Clutch choices

[andydclements]

I have a choice to make, regarding which clutch type to use, so what's everybody's opinion?

My car's clutch has failed, see pics for a BIG clutch failure.

The flywheel, at best, needs grinding (retaining the .6m step), hopefully it's not to far gone.

The 3 other components are shot, and I would have replaced all three at the same time anyway.

I also have an S4S flywheel (and pressure plate, but that's not too important).

Do I, fit a standard clutch and have my flywheel ground- I think no. The car is tuned, and has slipped under maximum boost for a long time. Cost

[Paula&Marcus]

Hi Andy,

Pease donot choose the S4S-clutch !!!!

IMHO the S4S clutch is not a very good one. Its too hard to press and its the least reliable of all the choices. IMHO its not a very good design. And its even the most expensive one ...

I even recommend all S4S-owners who need a new clutch to take the +35% one and have the flywheel machined for the different bolt pattern.

This clutch type is much easier to press and to modulate than the original one.

Cheers

Marcus

www.PUKesprit.de

PS: Your flywheel really looks bad ...

Edited October 6, 2007 by Paula&Marcus

[andydclements]

Hi Andy,

Pease donot choose the S4S-clutch !!!!

IMHO the S4S clutch is not a very good one. Its too hard to press and its the least reliable of all the choices. IMHO its not a very good design. And its even the most expensive one ...

I even recommend all S4S-owners who need a new clutch to take the +35% one and have the flywheel machined for the different bolt pattern.

This clutch type is much easier to press and to modulate than the original one.

Cheers

Marcus

www.PUKesprit.de

PS: Your flywheel really looks bad ...

Thanks Marcus.

The photo of the flywheel doesn't do it justice, it looks worse in real life, metal has been moved due to the heat and scuffing, there are witness marks as you'd expect to see on brake discs left for ages, these have lead to rust lines etc.

I suppose I could get the S4S one machined for the S4/SE stud patern, hadn't considered it because that flywheel is so hard I wasn't sure if anybody would take it on.

Andy

[sky_cz]

geeeeeeeee, bad luck, but my looked much worse, i ll try make pic if i found it in workshop. now is ready, i ve SE clutch, but looks same as yours

flywheel i ve from JAE, its t to heavy, there r many holes trough around.

Other patrs from big local parts dealer, original for renault alpine:)

now i ve problem only with R gear but that another story in gearbox.

Edited October 6, 2007 by SKY

[njgsx96]

Wow, good job on that pressure plate and flyhweel!

Since you got the flywheel out, get the proper specs and see if it can be reground. That is always better then buying a new one. Not sure about yours as it looks real messed up but worth a try I suppose. As for the clutch, I have heard the S4s is very stiff so I would recommend going with one of the upgrades that Marcus offers.

Semi-on topic... Marcus, do you have the actual specs of the pressure plates for your clutches and the stock one? I never heard of a +25% or +35% clutch. what does that translate to? For instance, on my Eagle Talon, the popular choice for us is an offering from ACT that is rated as a 2600lb pressure plate. For those that want less clamping force they offer a 2100 lb pressure plate and for those that need more, a 2900 lb pressure plate. What do the clutches you sell translate too? I am just curious as I have a +35% of yours. i got it 3 years ago but never put it in. Thought I needed it but didn't so I hold onto it until I do. Hope it doesn't go bad!

Edited October 7, 2007 by njgsx96

[Paula&Marcus]

Hi Rich,

That +25% and +35% just means that it can take 25% or 35% more torque than the stock variant. It simply is an empiric figure.

Cheers

Marcus

Wow, good job on that pressure plate and flyhweel!

Since you got the flywheel out, get the proper specs and see if it can be reground. That is always better then buying a new one. Not sure about yours as it looks real messed up but worth a try I suppose. As for the clutch, I have heard the S4s is very stiff so I would recommend going with one of the upgrades that Marcus offers.

Semi-on topic... Marcus, do you have the actual specs of the pressure plates for your clutches and the stock one? I never heard of a +25% or +35% clutch. what does that translate to? For instance, on my Eagle Talon, the popular choice for us is an offering from ACT that is rated as a 2600lb pressure plate. For those that want less clamping force they offer a 2100 lb pressure plate and for those that need more, a 2900 lb pressure plate. What do the clutches you sell translate too? I am just curious as I have a +35% of yours. i got it 3 years ago but never put it in. Thought I needed it but didn't so I hold onto it until I do. Hope it doesn't go bad!

[njgsx96]

Hi Rich,

That +25% and +35% just means that it can take 25% or 35% more torque than the stock variant. It simply is an empiric figure.

Cheers

Marcus

Right, but what is the starting value? What is the stock clutch rated at? It "feels" like the 2600 lb pressure plate I had in my Talon. Just a curiousity of mine. Sorry to hijack the thread.

[Paul93Lotus]

Do I go for one of the S4S ons, use my other flywheel. I'm not certain, I've heard bad things about the S4S clutch. Cost

[Glyn Harper]

Oops. I'm still running a bog standard '88 Turbo clutch, but with about 290bhp going through it.

It seems happy enough though so far!

[mwmackenzie]

I sent my old one to Helix autosport and they made me a new one to spec.. much easier to press than the original, much lighter and to take 350 or so bhp and similar torque ..

Mark

[andydclements]

Spare flywheel obtained from Malc before he closed down.

Original one ground to factory spec.

New SE clutch on order from PUK.

Great.

Still can't do anything as the gearbox has only just been checked (they had a lot of work on), it sort of needs a new brass ring on 2nd gear hub, and it looks like a 2 week wait for that to come from France. They said the curent one isn't bad, they've done other things that should improve the gearchange, but it's getting close to wearing out, so bette to do it now than pull the gearbox out agian next year.

I guess that means no Stoneleigh in the Esprit.

Andy