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Anyone running an LS6 clutch with mods?

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Old Jan 12, 2007 | 11:17 AM
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Default Anyone running an LS6 clutch with mods?

Car: 2001 Z06. My stock clutch has 25k miles and about 60 passes at the strip. I had about 50 passes on the clutch before I added headers. After adding headers, the clutch seems to be getting tired--pressure plate issues.

My choices are:

Take my chances with another stock clutch.
Pick up a "middle ground" clutch. Cartek, RAM, etc.
Textralia.

Obviously, if money wasn't an object I'd already have a Textralia. A stock clutch is almost 1/3 of the price and my stock clutch has been great up until this point. I'm trying to figure out if the clutch had too much mileage on it, or its demise was attributed to the header installation.

So, is anyone drag racing their bolton Z06 and not having issues?
Ryan
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Old Jan 12, 2007 | 11:20 AM
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Why not try an LS7 clutch and LS2 flywheel?
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Old Jan 12, 2007 | 11:46 AM
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LS7 here and happy so far.
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Old Jan 12, 2007 | 11:58 AM
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Seems like there are a decent % of C6 Z06 owners unhappy about the LS7 clutch @ the corvetteforum.com. Granted, my car as 100hp less, so maybe it would work better with less power. I sure hate to guess, though!

All suggestions are welcome .

Keep in mind I like to beat on it a bunch. I'd say that 30 of those passes were 1.8 or better 60's with street tires. Yes, there is a little slipping going on ;-).
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Old Jan 12, 2007 | 12:46 PM
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Youre screwed.

Gotta pay to play. Not a single goddamn clutch for the vette has a perfect track record under abuse. Everything gets busted. Stock, RPS, Tex, McCloud, Excedy, Spec, Ram, LS7.

The stock clutch will hold a good deal of power, mine held 600rwhp for a while, but none of that was heavy useage (I only race ricer style).
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Old Jan 12, 2007 | 03:31 PM
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C5 Z06 clutch here, so far so good. Have about 20 passes on it, half of which are at the 450rwhp level. It's my daily driver as well.
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Old Jan 12, 2007 | 08:03 PM
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My 40k mile stock C5ZO6 clutch survived my cam install, but when I did the head swap, forget it. It started slipping on the dyno at the 4800rpm torque peak. Installed a SPEC Stage 3+ good for up to 850rwt. Although I'm putting down half of that, she has a sweet engagement and doesn't chatter. I'm very happy with it.
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Old Jan 13, 2007 | 08:44 AM
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Bang for the Buck, I've installed lots of centerforce clutches ($400.00 ish) no problems run stock flywheel 601rwhp/647rwtq heads+cam+200shot NOS, this car gets a beatting and the clutch has never slipped. another one in a 03 Z06, road racing, customer loves the clutch, update slave for sure with new clutch, run motul fluid.
If I had know that I would have tried one before I invested a TON of money on the Mcleod setup, now with Kevlar, killer clutch way too much money/time invested.
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Old Jan 13, 2007 | 10:20 AM
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Originally Posted by BONESTOCKC5
Bang for the Buck, I've installed lots of centerforce clutches ($400.00 ish) no problems run stock flywheel 601rwhp/647rwtq heads+cam+200shot NOS, this car gets a beatting and the clutch has never slipped. another one in a 03 Z06, road racing, customer loves the clutch, update slave for sure with new clutch, run motul fluid.
If I had know that I would have tried one before I invested a TON of money on the Mcleod setup, now with Kevlar, killer clutch way too much money/time invested.
Do you happen to know what the HP and torque ratings are on the centerforce dual friction clutches?
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Old Jan 13, 2007 | 03:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Kraest
Why not try an LS7 clutch and LS2 flywheel?
That would be a nice combo for a basic bolt-on setup. Why deal with the quirks of a non-OEM clutch if you don't have to?
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Old Jan 13, 2007 | 06:54 PM
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Two things I have read about the LS7, the heavier flywheel softens the low end power and they are glazing if you slip them at high RPM. A lot of guys that installed them are now removing them. I thought that was going to be the final solution but I guess not.
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Old Jan 13, 2007 | 07:22 PM
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For what its worth, I launch at 5k rpm with a quick slip on street tires. Yes, it hooks up for 1.8s and a 1.775 60' one time .

Like I said, the clutch was fine for about 50 passes and stock power levels. It is a fact that the 02+ LS6 is an improvement over the 2001 LS6 piece. So, there is reason to believe that an 02+ stock LS6 clutch would give me as good or better performance as I initially experienced.

I'd rather wear out clutches than break rearends. The labor is free since I do it myself . However, the issue is "chancing" another clutch and potentially wasting 4-500 bucks. The Textralia is a for sure deal, but $$$.

I will sit tight and start saving .

Ryan
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Old Jan 16, 2007 | 07:28 PM
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The "LS6" clutch blows... I don't know why they even call it an "LS6", when in fact it's installed in ALLL cars regardless of LS1/LS6. It was used in the late F-bod's as well..

I've had a Spec, Ram and now a Textralia. The Ram **** the brick, the SPEC vibrated... The Tex has been the best so far, it drives like stock but hooks.

One of my friends blew his "LS6" clutch on a 385 rwhp car with low mileage.... Didn't slip, just broke....
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Old Jan 17, 2007 | 02:18 AM
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I bought my 01 Z06 in July 06 with 63k, previous owner replacing clutch at 60k, so I practically have a new LS6 clutch. Occasional stoplight to stoplight battles or freeway plays but never taken to a drag strip before I got my hands on it. Installed LTs, Vararam, TR224 cam and tuned to just under 400hp. LS6 clutch held well until I started launching at the strip on drag radials (about 50-75 passes N/A) and added 100 shot (only 1 full pass). 6 months later (this weekend), I will be installing a RAM Powergrip HD to replace the LS6 clutch.
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Old Jan 17, 2007 | 05:05 AM
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Originally Posted by Steve01SS
One of my friends blew his "LS6" clutch on a 385 rwhp car with low mileage.... Didn't slip, just broke....
That's not encouraging.

If you are interested, the Fidanza web site has an interview on the home page and they guy from Fidanza explains all the different clutch materials and what they are good for and how they perform. Interesting if you don't know much about clutches. Also noteworthy, Fidanza now makes a clutch for the C5 in four flavors.
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Old Jan 17, 2007 | 07:37 AM
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My car has 30,000 miles on the stock clutch and I made a few passes on it the when I first got it and it held ok and felt strong. As soon as I put on full exhaust and did an SLP Blackwing a few weeks later, the clutch pedal stayed on the floor with the first 3000 rpm launch I did afterwards... on stock F1s!!! Are the stock clutches really that easy to overpower?

P.S. I have a '99 FRC.
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Old Jan 17, 2007 | 07:38 AM
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For all of the reasonably priced cluthes up to the Tex they all have the potential to suck. I drove my buddies vette with the Tex that almost everyone loves and I did not like it. It shutters and grabs instantly, it would take some time to get it down right. I looked at the LS7 also but they over heat and glaze if they get slipped to mutch. I took my chances with the Spec hope I get a good one they seem to have quality control issues. I hear good things about the Cartek unit but they have been back ordered for a while with no end in sight. Searching for a clutch was/is such a headache good luck with whatever you choose.
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Old Jan 17, 2007 | 09:28 AM
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IMO...you mention the $$$ for a Textralia clutch, but installing a clutch in a Vette is a hell of alot of work to do. I have a OZ700 Textralia with only 350 mi. on it, but so far no chatter and the pedal effort is very close to the feel of stock. It's feels great.

I'm at 450rwhp and the Tex should hold up just fine. I added a hardened output shaft at the time of the clutch install since this is known to be a weak link on a Vette. I chose the Tex due to overall positive feedback and good customer service from the company.

Good luck with your decision.
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Old Jan 17, 2007 | 09:35 AM
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im in the same boat, have 35k on my 02 z06, with 20 drag strip passes, and a couple road racing events, so i know its only a matter of time till I need a new clutch, and btw the clutch has been perfect except for one time in the summer at the drag strip, after my burnout clutch stuck to the floor, I changed the fluid in the res every oil change and havent had a problem again, I think it might just have been that it was so fn hot. I think my next clutch will be another LS6 or a Ram
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