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Advice and help with choosing clutches


Andrew K
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I know this has probably been talked about quite a bit so sorry to bring it up! I'm at the stage now with my project where I need to sort a good clutch out. From what I've read and heard people talking about the clutch of all clutches to have is the RPS carbon-carbon triple plate clutch with a chrome-moly steel, carbon strapped flywheel. But the price of these are bit of a killer! :(

My project is a single turbo build and aiming to hopefully be around the 600bhp mark and will be using a V161 gearbox.

I want a nice easy clutch to use for example :-

No rattles or funny noises.

No Touchy biting point.

Don't want it way to stiff as will be used for every day driving (town driving to)

What it to feel pretty much similar to a stock clutch.

 

I see just lately that a few people have been trying different things, Hodge on his awesome build and I think Jamesy may be trying something different. Just wondered what people's thoughts and experiences with different types of clutches were and if I could be pointed in the right choice of clutch to go for. :) so any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

Edited by Andrew K (see edit history)
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I have gone with the OS Giken Triple plate, feels light compared to previous single plate clutches. Its only done about 50 miles so far, so still abit grabby but this should improve with more mileage which I can do after mapping on Tuesday.

 

:)

 

That's one of my worries a clutch being a bit grabby, Is that something that definatly improves after its seen some usage and had some mileage put onto it?

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That's one of my worries a clutch being a bit grabby, Is that something that definatly improves after its seen some usage and had some mileage put onto it?

 

Generally it should do as the clutch gets bedded in, but the experience I had with a stock clutch, brand new feels pretty much identical, apart from the first few miles, after that you would never notice the clutch has been changed, I know that's not to do with aftermarket clutches, but just my experience with a stock 6 speed clutch from brand new

 

As for clutch, I'm not sure of the price but I know the one hodge had made for him is withstanding the power the Kraken is producing very well and is very much like a stock clutch, so would definitely suggest PMing him.

Edited by thetrashcanman (see edit history)
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Generally it should do as the clutch gets bedded in, but the experience I had with a stock clutch, brand new feels pretty much identical, apart from the first few miles, after that you would never notice the clutch has been changed, I know that's not to do with aftermarket clutches, but just my experience with a stock 6 speed clutch from brand new

 

As for clutch, I'm not sure of the price but I know the one hodge had made for him is withstanding the power the Kraken is producing very well and is very much like a stock clutch, so would definitely suggest PMing him.

 

ok thanks, yeah i read that Hodge had a clutch made up for his build and think he was testing it out as was the first person to use the clutch he has, i like the fact its like using a stock clutch. Think i will do as you said and PM him to see if he can help any.

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Stay away from competition clutches. That my strongest bit of advice.

 

I know you said the price is high but I really really would advise an RPS clutch. Its near on stock feel and no rattles. I use the triple plate but a double plate is fine for 600BHP.

 

I never looked back on my clutch. Yes is was around £2600 but worth every penny. The double are cheaper but when your making the 600BHP mark there is no point at all taking short cuts or you will just slip.

 

I use mine as a daily runner with a 20 minute que in the morning and the clutch feels great.

 

 

I had serious serious clutch issues last year and I was pulling my hair out costing me £££ (have a look at some of my old posts)

 

Honestly chap RPS....

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Stay away from competition clutches. That my strongest bit of advice.

 

I know you said the price is high but I really really would advise an RPS clutch. Its near on stock feel and no rattles. I use the triple plate but a double plate is fine for 600BHP.

 

I never looked back on my clutch. Yes is was around £2600 but worth every penny. The double are cheaper but when your making the 600BHP mark there is no point at all taking short cuts or you will just slip.

 

I use mine as a daily runner with a 20 minute que in the morning and the clutch feels great.

 

 

I had serious serious clutch issues last year and I was pulling my hair out costing me £££ (have a look at some of my old posts)

 

Honestly chap RPS....

 

yeah i`m not wanting to cut corners and want a clutch that`s reliable. And don`t want to keep changing them around as they are not performing well!

That`s good about the feel while Queuing in traffic as that`s one of my problems going to work in the morning.

Did you get yours from MVP?

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Hi Andrew. I was lucky enough to have Lee at SRD contact me at the time as he had one. I doubt he keeps them in stock. Might be worth asked Paul at Whifbitz and Lee at SRD is he has one.

 

If you order from the states you will get a stinker of a customs charge..

 

There you are bud:

 

http://www.garagewhifbitz.co.uk/index.php/rps-636.html

 

10% extra press over stock is near on nothing..

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Drop Dane a line at DC-Automotive about 1 of his single plate clutches. Why have a noisy twin or triple plate and a noisy flywheel. I'm running a stock flywheel, a single disc clutch with a pedal about 20% stiffer than stock holding over 900hp easily and at a fraction of the cost of a multi-disc, it's a no brainer really.

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Drop Dane a line at DC-Automotive about 1 of his single plate clutches. Why have a noisy twin or triple plate and a noisy flywheel. I'm running a stock flywheel, a single disc clutch with a pedal about 20% stiffer than stock holding over 900hp easily and at a fraction of the cost of a multi-disc, it's a no brainer really.

 

Exactly how I was thinking so might drop him a line and see what he says. From reading your project thread I'm quite impressed with how your clutch is hold out.

 

For 600hp I would go with the spec stage 1

 

Will easily handle the power, will drive like stock with a slightly heavier peddle and costs £600

 

Is the stage 1 spec similar to the clutch Hodge has?

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Exactly how I was thinking so might drop him a line and see what he says. From reading your project thread I'm quite impressed with how your clutch is hold out.

 

 

 

Is the stage 1 spec similar to the clutch Hodge has?

 

I'm not sure on the details of the spec clutch but the one I have is rated to 765 ft/lb of torque. Ryan said that equates to over 1000hp. It's also around the same price as the spec clutch too.

I've done 3000 miles since the clutch was fitted and most of those miles were on boost. 2nd gear rolling anti-lag launches etc etc, and it's never faultered. I really can't reccomend this clutch enough.

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I want a nice easy clutch to use for example :-

No rattles or funny noises.

No Touchy biting point.

Don't want it way to stiff as will be used for every day driving (town driving to)

What it to feel pretty much similar to a stock clutch.

I know you said the price is high but I really really would advise an RPS clutch. Its near on stock feel and no rattles. I use the triple plate but a double plate is fine for 600BHP.

10% extra press over stock is near on nothing..

 

Hello matey. :) I have an RPS carbon twin plate clutch in my 720bhp V160'd car. Before I say what's relevant for you, I'll get in the fact that it is a very good clutch. Certainly worth the money; as far as I can tell so far after nearly 18 months of frequent, ahem, spirited driving (:innocent:), bomb-proof; easily capable of handling that power with no slippage; re-buildable if anything does go wrong (not a feature I've needed to make use of so far); rifle bolt quick through the changes under load... :trophy:

 

So, all good right? :shrug:

 

NO! :no: For one it really doesn't tick your "no rattles or funny noises" box - even when depressing the clutch you can hear the plates rattling (so loudly one particular female employee working on the gate at Shakespeare County Raceway the other week asked if my car was broken because of the noise...) and when you lift off at speed you can often hear the rasping growl of the clutch over the exhaust note! :shock: Personally I love it and think it sounds awesome (because race car, right :D) but it's LOUD...

 

I've kinda got used to it now, but honestly this "stock +10%" to the pedal feel is a work of fiction too - it's ok for normal driving but get stuck in traffic for any length of time and TRUST ME you'll know about it. Also the bite point is a. significantly 'higher' than stock and b. about 1/2mm of pedal travel (I'm exaggerating slightly there, but honestly it's narrow!). After a year and a half, I STILL stall the engine at lights if I fail to concentrate - this isn't me being a mutant either because I drive any number of completely different manual vehicles day-to-day at work and have not one problem ever.

 

I often tell me people when they ask the usual "So can I drive you car then?!" that if they can get it going they can drive it, knowing for a fact that they wouldn't! It's quite a useful security feature, actually - you could probably leave your engine running and abandon your car somewhere because any would-be car thief is pretty much guaranteed to stall the thing! :D

 

So... Yes the clutch is a good one; no it's not ANYWHERE NEAR as user friendly as a stock one.

 

Now from what I hear the triple plate somehow alleviates all this and feels much more like stock, but as I've never driven a car with one of those fitted, I couldn't swear to it.

 

Invest wisely! Hope that's helped... :blink:

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Hello matey. :) I have an RPS carbon twin plate clutch in my 720bhp V160'd car. Before I say what's relevant for you, I'll get in the fact that it is a very good clutch. Certainly worth the money; as far as I can tell so far after nearly 18 months of frequent, ahem, spirited driving (:innocent:), bomb-proof; easily capable of handling that power with no slippage; re-buildable if anything does go wrong (not a feature I've needed to make use of so far); rifle bolt quick through the changes under load... :trophy:

 

So, all good right? :shrug:

 

 

NO! :no: For one it really doesn't tick your "no rattles or funny noises" box - even when depressing the clutch you can hear the plates rattling (so loudly one particular female employee working on the gate at Shakespeare County Raceway the other week asked if my car was broken because of the noise...) and when you lift off at speed you can often hear the rasping growl of the clutch over the exhaust note! :shock: Personally I love it and think it sounds awesome (because race car, right :D) but it's LOUD...

 

I've kinda got used to it now, but honestly this "stock +10%" to the pedal feel is a work of fiction too - it's ok for normal driving but get stuck in traffic for any length of time and TRUST ME you'll know about it. Also the bite point is a. significantly 'higher' than stock and b. about 1/2mm of pedal travel (I'm exaggerating slightly there, but honestly it's narrow!). After a year and a half, I STILL stall the engine at lights if I fail to concentrate - this isn't me being a mutant either because I drive any number of completely different manual vehicles day-to-day at work and have not one problem ever.

 

I often tell me people when they ask the usual "So can I drive you car then?!" that if they can get it going they can drive it, knowing for a fact that they wouldn't! It's quite a useful security feature, actually - you could probably leave your engine running and abandon your car somewhere because any would-be car thief is pretty much guaranteed to stall the thing! :D

 

So... Yes the clutch is a good one; no it's not ANYWHERE NEAR as user friendly as a stock one.

 

Now from what I hear the triple plate somehow alleviates all this and feels much more like stock, but as I've never driven a car with one of those fitted, I couldn't swear to it.

 

Invest wisely! Hope that's helped... :blink:

 

 

I had the same issues with regard to the pedal height. I fitted a 3/4 master cylinder and its now 10x better! :)

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how do people find the spec brand clutches?

 

i use them in nearly all our other non supra builds and get on with them very well. the stage 3+ ones can handle silly amounts on the supra, but on things like the mr2 and gt4 still handle over 450ft/lbs and are lighter and easier to drive than standard OEM units.

 

just wandering how they work out with the supra as i was planning on one for mine, but like most i didn't want any noises, rattles or clunks from a twin plate. Also didn't want anything to aggressive as it does alot of road miles this car, but will be sub 600bhp

 

Tim

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