice since buying the damn thing. And every time I leave from stop anywhere I rock back and forth all the way through 3rd gear. It's unbelievably annoying, I bought the SR 30# clutch assist spring for a heavier feel and easier modulation. Havent gotten it yet, but I cant wait to try it

The 86 chassis has similar issues. It’s subjective as to what feels better but I ordered a softer spring and it feels much better.

I love this like jury-rigged test leg lol!

Hey Mike, you can also try McMaster-Carr 9657K573 (Steeda 555-7023 should be the same), with a spring rate of 95...97 lb/in.

Good info Mike! I personally like the OEM feel, especially since I can just slowly release the clutch without using the gas to get the car moving. Does the Steeda spring affect this? I would assume not, but was just wondering. Thanks for the review!

Pretty cool!

It's not just the engage poimt the problem,but with the stock springs if put an after market clutch the pedal will get stuck to the floor when you shift above 5000rpm so be without springs/or steeda springs fix the sticking pedal....

I think the clutch on the 15-17 was stiffer than the 18+. The spring helps more on those than the 18+. I noticed a big difference in clutch feel between my old 2016 and an 2018

Missed opportunity not driving it without any spring and giving it a review

Great video! And You're Sir very cool :D

I was looking for an answer on why a lighter spring requires more force, feels heavier

people who prefer the clutch spring removal are the same people who say that a recurve bow is better than a compound bow. I guess I'm just a more talented driver since I can drive way better with the assist spring than with the janky Steeda fix.

The only reason anyone should remove the factory assist spring or replace it with a steeda is when they are racing. Theres several accounts of people having their clutch pedal not return to the up position fast enough when doing high rpm shifts causing them to miss a gear, not to be confused with the high torque lockout, that is a separate problem. Removing the spring and replacing the clutch with one that has more clamping force usually fixes the problem.

I don't get it. How can a hard return spring make the pedal EASIER to press down? Why is the pedal harder to depress without a spring or with a lighter spring in place? When you push the pedal down you're also extending the spring. So I would expect you to need a lot more force with such a hard spring in place. What am I missing?

Can you tell me if the return spring is needed? I like the feel of a heavy clutch

Well,sir, i totally prefer the factory setup, no mod for me; the factory KNOWS that the important thing on a clutch pedal is that it does NOT push back too much, on your left foot, as you wait for the light; and that is BEST with a stronger spring, because it acts as an OVERCENTER spring; as an engineer who designs clutches,i also do understand what science means here,but not everybody does. NOTE: as the disc wears down, as the clutch gets old,the overcenter point changes,of course, and THEN ,and only THEN, a softer spring is better; SO, if you drive a manual car, avoid wearing down your disc, always take off with the least gas(the least power) you can,and then,with your left foot well OFF,then you can floor it all you want,this way your clutch system will last you 20 years,like it is supposed to; remember,your left foot OFF the clutch pedal at ALL times except... you know the rest. And another great tip from a pro: coming to a stop,say,a light, you can put in in neutral WITOUT touching the clutch pedal, just balance the gas with the speed and the gear stick comes off smoothly,and you just doubled the life of the linkages and hydraulics,also a great source of trouble; i know,for the last 25 years,i repair them for a living.

Hey yeah I am from the Netherlands and recently bought a used Ford focus mk3 1.6 Tdci. After driving for couple of months, I noticed my clutch is acting weird In long runs, high speed runs and eventually to low speed city runs as well. The clutch feels very jerky, does not return to its default position after releasing it, sometimes does not get pressed hard enough or all the way to bottom for me shift to gears. Or do you suggest getting Steeda clutch assist upgrade spring for Ford focus. Its pricy but I heard good reviews about it.

how does a clutch pedal extension affect the pedal safety switch, if at all? i don't want to buy the extension only to find that it won't be compatible with the safety switch. i own an 1996 svt cobra.

I hate having a clutch that has no over-centre feeling to it

I bought a 2022 mustang gt can't stand this clutch at all especially the 1st to 2nd shifting

As others have said this is not a return spring. It is a clutch assist spring. I like the science that you used, however I feel because You did the tests assuming it was a return spring your logic in testing was flawed. However other things can be found out by the tests that you did do.

I've just ordered mine

Is it lighter?

Would driving the car without the spring cause any damage?

Just leave the spring out and save $20.

My 2021 Mustang GT premium was a big lemon...so yellow is the perfect color for that POS. I could live with the cheap plastic interior and glitchy electronics but the 6 speed manual transmission was just garbage! I'm not the only one who thinks so, look at the class action that has been launched against Ford. Fortunately I was able to sell it and buy a real car from another manufacturer. It's no wonder Ford stopped building cars...I'll never buy another Ford...EVER!

Vacuum your car bro 🤦‍♂️

Seems you spend more time fixing your mustang, rather than drive it.

This might be the best video I've ever seen in my life 🥲