Clutch decision time...need some "chatter" here....no pun intended, let's

I am shopping for the best clutch within my budget to transfer the power to the pavement and seeking experiences others here have had, so don't be shy to opine.

26 spline needed. I want it SFI certified even though it will be in a blow proof bell housing.

I also want to get 15,000-20,000 miles out of it.

$700 is tops for me right now. I feel I should be happy in a $400-500 dollar range choice. I also only need clutch and pressure plate as I have Hydraulic T/O set up and new bushing already installed in the crank. Flywheel is a new T/A billet.

Diaphragm style is the likely direction as I am not going to spend the huge coin for a Billet type like Advanced Builds.

I need the clutch capable of handling mid to high 500 tq&hp range N/A and be capable of more when the little devil on my shoulder arms the Nitrous system, but I don't want serious chatter that is characteristic with some clutches that are designed for this power range.

I need to rip around the streets periodically on the M/T Street meats, drive to the track and put on the slicks and make some runs and hopefully drive home:laugh:

I am a bit lerry of the Centerforce cluthces that have the weights and ball bearings. I have to presume they don't have epidemic issues but I just don't like the idea of it and have read many mixed reviews. I am not ruling it out but need to learn more about other brands.

I have added some conversation starters below and encourage anyone joining in here to chatter about this to add links to other options, and comment on these below....

I have ran ZOOM in the past and I am not ruling that out but I would need some serious convincing on the quality. This offering from ZOOM is 11", kevlar disc type. Right on budget for sure, but will it handle the power?
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/zzz-hp5552-1a/overview/

By the description, this McLeod RST Street Twin is intriguing, bit pricey, and not sure about the twin design. Appears to be about 10" organic disc....anyone have any experience with it?
http://proshop.summitracing.com/parts/mcl-6911-07

This McLeod is easier on the pocket book, 11" ceramic disc...think it would hold up?
http://proshop.summitracing.com/parts/mcl-75321/overview/make/buick

This offering from Advanced is 11", paddle style ceramic disc. The one review seems pleased and notes a really harsh engagement but does that equate to "chatter" ?
http://proshop.summitracing.com/parts/acl-gm6-hdg6/reviews/

This Carbon composite 11" Centerforce LMC sounds like a brute, but not so sure it would be very street friendly, and dents the pocket book. And again, all those moving bits and pieces they put in them just seems like a mess waiting to happen....
http://proshop.summitracing.com/parts/ctf-lm148552/overview/make/buick

This DFX Centerforce is 11" sprung hub ceramic paddle type, yeah, it has all the loose parts in it, right?
http://proshop.summitracing.com/parts/ctf-01148552/overview/make/buick

 

RAM, my dads car has tons of abuse on it, lots of me slipping the clutch at the track, wheel hopping etc etc, been in there 10years, I ran the same clutch in a 02 ws6 with a 175shot of spray ran low 7s on 18's riding the crap out of it

 

$425 and yes its sfi approved

 

I'm running the zoom one. Have at least 12,000 miles on it, likely a fair amount more if I go and really total it up. Drove out to Drag Week 2015 and back hauling a small trailer. Never perfected a good launch/60ft but when the drag radials bit it was able to bog the engine back down to 2300-2500 rpm or so while heavy on the throttle. Ran ~112'ish mph weighing ~3,850lbs.

 

I have a Ram-metallic in my Skylark. It has been in there for years, and has not given me any trouble.

 

This one?
http://proshop.summitracing.com/parts/ram-98764/overview/make/buickI'm

 

Thats the organic disc, it will be smoother but have less holding power than the 6puck metallic disc which requires a billet steel flywheel. But will more than likely be just fine, my experience is with the puck disc

 

Anyone have anything to say about the McLeod Twin Clutch? http://proshop.summitracing.com/parts/mcl-6911-07/applications/make/buick/model/gs-455

 

They are a awesome setup, drove my friend's 750rwhp Trans Am with one smooth as silk, no chatter and held perfect

 

McLeod seems to be the preferred set up for the Ford GT 500 crowd running 600 plus RWHP. The last Zoom clutch I used required a big left leg.

 

Thanks Counselor. I agree, the ZOOM has a hard pedal, can not be good on the crank thrust bearing over time...

I am curious if the twin clutch set up is too much clutch? Pros? Cons?

Cheers!

 

Twin plate or twin disk clutches are ideal for what you're looking for. They hold a ton of power and I've found them to be way more streetable than an aggressive single plate. I don't have experience with the McLeod, but it looks like a decent setup. I have an OS Giken twin disk clutch in my 600 rwhp Toyota and after switching to it from an aggressive single disk clutch, will never go single again in a high horsepower setup!

 

Now that's the spirit. Thanks.


and its 455 Pacific time!


My next inquiry is the installed distance from face of flywheel to engagement ends of pressure plate tangs. With the builld up I presume it is greater than stock.

I need to understand that since an adjustable pivot ball does not make it up in my case, dont have a pivot ball, and the cost related to changing the McLeod 1300-1 hydraulic T/O bearing to what ever it needs. $300 bucks for a change. $1000 bucks starts getting into ACT custom......
Obviously I prefer not to have to spend that coin.

I will call McLeoud in the morning but likely no decision until it is installed and measured on the engine flywheel with the bell housing.


Lets keep the chatter going.................

 

How fast do you anticipate the car going at the track?

 

low 12's - high / mid 11's ? maybe better with tune and suspension...

 

Yeah all the twin plate clutches I'm used to looking at for I mports come with their own unique flywheels and throwout bearing so installed height isn't ever an issue. There are other ways to take up the addition of a floater plate and another disc with thinner discs, thinner clutch cover, or thinner throwout bearing assembly...definitely worth it to give a call and find out what the deal is. For what it's worth, I wanted to look into the same McLeod twin disc for my Buick eventually too...except I don't have the power to warrant it yet.

 

I was successfully running low 12s and high 11s with a Hays PP and McLeod 11 disc, McLeod 800 disc and McLeod PP, and a Centerforce DF.

Car never went better than a 1.74 60' with any of those setups and a 3500 or 4000rpm launch. I'm curious about the Twin Disc McLeod myself.

 

A Tech at McLeod says the organic disc type isn't going to hold up to much track use due to the heat. Makes sense, and suggested the ceramic version of that clutch http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mcl-6921-07 which is another couple hundred buck...OUCH!!! Same driving characteristics on the street as the organic disc which is nice.

Another upside is it should be a direct fit and not need to fuss with the T/O bearing.

I am going to call Rob Youngblood again and see what he can do for this kind of money, but keeping the fit in consideration.

MarkO

 

For what it's worth, I'd use what you have, get a baseline and see if the car makes the power that warrants a high dollar clutch set up.

You should confirm the suspension is pitch rotating the weight effectively, the front end is coming up, and staying up on launch and not bouncing between shifts as well. I'd also baseline it to see how to launch a 3800 lb car with a stick at the track. There aren't a lot of guys on this forum who can say they have done it at all.

I can tell you with 14 lbs in a MT ET Street bias ply 28X10.5 tire leaving at 4000 rpm, with any of the $400 clutches I mentioned above, my car would not spin the tire and the clutch would pull the RPM of my engine down. It sounds like a bog when this happens, but I wasn't going to launch the car at 5500 where it should launch. It never once drove through any of those clutches, and the car went 11.90s and 12.0 all day long.....



What RPM are you planning on launching the car at?

 

You can usually step up the static pressure to help with holding, keeping the necessity to upgrade to the super aggressive chattering type materials at a minimum. Organic discs wont last. RAM offers higher static pp (2600-2800 up from the stock 2400lbs) in the catalog and Mcleod and others can make you one with higher static. 3000 lb would be about the limit for streetable pedal feel IMO.