Just a quick one here...
On my 1990 Ford 460 the fan clutch needs replacement. (free wheels, see leaking grease)
Is the good ole NAPA off the shelf clutch ok or do I need to spec out an aftermarket unit...
Hayden has one (2799) but not sure if that is any better than NAPA product.
Thanks for any thoughts.

quote:

Originally posted by Ray:
Is the good ole NAPA off the shelf clutch ok...

As far as my 460 Ford Powered coach is concerned... I used the NAPA replacement when I changed mine out. The Hayden one might be superior, I don't know. I would like to hear thoughts on this too.

when i did mine i used a napa found bad reviews on haden found better but also more expensive.

The NAPA unit I bought for my GM was a Hayden unit in a NAPA box. I returned it and bought a Hayden unit from Advanced auto parts for a lot less $. Now just the other day I had to remove the fan and clutch and replace it on the side of the road with a "flex" fan. The stock fan blade blew apart coming down I40 in Tenn. The "flex" fan was all I could find but works fine with a lot less noise, so I may just leave it. I dont know if this is any help since you have a Ford but there you go.

Neil

Mine (OEM) locked up and I replaced with a generic bubas local autoparts' unit some place in Ohio in a parking lot in the rain. I cut, two slots in the plastic shroud to allow me to slid out the fan assembly without removing the entire shroud. Worked fine ever since.

Just wanted to record the NAPA part number for our Ford owners.
NAPA... 273377

FYI... this NAPA part is made by Hayden and it is less expensive to just buy it direct from Hayden. That Hayden number is 2799.

My experiences (w/454):

Installed Hayden HEAVY duty....got one season out of it (must have been defective at mfg)...........

Installed Hayden SEVERE duty.....going on 6 years and still working like it should.....

For me....well worth extra $ (change-outs are a pain )

.

Five cent version: OEM is best.


One Dollar version:

I have towed heavy loads up Chiriaco, Grapevine, Baker, Montezuma and Sherwin grades since the sixties to fish, boat, dune buggy or water ski with my friends since the sixties. All are steep, and often HOT. Sherwin is LOOOOOONG.

Myself and my friends all had a variety of vehicles, and used this and that clutch. We compared notes compulsively. The clutches that worked best and lasted longest were the OEM units. None of the aftermarket fans lasted as long or worked as well under that severe service. Some of the aftermarket units appear to be outsourced or rebranded, and I have seen the same part number that did not match another of the same.

I would suspect that Ford is like GM, in that there are several models available, and it is important to pick the right one.