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Yeah they make aftermarket clutches they work fine for a stock motor doing everyday driving. I think they're made in mexico. Quality is so so. the pressure plates are good, friction disk suck for performance use.
Valeo was the OEM manufacturer of the "pull" clutch for the LT1/4. My understanding is they have stopped making the LT1/4 clutch for some time now
There are several companies making replacement clutch kits for the LT1/4. All use the same "clone" LT4 PP and whatever disc they make. Most are made offshore...
LUK, Sachs is a "decent" replacement clutch. Get one that has 5 springs on disc vs 4
These clutches are good for stock or mild bolt on cars
******, that is what I have come to find out. ALL PP are the same. A genuine Valeo will have Valeo and C70034 cast into it and Valeo ink stamped on the disc. Most knockoffs have just the number cast into it.
Motor is CAI/full exhaust now, with new motor build planning on 400ish tq later on. Car is used for street driving and autocross. Thinking just to pick up a Valeo kit and aluminum FW.
rockauto.com shows a "Valeo" kit available, there are several = choices also shown on the site. Some for $111-$130 for the kit.
Back when I just had a mild bolt on LT1 I bought a kit and then purchased the McLeod DF disc on Summit
All the kits have the same clone PP. IDK if the "Valeo" kit shown is a true Valeo or not but I have used several clutch kit brands and all the PP were the same. Including the McLeod Street Twin I have now. Very good clutch BTW but not needed for mild bolt on motors
******, that is what I have come to find out. ALL PP are the same. A genuine Valeo will have Valeo and C70034 cast into it and Valeo ink stamped on the disc. Most knockoffs have just the number cast into it.
Motor is CAI/full exhaust now, with new motor build planning on 400ish tq later on. Car is used for street driving and autocross. Thinking just to pick up a Valeo kit and aluminum FW.
You'll want a better clutch than the valeo if you're doing autocross and plan on matching it to an aluminum flywheel. To save some money what I used to do was buy the Valeo and use the pressure plate from the kit and then buy a Mcleod or Centerforce friction disk. Worked like a charm and saved me lots of $$$$$$ The pressure plates on valeos are good it's the friction disk that don't hold up well.
Valeo is making them again. Since I didn't have a good backup, I ordered one. It does not have the balance holes in the side as my others from Valeo....which does concern me. The clutch disk that came with it is Valeo branded and looks like the OEM Valeo disk I got back in 2009. I don't think it has the GM part number on it anymore. Appears to have been replaced with a Valeo part number.
A few months ago, I spoke to the same Valeo rep that I talked with years ago on the clutch balance subject. He told me it should be within their spec.
The one I did use from Autozone without the balance holes vibrated something terrible above 4500. I still have the thing. I plan to have both checked at some point, and if needed, corrected....I know the Duralast one will need it.
Seems like the cheap clutches suck and the expensive clutches are good for racing but don't last long for daily driving. I'm in the same boat, i have the stock clutch and around 380fwhp and 400lbs trq and want to replace my stocker. Someone has to make a quality clutch that isn't 500-800 dollars?
Original Valeo PP had balance (drill holes) on the outer tabs of the PP face. IDK if this was to "zero" balance it or not. Original equipment PP had a paint dab (yellow) on PP that was lined up to the dowel hole on the FW. A few clutch kits I have seen do have this yellow paint dab...
With that said I never had a balance issue using Spec, CC, Zoom which all had clone LT4 PP when I had a stock external balance motor.
Given stock FW is weighted for rear external balance LT1 I would think a neutral balanced PP would be in order. Most machine shops will zero balance a PP for about $40
I have a 383 internal balance motor so I always have my FW & PP zero balanced at machine shop....even if its a exploding wallet billet FW sold as "neutral" balance. The last one was 26 grms off
Got everything out today. Clucth looks like it was a Autozone unit. It has a yellow dot on the PP AND has drilled balance holes.
PP has following identification:
C70043
Yellow Paint dot on edge
drilled balance holes
Disc has following identification
"PHT made in China"
80033
10 06 04
I'm finding that this may be a ACDelco branded Autozone clutch. The TOB I bought January of 2016 was a Autozone unit at $40 Brute Power PN 614116. This TOB lasted exactly 5,956 miles before starting to separate in half. Not the usual lip destruction you see with the fork pulling it off. This TOB got bend/cocked sideways which did no let the clutch disengage fully. This is in a 80% DD and autocrossed last 3 years. Looking at Perfection Clutch website...it looks like they make the Brute power line of parts?? http://www.perfectionclutch.com
So, along with switching to an aluminum FW, the search is on for a good/better TOB.
Rockauto listes WJB and National. Both have the same 614116 PN
Autozone has Brute Power (Perfection Clutch made?) 614116 PN
Orielly's has National brand 614116 PN.
SPEC??
while there may be other sources, the Vette (LT4) TO bearing is the square top one which is thicker. My understanding SPEC sells them for $80...yeah high$.
One came with a SPEC 2+ clutch I ran years ago. I still use it on my Street Twin
this disc many of us used with a cheap clone PP was the McLeod 261571. It is organic on PP side and ceramic puc on FW side. Better suited for Auto x and more aggressive use (drag). It is a DF (dual friction) disc
Seems the LT1 bearing is 614116 and the LT4 is 614116-81
I'll call SPEC Monday and figure out what style bearing they have. $80 is a bit much for a TOB, but if it lasts, it lasts. I'd pay the $80 over the $40 Autozone one if in 6000mi I'll need to replace the AZ bearing again...my labor time on/off for 3 days is worth the extra $40.
Last edited by smitty2919; 09-23-2017 at 04:48 PM.
I am not saying the "vette" TO bearing is immune to failure...just that it has more "meat on the bones" than the standard one. They both are likely made "offshore"....
my regular one says made in china, my vette one does not say where it is made
I have a bearing on order through ebay for $35. It is a standard LT1 style PN 614116. This one pictured has a green bearing seal and off-white inner plactic race like the National brand one. The one I picked up from AZ (that failed) was a black bearing seal and black inner plastic race.
I searched on Timken's website and they don't even list a release bearing for a 5.7L 1995 Camaro...maybe they stopped making them and Hawks as inventory, or Hawks is saying it is Timken when it is not.
We shall see what shows up to the house this week...stay tuned.
Yes I'm going a little nuts with this since it is annoying to find such a simple but important part of a clutch system and I want to know if buying a $80 bearing is ACTUALLY better than buying a $40 one. And when buying a clutch with a TOB included...what brand is the TOB and who makes it? I figured it was worth a shot trying the Ebay one since I know that the $40 AZ bearing failed way too soon. Maybe this Ebay one is the same? Maybe different? Either way it was the same price so I figured to try a different one.
LUK clutch came in today. Apparently it comes with a TOB. Some noticable differences between the Autozone BrutePower TOB and the LUK version.
Autozone that failed in 6000mi. It started to come apart internally. The plastic is black and has a plastic "lip" on the bottom side of the bearing race.
Bent TOB
Plastic separating from inner metal sleeve
Separating showing the inner wave spring
LUK TOB. Has green seal with whitish plastic and a METAL ring on the bottom of the bearing race. NO markings what-so-ever.
AZ left LUK right
I also have one coming from Ebay...I will see how that compares to either one of these.
09-21-2017 | 02:12 PM
LT1 stock replacement clutch 
