Clutch discussion

[Aaron]

I had a Spec Stage 3 behind my turbo 3.4, and it's slipped since day one. So while the motor is out, I want to upgrade. Spec is out of course.

So what about Clutchnet? I've heard better things about them. We ordered a Clutchnet setup for the N*, but at the way things are going, mine may be running before that is, so I can't form my own opinions. I want it to, first and foremost, hold the power. Civility and streetability come next, but if I can get a clutch that's more civil, and still holds the power, I'm all for it.

I'm interested in a twin disk setup, but honestly, don't want to do anything custom, and have a $500 budget.

[Shaun41178(2)]

supposedly the 3+ holds 525 lb ft.

I am thinking of going with the cintored iron rated for 625 tq and its also unsprung.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Dual disk clutch will cost about $1000 if you start with new components.

[Atilla the Fun]

Why do Fiero people dislike the Centerforce Dual Friction 2? The last one I used held fine in a Mustang (that wasn't my Mustang) running high 10s on nitrous and slicks, full street weight.

[Shaun41178(2)]

centerforce doesn't hold shit in a fiero. thts what V8Archie uses but most of his customers choose a different clutch because archies can't hold any real power..

[Atilla the Fun]

Must be the tiny overall diameter the Fiero trannies require? That 'stang was just 11", a Fiero is what, 9.1"?

[Shaun41178(2)]

something like that. and yea because of the diameter.

I used a 9-11/16 clutch from west coast fiero and it held 500+ tq at the crank for about a year. Thats a larger diameter clutch then stock though.

What about buying a sprung hub clutch and taking the springs out? it would eliminate the possibility of them popping out and wedging in the pressure plate or worse and one would get the tq holding ability of the clutch. Never heard of anyone doing this though.

[JamesCurtis]

What about buying a sprung hub clutch and taking the springs out? it would eliminate the possibility of them popping out and wedging in the pressure plate or worse and one would get the tq holding ability of the clutch. Never heard of anyone doing this though.

That's pretty much exactly what the spec stage 4 is as compared to the stage 3. Same holding power but the stage 4 has an unsprung hub. If the stage 3 isn't holding the power the 4 still won't cut it though . I wish they had a 4+.

[Shaun41178(2)]

exactly although between the 3 and 4 is a totally different design as far as the hub goes. I was talking about modifying the 3+ by taking the springs out since it has higher holding power then even the 4

[Atilla the Fun]

then the next step is having the trans modified to something called "Pro-Shifted", by a company called "Liberty". Then you don't need the clutch anymore. Just jam the shifter with all your might. Combine that with a kit to replace the clutch with a torque converter,... It slips about 400 rpm above the "stall" rpm, but it's a constant amount of slip. And when it happens, it multiplies the torque, something a clutch can't do.

[Aaron]

I'm not sure why the 3 is slipping. It says 450tq. On the dyno, I only made 427wtq max, and that was corrected. So it is slipping far lower than 450. It does it in 3rd, 4th, and 5th, generally not in the lower gears, unless I try a hard launch, then it'll slip all the way through.

I will not buy another Spec product. If it fails, and they have a high rate of that, they basically tell the customer "Sucks to be you."

[Blue Shift]

I thought Matt Hawkins was using a stock PP and a Clutchnet disk in his ~415 HP car? I took a brief look and it seems they have all sorts of disks (though disks with the same description looked like they showed up in more than one of the color performance ratings), and they also have 3 different pressure plate strengths as well.

[Aaron]

I'm starting to think Clutchnet is who I'm going to go with. I'll order Monday if I don't any better options.

[The Dark Side of Will]

exactly although between the 3 and 4 is a totally different design as far as the hub goes. I was talking about modifying the 3+ by taking the springs out since it has higher holding power then even the 4

Have you asked them for that? It might take 6 months to get it, if Dave Norton is still on the job, though.

[Atilla the Fun]

avoid the wait by buying both and combining the good parts yourself, then combine the remainders to sell to some uninformed newb on Old Europe

[Jinxmutt]

Good luck getting a decent answer from David Norton. If you tell him yours slips at your power level, he will tell you its contaminated and to go fly a kite.

F-spec.

[fieromadman]

DO buy Clutchnet, DON'T buy the red 3x pressure plate. It is a dual diaphragm and I'm convinced that's why my damn tranny won't shift at higher RPM's. I also went with the larger diameter disk and pressure plate from them. I'm willing to bet that would be a good decision. If I did it over (and I will be piecing this setup together next spring) I would buy:

http://www.clutchnet.com/product.php?pr ... t=0&page=1

http://www.clutchnet.com/product.php?pr ... t=0&page=3

That disk(which is the one that is in my car currently) is awesome. I couldn't be happier with the quality. The pressure plate that I'm currently using has good quality, I just think it's a bit much for the hydraulics or something. I would call them and ask if the red 2x is a dual diaphragm or not before ordering. I really don't recommend getting one. If someone wants to buy one though, let me know I got one for sale for cheap with 1000ish miles on it. Never slipped!

[The Dark Side of Will]

The larger diameter disk has greater MOI than stock and will make shifting more difficult than with the stock disk.

[Atilla the Fun]

Oh come on now, that's gotta be an insignificant non-issue considering how easy it is to shift any '84-'88 Camaro, which uses the same hydraulics but a 10.4" clutch disc diameter. Those are easy to shift, whether just above idle or screaming past 6000 rpm.

[The Dark Side of Will]

What diameter are the synchronizers in such a transmission (is that the T5 or WCT5)?

Shaun reported that his car got more difficult to shift quickly when he went from the 9 1/8" disk to the 9 11/16" disk.