V-seriesTech

iTrader: (5)

A real problem with SPEC clutches.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some of you may or may not know about my recent clutch issue/problem. I had a 2000 FRC vette, with various mods,...one of those mods was a SPEC III clutch setup. The pressure plate, ended up coming apart, pretty much causing me to have a total loss with my car. I removed the debree, and the broken car, has been turned over to the insurance. I was gonna send out my clutch to SPEC so they can look at it,...and reach some kind of agreement with me. It wasn't right what happened to my car.

I didn't send it back to them yet....

...Now we have a new problem. One of my buddies cars, a C6 vette, 476rwhp and a SPEC 5 setup that was installed at a GM facility, now has the exact same problem. I installed MY clutch on MY car,...a different place, a dealership installed his.

His pressure plate came apart, and the damage to his brand new vette, is as catastrophic as mine was. Windsheild/hood/headers/xpipe/harness(s)/hydraulic lines/fuel lines/wiper assembly etc etc are all damaged. The car actually caught a small fire, which they were able to put out with ditch water.

I need to know who else has had this problem, please.

If you don't want to post HERE about it fine, just PM me,....and we'll be in touch.

Where talking between the two cars, over 40K in damages.

Thanks for your help,...in the meantime, I'd highly recommend you guys that enjoy having legs, remove your spec products.

J

PA Z06

J man thats really bad to hear, hope your freind is ok

V-seriesTech

iTrader: (5)

he's ok man. Thanx. Just a f'd up weekend.

If it was ANY other car besides a vette, like a CTS-V or an F-body, we would both have damage to our legs but, the inner frame rail that the corvettes have, seems to some how, barely catch the flying debre...and deflect it from us.

Anyways,...wack ****. Two beautiful cars, gone.

mfrnka

I've got a Spec 3 setup. Pretty eager to hear about any other stories.

How long were these Spec parts in the respective cars before coming apart? Days? Months? Years?

V-seriesTech

iTrader: (5)

My spec, only a few months.

My buddies,...ah, about a month or soo.

PurpleHaze98

i have a stage one and im not crazy about, im gonna run it for the rest of the summer until i get the built shortblock then im gonna go w/something else.

c5chines

JMHO but, do not let that clutch out of your control. You will need to let them examine it but I think I would document the clutch to the nth degree in case it gets "lost". There are forensic engineers that will examine it and give YOU a failure analysis too, you will probably need it in the future. Chuck.

GTFORMULA

iTrader: (94)

Holy **** and I was thinking about putting one in my bottom 9 sec build up!

V-seriesTech

iTrader: (5)

Thanks Chuck, i've been afraid of that for sometime now, which is why I still have mine boxed up, sitting 5 feet from me now. I didn't want my ONLY leverage to disappear....know what I mean.

I did, however, take numerous pictures, and go as far as taging everything with serial numbered tags,.....on EVERY piece.

We'll see what happens.

bastard ******.

V-seriesTech

iTrader: (5)

Would have to urge you in another direction man.

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

I hear rumors of a class action lawsuit being formed against SPEC, based on the same failure issues. Anyone know about that?

One of our Moderators, Vince, had his car totalled from one of those clutches too.

Nautilus

iTrader: (15)

I was thinking about a spec 3 as one of my next mods....Good info.

Do you or anyone else have pics of the aftermath? I never realized it would do that kind of damage....

Sigforty

I recently had my Spec 3 start thowing sparks. I think it lost a spring, but I will not know until i get it all pulled apart.

V-seriesTech

iTrader: (5)

i have some pictures of my car, i'll post some by the end of the day...my buddys car, we have pictures but, "I" don't have them yet. I'll see what I can do.

It's really fucked up...damage is crazy. The sounds, is like a bomb going off, right underneath the car. The car almost feels like its bowing in the middle when it happens.

keliente

iTrader: (22)

Keep us updated (although I'm sure you will). Best of luck with everything.

I use a SPEC 2.

1BadZo6

iTrader: (1)

I got a friend that bought a Spec stage 1... He put it in a 2002 Mustang Gt and a 125shot burned it up! There have been people that have had motorsport clutches that would last for years on the hose with a stock replacment clutch... They said they couldn't help Him.. >


I have the Zo6 and I have that Spec Stage 3 I+ Its like a 630.00 Clutch I havent had no promblems yet... But I ate up a reg Stage 3 on nothing but motor And I plan on spraying this clutch.. :ShakesHead:

BUYAMERICAN

I would not spray on a III or III+

zo6vetteman2003

iTrader: (1)

Look at my sig. I'll go ahead with the install, but will keep an eye on this thread. How was your break-in?

ndeas

iTrader: (1)

im running stock clutch 436 rwhp , 11.30 1/4 at 122 why get a spec at all. sorry to here about all of your problems. like the old saying if it aint broke dont fix it. get that trexilla clutch, ive heard its the best . and i can tell you from experience with most high performance stuff, most of it aint covered under any circumstance. thats why you dont see many warranty items. good luck in youre quest.

V-seriesTech

iTrader: (5)

I wouldn't install it man,...honestly.

All break ins, on all our cars, is no full throttle/ no hard launching / no power shifting until 500 miles are on the car. I follow that standard with alot of bolt-ons.

I've honestly only spun my spec clutch once.....other then my failure and my friends,...thats the only problem we've experienced.

It's not my intention to bash anyone here fella's.....just that when my driving legs are threatened,.....it kinda pisses me off. Everyone that looks at our cars says the same thing, in disbelief,..."wow, you guys are really lucky" ....


Lol. My friend here at work, has a pretty bad, for what it is, blown ecotec car here. It's makeing some decent power. They ordered a spec clutch setup for the car. Now, their sending it back,...reason being.... just incase that pressure plate/assembly comes apart,.....it would be on a direct path for the drivers family jewels.....(front wheel drive).


Now THAT, would have sucked.

Oh, and i'm on the loo-out for blankets, or scatter scheilds...or bellhousings that aren't 4 thousand bucks.