Hey guys well i have decided to go ahead with a auto to man conversion and now i have to choose a clutch and i have no ideas and i am very confused with the options that are available. eg the different types full faced, 6 puck, brass button, cera metallic sprung centers etc i just dont have a clue about anything :s i will be running 12-13psi with the option of 15 in the future and i will be doing other upgrades and will be looking at around 230rwkw in the future so i want something that will hold that power and not be savage on take up...any help will be greatly appreciated
A quick run down With regard to friction material, obviously metal or ceramic are stronger than organic materials used in standard clutches. Puck clutches lower the contact area of the friction material. Pressure = Force / Area, so as you decrease the area and apply the same force, the amount of pressure applied to the flywheel by the pressure plate is increased by the smaller diameter puck clutch, meaning a more sudden engagement. The coefficient of friction of the metal or ceramic/metal material is also higher than organic material. The strength or force that is applied by the pressure plate plays the largest part in how much power a clutch can hold. The material on the drive plate judges how the clutch will engage, i.e. softer organic material will slip for longer until it grabs, where as metallic clutches will grab more quickly (slip for less time), but usually wear faster. The material also has to be able to withstand the punishment of a harder pressure plate, as well as the heat punishment that engaging the clutch puts onto the drive plate. Organic materials glaze easily and when this happens the coefficient of friction drops dramatically causing it to slip without too much power applied. My recommendation is an organic drive plate with an upgraded pressure plate (perhaps an RPS Max Street), that will hold your 230 wkw with room to spare for future upgrades, while still being reasonably soft on the uptake (still organic). On the other hand if you are drag racing, you will glaze the organic drive plate after a few launches and need a new clutch very soon after - in that situation go for a metallic puck clutch as it can take the punishment, but you sacrifice some longevity as a result.
Where's the 51CZX? Hi Ivan,What happened to your number plates? I see your car street parked on the way to work sometimes.Cheers MikeZ
Well >> I was so close to selling my Zed it wasnt funny.. so i removed everything that i wanted to keep however when the cost for me to get something else (was looking at a 2001 wrx) it just didnt seem to be such a great deal as i have always wanted a manual i have decided to go the cheaper way by changing to a manual... never fear the number plates will be back on soon.
Hey Ivan good to see you decided to keep the zed. I got my clutch off Colin for $900 fitted, its a puck style clutch and has done many track days and drag launches with 250kw at the wheels with no signs of slipping. Not sure the exact brand but if you contact colin im sure he would know.
Hey JT >> Do you know if yours is a brass button clutch (is that the kind where it is like on/off) if so it is a pain in the ass for street duties
This may be an answer... Some of the metals used in the friction material of puck type clutches include bronze, brass, etc. A 'brass button' clutch to me simply means a puck type drive plate that has material with brass in it. The button may or may not refer to the small circular rivit inside the pucks on the clutch. Can anyone confirm that?One thing I forgot to mention in my previous message is about sprung versus unsprung. Basically the drive plate in the clutch often has springs that connect the outer plate to a central hub that the gearbox input shaft goes through. This isolates vibration from the gearbox that is transmitted from the crankshaft through the flywheel (and normally the gearbox / drive train if the drive plate were not sprung or [dampened]).I saw the opposite setup the other day in an S15 where it has a dual mass flywheel with springs in the middle...the flywheel actually acts as the dampener for vibrations generated by combustion. So, unless you are happy with weird vibration noises every now and then (they happen on my car at around 1800rpm and are VERY VERY loud in 1:1 direct drive) then you should always buy a clutch with a sprung center hub. Mine is bad as I have two unsprung plates (twin plate setup), meaning there is twice the opportunity for vibration to get transmitted through the gearbox.
