"Spec" clutches?

[myblack98gst]

I had a spec stage 3 4puck on my 98 GST and it had at minimun 23,000 miles on it when I sold the car and it was holding up perfect... I loved the clutch I even sold 2 other peopel in my town on the same clutch..

mine saw

t04B V-trim 20-25psi daily driven
big 16g +100shot nitrous
bolt on 50 trim.

Best of all

Center diff busting and soaking the disc with transfluid for a week till I could get it apart. I sanded the pads a little bit and put it back together, it slipped the first day but after that it was perfect again. it never once slipped .

 

[onegee]

Hmm. Now I'm thinking about not even installing my Spec Stage 2 i've had for about a year and getting a 2600 to mate up to my soon to be installed XACT flywheel. ugh

 

[92tealTSI]

Well I have an update on my spec stage 3 car with the 2.3 and the 60trim.
Mid launch last track session the clutch disc shot a half a spring out. Didnt damage anything other than the disc. I have since switched to a unsprung ACT disc w\ the SPEC pressure plate and it seems to be holding up alright thus far. Ill post some carnage pics up later.

Also the car drove fine after all this happened, just made a really nasty metallic sound.

 

[fiveSFE]

What kind of track times did you run with the Stage 2? 60ft times?

ive really only ran this clutch once at the trac, and that was when i first got the car, it had a 16g, i was still learning how to launch, i was gettin 2.0's consitantly, im sure i could do alot better on the stage 2 if i would of known how to really launch it. ive had all 4 tires spin threw 1st and 2nd with this clutch on a few stop light laucnhes, ive had girls riding shotgun hit me because they got scared from a luanch on this clutch. imo it is pretty good.

 

[larsrya8]

Well it's been six months. Any updates from those running Spec clutches?

 

[thetyrant]

Well it's been six months. Any updates from those running Spec clutches?

Ive now taken mine out ...two reasons....

Firstly... the overrun clatter it made was driving me mad, after stripping, checking and replacing everything else in the drivetrain i was left with only the clutch to blame, could just about live with it most days but it was always a bit of an annoyance..

Secondly...once i had the larger turbo and Autronics mapped up the torque was above the rated 375ftlbs, not much above at the moment at 390 but theres a bit more to come yet

Replaced it with a 4puck Carbotic paddle from Jim Berry @ Raceclutch in Austraila, runs silent and good for near on 500ftlbs

Cheers
Ian

 

[drivemusicnow]

I was wondering how many people out there are running the SPEC clutches, what they think, and how many are running hybrid SPEC disks, with other pressure plates?

I JUST installed my SPEC 3 clutch and the pedal feel is really light, I'm a little concerned that it won't hold the power. I'm going to be driving it for a little while but I'd like to see what other possibilities are out there. I like the clutch disk design, but I'd be willing to get a bit more pressure plate pressure to ensure power handling later. Anyone know which pressure plates use the same dimensions and would bolt up with the SPEC disk?

 

[pneumo]

Well since the last time I posted I got a new clutch. I used to have a spec stage 3, which has a light pedal pressure and good street manners. Now I'm using a Horsepower Freaks sprung 6 puck with an ACT2100 pp. They work very well together. So far I can't tell the difference between the two.

I also compared the dimensions as best I could. The discs are very similar, same weight, same thickness. The pads are a different color, so they're probably made with a different material.

The ACT2100 pp is also very similar to the spec stage 3 pp. The diaphram fingers are the same dimension, same thickness, same width. The pivot point on the spec clutch is slightly farther outboard which might give it more leverage with less travel.

My car went 11.3 @130mph a few weeks ago and it held the power as long as I shifted quick. If I engaged the clutch slowly and slipped it during engagement it would heat up and slip. My car is putting out more power now, so I'll find out if the clutch still holds in a few weeks. If not I'll just throw in an ACT 2600 pp on the 6 puck disc.

 

[Dream On]

I've got a stage 3 that I've only ever used on the street, so no track numbers. My car doesn't have many mods and I usually drive it pretty conservatively. It's held up just fine to a few launches (never back to back or anything, just here and there) and I like the engagement and pedal pressure. I've had it in for about 7k miles or so, and it's never slipped once. It does chatter sometimes, but it's much better since I first installed it. I broke it in with about 450ish miles or so. It's mated to a Fidanza flywheel also, new clutch fork and ball, OEM TOB.

 

[RayPeters]

Ok, I feel it is time to chime in here. I ordered a stage 3+ and a heavy pressure plate from Dave @spec. I'm running it in the Twincharged rig, its AWD and pulls like a freight train compared to a single turbo DSM. (462 Ft Lbs at the wheels to be exact) I daily drive the car in Phoenix traffic and Rallycross and Autocross the car on a regular basis. I can only say good things about the clutch. The full disc and sprung hub make it a little heavy, but it still shifts well. Our VR4 Galant Rally car has a ACT 2600 and street disc combo in it, and when it fails It will not be replaced with anything from ACT. The spec pushes easier and holds so much more torque, plus have always been helpful when I had tech questions. They even found me a 20 hole Fidanza flywheel insert when I couldn't.

The Stage 3+ is a little grabby, very driveable once it seats in. Most valets can't even get the car to move though, so maybe driver skill has something to do with it. Hmm. I can post pics of what I'm running if anyone is interested, I've got a total of 20,000 miles on one so far with no problems. Before that I had a custom clutch from clutchnet, another great group to work with and the clutch was super nice to the flywheel. 75,000 miles and only .002" of taper and no heat checking... what's not to love?

 

[Enraged78]

Ok, I feel it is time to chime in here. ... what's not to love?

I also have the stage 3+, and have about 20,000 miles on it so far. I received one of the first units from SPEC while they were still prototyping it. I have the carbon/kevlar puck/disk hybrid. I have nothing but good things to say about this clutch. Great street manners, and grips harder once you heat it up a little bit. A little heavy, chatters a little bit once in a while, but very smooth and easy to operate, especially when shifting quickly. I don't launch the car very often, but with the studderbox set to 4750, this clutch makes the car feel like it's going to leave the ground. Launches very well. The clutch sees over 400 ft/lbs. daily, and aside from not launching it very often, I make sure that clutch sees plenty of use.

Ray, it's interesting what you said about valets not being able to drive it, I've seen exactly the same thing. I've watched three seperate people stall it out multiple times when trying to drive it, which I always find amusing.

FYI, for everyone that was asking about flywheel stepping, I had mine stepped to .610.

Thanks,
Matt.