Clutch "break in" question
Thread Starter
On The Tree
iTrader: (5)
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
From: Beavercreek, Ohio
Clutch "break in" question I this past weekend me and a buddy installed a new SPEC stage 3, McLeod adj master cylinder, '01-'02 slave and pro 5.0 w/short stick. Right now I've only got about 80 city driving miles on my 2000 SS. Per the SPEC instructions you are supposed to allow 450 miles of "city driving" with no WOT runs, clutch dumps, launches or basically any of the fun stuff we F-body drivers like to do. My question is....can I drive on the highway if I take it easy i.e. shift around 3000-4000rpm (not WOT)? Or is it way too early. The install went great and I just want to break it in the right way. I've got a cruise night this weekend, and the guys (and one female in the group) like to go out to eat afterwards. We usually take a decent 30-40 mile ride on the highway to get to our destination. I'd be taking it VERY easy and driving easy on the clutch. Will it hurt my break in or should I just chill out, not go and keep logging the city driving break in miles. Opinions greatly appreciated. Thanks. BTW "break in period" with a new clutch is killing me. This thing seems like it will bite hard once I'm allowed to go WOT. I never thought it would be so hard to be patient with the break in. 
yes you can drive it on the highway. The reason for the "city miles" is because you use the clutch a lot in stop and go traffic. If you put 450 highway miles on it, itll have the miles, but you might only use the clutch once as opposed to the 200 times you might in the same miles of city driving.
Yeah, just take it easy on it for the first 500 miles or so, then let her rip. When I was at about 495 miles, I raced a buddy of mine on the street, clutch has been in for about 3000 miles, with hard launches at the track and daily driving, no problems at all so far.....
Thread Starter
On The Tree
iTrader: (5)
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
From: Beavercreek, Ohio
Hey, thanks a lot guys. That makes me feel better. I've got some pretty decent chatter going on when starting from a stop in 1st. I'm hoping with the break in it'll go completely away or decrease greatly. Sometimes in just learning how the car feels i.e. balancing throttle/clutch my car vibrates. It'll take me a little more practice to get used to it. I DO like how it feels though. I appreciate your input. 
I started abusing mine after about 250 miles and it is still fine. Once you have a good break in and if the chatter is still present you give it a "burn" - that should smooth out the disk. Get it up to about 3500 and slip the clutch out slowly.
I just had everything out and mine looks ok for having 6K miles and lots of track passes.
I just had everything out and mine looks ok for having 6K miles and lots of track passes.
