LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

Clutch Recommendations

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 10-01-2010, 08:14 PM
  #21  
On The Tree
iTrader: (4)
 
LVZ2881's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Las Vegas, NV..but originally from Oregon!!
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

The company is in GA, and I'm in Vegas. with the standard shipping it was 6 days, including the weekend. They have shipping options for 2 and 3 day shipping for extra.
Old 10-01-2010, 09:23 PM
  #22  
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (8)
 
gregrob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: 6,000+ feet
Posts: 5,130
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by speed_demon24

Dual friction clutches are garbage IMO. The side with the "weaker" material is always going to be the weak link. This is how my old mcleod wore....
I have to disagree bro. You couldn't be more wrong.
Old 10-02-2010, 01:26 AM
  #23  
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (1)
 
alexcoreas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,062
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Damn I just moved back home to.Cali I left GA 1yr ago. That is quick shipping. Keep me posted plz on how it handles
Old 10-02-2010, 01:33 AM
  #24  
11 Second Club
iTrader: (6)
 
speed_demon24's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 4,609
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by gregrob
I have to disagree bro. You couldn't be more wrong.
Right, those pics i have showing the organic side being almost worn through prove nothing while the kevlar side barley had any wear.

Wanna take a guess on which side each friction material was on?



vs



So how many miles do you have on your clutch since you seem to be convinced I'm wrong?
Old 10-02-2010, 02:02 AM
  #25  
TECH Regular
 
tbag_skywalker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 492
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

To the OP, as long as you stick with the well known name brands, you can't go wrong:

Ram
Competition
Spec
Centerforce
McLeod

Talk to the manufacturer about your plans for the car and they'll make a good recommendation for you.

McLeod is hands down the best if you wanna spend the extra money- probably always will be (unless Monster can top them when they come out with their own LT1 clutch)
Old 10-02-2010, 11:24 AM
  #26  
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
 
00FlowCamaro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Watertown, WI
Posts: 681
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by tbag_skywalker
To the OP, as long as you stick with the well known name brands, you can't go wrong:

Ram
Competition
Spec
Centerforce
McLeod

Talk to the manufacturer about your plans for the car and they'll make a good recommendation for you.

McLeod is hands down the best if you wanna spend the extra money- probably always will be (unless Monster can top them when they come out with their own LT1 clutch)
I see in your Sig that you have a Spec clutch, how is that doing you?
Old 10-02-2010, 11:45 AM
  #27  
TECH Regular
 
tbag_skywalker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 492
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 00FlowCamaro
I see in your Sig that you have a Spec clutch, how is that doing you?
Don't have a single complaint, butter smooth engagement and great street manners as expected from an organic setup.

Not sure where its limits are yet, but I do run 295 35 18 BFG drag radials at the track-- it grabs perfectly on launch and gear to gear, in fact I'll usually get a good bark out of second gear, I can't complain.

I do have plans for an aftermarket cam soon, in fact I've even got the Pro-Mag 1.6 rockers sitting here by my desk waiting to go in. This setup might be too much for an organic clutch but I won't know till I try, and hopefully I don't regret not buying the stage 2 or 3 Spec clutches.

Last edited by tbag_skywalker; 10-02-2010 at 11:50 AM.
Old 10-02-2010, 11:50 AM
  #28  
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
 
00FlowCamaro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Watertown, WI
Posts: 681
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by tbag_skywalker
Don't have a single complaint, butter smooth engagement and great street manners as expected from an organic setup.

Not sure where its limits are yet, but I do run 295 35 18 BFG drag radials at the track-- it grabs perfectly on launch and gear to gear, in fact I'll usual get a good bark out of second gear, I can't complain.

I do have plans for an aftermarket cam soon, in fact I've even got the Pro-Mag 1.6 rockers sitting here by my desk waiting to go in. This setup might be too much for an organic clutch but I won't know till I try, and hopefully I don't regret not buying the stage 2 or 3 Spec clutches.
I will never take the car down the strip, it is strictly a street car with bolt-ons (mods are in sig). This winter I'm dropping the engine and hopefully putting a cam in there and rebuilding the top end to support the cam. I can't imagine more than 360-370 horsepower at the wheels with a good tune.
Old 10-02-2010, 02:02 PM
  #29  
11 Second Club
 
tscheu5452's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Hoagland, IN
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Spec Stage 3+ here. Little too grabby during break in, but no complaints otherwise.
Old 10-02-2010, 04:37 PM
  #30  
On The Tree
iTrader: (4)
 
LVZ2881's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Las Vegas, NV..but originally from Oregon!!
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I had a SPEC stage 2 in my 300 RWHP '97. This was back in the early 2001 when SPEC first hit the scene. It lasted less than 3000 miles. SPEC warrantied the clutch, but I ended up trading it straight across for a McLeod Street Twin that I had to rebuild, so I was into a Street Twin for under $700.
I dont know if SPEC has improved their stuff, but based upon my prior experience, they wont get anymore of my money, and I know I'm not the only one who had issues with them.

I honestly dont think you can go wrong with any McLeod product. It's not like they havent been is business for a while...
I figured for the money, I'd give Competition a shot, as they were cheaper than McLeod.
Old 10-02-2010, 07:14 PM
  #31  
TECH Regular
 
tbag_skywalker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 492
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 00FlowCamaro
I will never take the car down the strip, it is strictly a street car with bolt-ons (mods are in sig). This winter I'm dropping the engine and hopefully putting a cam in there and rebuilding the top end to support the cam. I can't imagine more than 360-370 horsepower at the wheels with a good tune.
If you're gonna be making 360ish rwhp I would suggest something a little grippier than an organic clutch. Not saying you need a solid hub disc with pucks, but you might wanna opt for kevlar or carbon friction material instead of organic. From what I've heard, those materials have good street manners, too.

I'm no Spec fanboy, heck if I had the money to blow when I needed a clutch I would have bought a McLeod product in a heartbeat. My old spec stage1 crapped the bed prematurely at 50k miles due to an input shaft seal leak which contaminated the friction disk. The leak was slow enough to not leave visible evidence behind, I had no idea it was there, so I went ahead and bought a stage2 kevlar clutch. Popped it in, the kevlar soaked up the tranny fluid wayyy faster than the organic material did, which left the new clutch slipping and glazed before the 500mile break-in was even done.

I blamed the Kevlar material for being crappy, which it wasn't, and had Spec send me a new organic friction disk. Popped it in, car ran fine for a couple hundred miles, then I finally noticed the trans fluid leak. Pulled the clutch and tranny out again, had the input shaft seal replaced, cleaned the clutch plate, disk and flywheel with a whole bottle of brake cleaner, sanded the **** out of the disc with sandpaper, bolted everything back together the way it was before, and have had zero problems ever since.

I can say when looking back on the ordeal last year, Spec had really good customer service. The guy that worked with me was very patient ( I think his name was Gary) and actually returned missed phone calls and emails quickly. (end of tangent)
Old 10-03-2010, 12:20 AM
  #32  
On The Tree
iTrader: (4)
 
LVZ2881's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Las Vegas, NV..but originally from Oregon!!
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

The SPEC I had issues with was Kevlar. I dont think they had the kevlar completely scienced out yet back then.
Old 10-03-2010, 01:00 AM
  #33  
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (8)
 
Valkyn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Phoenix AZ
Posts: 686
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Really like my spec stage 4...havent had experience with any other brands tho.
Old 10-03-2010, 05:50 AM
  #34  
Staging Lane
iTrader: (4)
 
MavsFORMULA's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

The McLeod Street Twin is fully incredible. Never a hint of chatter or slippage and the pedal is very, very light for an 800 ft/lb clutch. Being a budget buyer myself though, I would buy one of the afore mentioned brands stage 3's (for a bolt on, cam, or heads/cam car). GMHTP reviewed a Spec stage 3 in the last year or two, and they raved about it. It was supposedly smoother than the factory unit they pulled out. I've heard mixed reviews about the numerous DF clutches on the market, but I wouldn't be entirely scared off yet. My friends dad had a Centerforce DF in his 98 Cobra for about 10k, until he wrecked it into a tree. Its now in his garage, looks great still, and is about to go into our little budget LT/Comp 270/10.5-1 PI build.
Old 10-03-2010, 05:49 PM
  #35  
TECH Regular
iTrader: (3)
 
Fazz73jr's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Fontana, Ca
Posts: 432
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I have the ram power grip HD and couldn't be happier. Grabs and holds hard and is very streetable.
Old 10-04-2010, 05:52 PM
  #36  
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
 
00FlowCamaro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Watertown, WI
Posts: 681
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

So from what I'm gathering, you can't really go wrong with any clutch as long as you get one thats good enough to handle your planned horsepower, haha. Spec 3 or Ram Powergrip, McLeod is a out of my price range
Old 10-04-2010, 07:58 PM
  #37  
On The Tree
iTrader: (4)
 
LVZ2881's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Las Vegas, NV..but originally from Oregon!!
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Just drove the car with the Competition Stage 2 in it. Drives like a stock clutch. very little chatter on take off. I'm impressed...
Old 10-04-2010, 08:05 PM
  #38  
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (6)
 
slomarao's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: chicago,IL
Posts: 1,148
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I got a spec 2+, drives like stock and holds 620tq. Very happy with it
Old 10-05-2010, 05:05 PM
  #39  
12 Second Club
iTrader: (22)
 
tbird31's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Huntersville, NC
Posts: 2,727
Received 22 Likes on 14 Posts

Default

I hate my Spec Stage 3.

I love my bosses Ram HD. ****** butter.

I'll get a Ram HD when I get the money, whether the Spec is done or not.
Old 10-05-2010, 05:20 PM
  #40  
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (1)
 
alexcoreas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,062
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Y do u hate the stage 3


Quick Reply: Clutch Recommendations



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:59 AM.