Ferocity02

iTrader: (60)

I am planning on ordering a Textralia clutch tomarrow. I already have an aluminum flywheel on the way. I am worried about the install. I hear all of these problems with shims, bleeding the system, etc... I dont have a lift, so I will have to get the car up high on jacks obviously. I am split between doing the install myself and having a pro do it. I have done all the mods on my car thus far, including the cam and Procharger, and didn't have too many issues with those.

Anyone who has done a clutch install at home, your expirience is much appreciated. Thanks!

Krab

iTrader: (28)

If you've tackled the cam/springs swap, I'm pretty confident you can handle a clutch swap. Just use the right install guide, and have all the right tools (pilot bearing puller with slide hammer, clutch alignment tool, tranny jack, and a 3/8" swivel extension). You don't even really need a tranny jack, I used a regular hydraulic jack with some pieces of 2x4 strategically placed. It helps to have an extra set of hands when dropping the tranny, so you don't drop it on yourself! The hardest parts will be pulling off the bellhousing (if it's seized on there), re-installing the transmission, and uninstalling/installing the master cylinder (if you're going to swap it out or do the drill mod).

I did the clutch install at home and everything went ok. I used the write-up over on www.installuniversity.com. Plus you can always ask here on the board if you get stuck along the way.

wrencher

iTrader: (2)

Rob Snider voice; You can do it!

98nosz28

iTrader: (1)

I just did mine in the garage on my back. It was very easy except I did not have any help putting the tranny back in. I had trouble lining up the the shaft into the pilot brg. As for bleeding I used a 1/4" breaker handle and a socket one size bigger than the bleeder screw so I had some play. Its not all that bad. I paid someone to do my first clutch and now I know I should have done the first one too.

bryan c

Here's mine: https://ls1tech.com/forums/manual-transmission/291532-ram-powergrip-install.html

Steve Burger

iTrader: (33)

try thislink as well. Thanks to the modern weld feature included with the newer SPEC clutches I have done the install 3 times in the garage this year. Not hard at all.

http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/clutch.html

Plan B

The complete OZ700 unit from Textralia comes with its own flywheel for a very good reason.... Ring before making changes.... Textralia will work with you on the hybrid stuff.

NHRATA01

iTrader: (10)

I'm in the process of doing mine, taking out a spec 3 and putting in a textralia. I ordered a trans jack from harbor frieght, but its on back order. So today since I'm on vacation this week, I got tired of waiting and dropped the trans using a small and large hydraulic jack, and removed the old clutch assembly. So as I sit here freshly showered yet with still grimy and bloody hands, some words of advice. Mind you I did this without a helper since the rest of the world is back to work this week.

First put the rear wheels on a pair of rhyno ramps. Then use some of the large jackstands (2 ton or 3 ton) and place them under the front. Putting them up on the 3rd or 4th notch was just high enough to get the trans out.

Remove the shifter - you'll need the extra clearance to get the trans out if you don't have a lift.

Mark the yoke and u joint so you put the d/s back in the same way it was.

Drain the trans or it will spill out of the rear.

I didn't see a need to remove the torque arm from the rear.

To remove the slave, your best bet is a quick disconnect tool. I had one I orginally bought for disconnecting the fuel line on the intake, it had 3 other sizes, and one of them was a quick disconnect - had the hydraulic off in seconds.

You may need to remove the trans mount from the trans for extra clearance between your trans and y pipe. I didn't do it at first, but when dropping the trans, I saw the input shaft was not going to clear the bellhousing. So I had to stop and remove it. Its
2 bolts and 10 seconds of your time that may save some annoyance. Depends on your y pipe though.

To get the top 2 trans to bell bolts, buy the longest extension they have - I found a 1/4" drive that was about 2' long or so. Its also good to have a few different lengths around. I used a bigger 1/2" drive for most of the bolts for better leverage, but the top ones and one or 2 in tight spaces I used the smaller 1/4".

Using a large jack at the rear of the trans, and a small at the front, I was able to maneuver the trans enough to drop it down. I put it on a piece of cardboard, and slid it out from underneath.

To hold the flywheel, use a breaker bar with a socket (or a torque wrench like I did but thats not really a good way to treat your torque wrench), attach it to the bolt on the crank pully and let it hit somewhere on the inner fender on the driver's side. I was able to get the PP bolts off without holding the flywheel, but no chance on the flywheel bolts.

So thats about as far as I've gotten today. I'm waiting on a pilot bearing puller I ordered and ARP crank bolts from Thunder that are on backorder.

Along with the install university, and link from steve burger, I used one from Eboggs of LS2 - no pics but good description: http://www.ls2.com/boggs/torques/clutch.htm

Anyways I'm a guy who 4 years ago only changed oil and spark plugs, and paid midas $125 to install a catback. I did my own head install this winter, and so far the clutch install is going well. I think someone with your experience should be just fine with this project. Though it helps that my car isn't my daily driver so I can go at my own plodding pace. But good luck!

Ferocity02

iTrader: (60)

Jeff at Textralia contacted me VERY shortly after posting this thread and informed that an aluminum flywheel would not work well with their clutch. I realized that the clutch came with a new flywheel, but I thought I could upgrade to an aluminum flywheel. Anyways, they said they cannot warranty their clutch used with a different flywheel. And since it seems like most aftermarket clutches break in no time, or dont work at all, I wanted the warranty. So I cancelled my order for the flywheel and saved myself $350.

Y2K SS

iTrader: (1)

Dude definately do it yourself. It's not hard at all especially if you did the other mods yourself. I did mine and just this past weekend did a head and intake swap. I'd do the clutch anyday over those. Comparing it to a Cam swap, I'd say the clutch swap is about the same or a lil easier.

dug

iTrader: (10)

That sucks you cant use an aluminum flywheel. I bought a used one and was thinking about trying the aussie clutch. Oh well, I will go with the z06 clutch and save some money.

Ferocity02

iTrader: (60)

The aluminum flywheel will hurt driveability because it weighs so much less than the steel flywheel. Since aftermarket clutches are nearly on/off switches, trying to launch or take off from a stop with a high pressure clutch and a low momentum flywheel will be tough.

dug

iTrader: (10)

True but I would make sure to have some steep gears like 4.56.

MY99TAWS6

iTrader: (3)

Textalia is working on an optional lighter flywheel currently was in recent conversation with Peter.
Carolina clutch sells a supposedly very similar to Textralia setup and it is much lighter than stock but supposedly no big problem. Have another buddy that put in fidanza in his awd turbo talon and said he cant' even notice it and its much lighter than stock except car does rev up quite a bit faster. I think the light flywheel thing has been exaggerated a light and they don't hurt driveablily much at all and should save power and help out overall.