99C5JA

Well after reading some of the good and not so good posts about SPEC I decided to give RAM a shot. So I had the 980VDS + aluminum flywheel setup installed last week. The clutch effort is just a hair more than stock. I was really surprised by this. The clutch has nice on-off feel and GRABS like a vise. With just a few starts on it, it chatters very little. It only gets noticeable when you have to creep around a corner. I did have to adjust the master some. The clutch pedal was not hitting the cruise pin switch so I adjusted it to where it just hit the start switch and the cruise switch. Then a friend (66ImpalaLT1) was kind enough to inform me that the pedal should bottom out on the start switch and not on the master itself (blown master that way) and that the cruise switch is threaded. So after adjusting it pretty much back to where it was and then adjusting the cruise switch, everything is working great. So far I guess I would give the clutch a big thumbs up. Great engagement. Great pedal feel. And grips like crazy. If you're in the market for a clutch I definitely recommend looking at the 980.

5 Liter Eater

iTrader: (5)

I just installed mine so I'll tack on my impressions. I got a 402/980, 01+ slave, turned stock flywheel, balanced the flywheel and pressure plate as an assembly and made my master adjustable. The pedal feel is not outrageous but certainly not stock feeling. It's harder than I expected and so far (with ~100 miles on it) makes the car more work to drive on a daily basis. Mine certainly does not slip but it doesn't hit very hard either. I actually have a hard time scratching 2nd gear now which is concerning although I'm still in the break in period. My stocker hit harder. I know for a fact that is fully engaging. It may be due to the fact that my '99 slave was allowing air in and negated the three restrictions in the vette's CMC to slave hose and now that I have bled the new system the restrictions are actually keeping the slave ram from moving as fast. Anyway... Chatter is pretty minimal. Only if I let the pedal out very slowly will it chatter.

So I'm not terribly impressed, especially with the fitment issues I had, but I knew I needed more than a Z06 clutch with spraying and all and the RAM is on the low side of the price spectrum. It works fine I suppose but if I had it to do over again I would go with a SPEC II or LUK Gold.

Mike @ New Era

iTrader: (10)

5 litre eater , I don't believe you should be using the stock flywheel with your set up , are you using a 900/300 disc or a straight 900 ? The factory flywheel is a casting and the material is too soft for that disc if is 900 on both sides , it will most likely get chewed up quicker than normal .

Mike
www.neweraperformanceparts.com

99C5JA

I have no engagement issues in any gear. Honestly I think it engages better than stock. I can't help but think something is not quite right with your setup. The mechanic that installed my clutch was very impressed with the workmanship. Enough that DRM told me they are looking to become a RAM reseller. I did read about your fitment issues and it sucks that your experience hasn't been that great. Myself I never thought a clutch that gripped like this would have such great manners. Maybe the rule of thumb is to get the VDS system. I hope that the break in does the trick. God knows you've gone through enough crap to get a working clutch.

5 Liter Eater

iTrader: (5)

Mike, I got the 900/300 disk. Maybe I am confusing the 910 and the 980. Thought the 900/300 was the 980 and the 900/900 was the 910. If I am wrong I apologize to anyone I may have mislead. I do know that the 900/900 should not be used with a stock, cast flywheel.

mike c.

iTrader: (1)

5-liter eater- you should NOT use a stock flywheel with the ram clutch,it will eat you ram clutch.

5 Liter Eater

iTrader: (5)

My disk has the organic side facing the flywheel (900/300). There will be no problems with it eating into the flywheel. The 900/900 disk, whether this is the 910 or 980 is the one that eats cast flywheels.

99C5JA

Just an FYI I drove the car a couple hundred miles this weekend and the chatter is almost completely gone. The only time the car has a hint of a shudder is when turning a corner at very slow speeds.