Which clutch [Merged 3-9] what clutch best

[rayden]

ok i am going to get a new clutch for my car. i was wandering which one i should go with. i was thinking of the act 2100. Dont think i want the 2600 because it is a daily driven car and will only go to the track a couple times a year. if there are some other brands you all would suggest let me know. i want a good streetable clutch for a cheap budget.

 

[pboglio]

ACT 2100 pressure plate and sprung street disc is a pretty good option. ACT rates this combo at 322 lb-ft. I had some slippage issues around the 380 lb-ft wheel range. After 28,000 miles the clutch disc has about .030" of wear, and the pressure plate is showing about .015" of "warpage" or coning. Time for an ACT 2600 for me.

 

[95tzlgst]

I like the act 2100 with the SD. Well worth it if you ask me.

 

[slvrDsm]

I recently went from my Centerforce DF.. to a act 2100 with SD... Its a very nice setup.. You will love it bro.. And i took it to the track after a short 400 mile break in.. Help great compared to my CFDF.. Hope this helps

 

[Cesar]

engagements will be harsher. I don't think there will be much feathering. the pressure plate and flywheel will probably wear faster. The synchros should work faster though.
they don't call it a street disk for nothing.

 

[CDgr97GSX]

I have to ask. I'm reading for 2 days all the threads i could find about pick up the right clutch. So far...nothing...i can't decide what i should buy. Now i'm stock..but soon i'm gonna put a pt 3052 with all updates..and run for a while with stock internals. Anyway...i was thinking to buy a ACT 2600...but then... alot of people had problem with organic disc...and i'm not so happy about the pressure put it on the crank. Second...it was Fidanza...with 3.2. Nice price...with 100$ less...but still some people are happy with...some not. The pressure plate is about 2300lbs...so is less stress to crack. Third...it was Clutch Master...with FX300 or FX400...even if i don't want ceramic disc..because my car is daily driven...but i'm pushing the gas everytime i have the chance. I want something nice to drive with...but capable to hold power...Longevity is something i care about too. Maybe try a combo...like ACT 2100 with sprung 6puck that is holding more them 400lbs with less stress on crank but i don't know how is on street driving...or some other disk like south bend, clutchnet..and so on. I think i need some suggestions. Thanks!

 

[audiomaster]

Well I'll put my two cents in as i just purchased a clutch for my 95 GSX with extensive mods. The clutch it had in it was an ACT 2600, I'll get some pics of the disintegrated discs so you all can see. I didn't have much time on this clutch but the previous owner of the car only had it for about 3k miles. During that time it was driven pretty hard on a heavily modified car.

So I have researched this like mad. I was going to purchase a fidenza 4.3 and then I ran into this: XTD® STAGE 3 CLUTCH SET ECLIPSE TALON LASER GST GSX TSI:eBay Motors (item 350198703257 end time May-15-09 22:55:50 PDT)

I read up on it and actually talked to a guy here locally that has one on his heavily modified RSX-S, he has 12k miles on it and drives pretty hard. He turned me onto a couple of other guys with this clutch and then while talking to my brother in law I found out his friend who drives a 400WHP Sti has this clutch (obviously not the GSX version):
F1 RACING STAGE 3 CLUTCH KIT ECLIPSE GST GSX TALON TSI:eBay Motors (item 350201037958 end time May-18-09 20:26:33 PDT)

He has over 5k miles on his and it has held great (he previously had a fidenza 3.2). There are also a couple of other local guys running the grip force clutch with excellent results.

So after all the research I bought one. It will have my car back tomorrow and will start the break in process. I POURED over the forums for not just DSMs but all makes of cars to figure out what was good and like all of you I got mixed reviews. After talking to people who personally owned these "ebay" clutches I figured I'd try one.

I have to say the more I read up on the ACT clutches the more I turned away from them. Granted there could be several other problems that caused these clutches to fail but the one that came out of my car wasn't that great so why spend $4-500 on something that may or may not be as good as a $150 clutch. Not to mention I have 1700 miles on a different brand ebay clutch that in my '78 4x4 chevy with a 430HP 383 that is ABUSED and it has worked fine.

Only time will tell.

 

[n00btalon]

Ok so i have a 98 GSX and i can tell my clutch is starting to go out because it starts to shake when i accelerate hard so it cant handle the power, i have a act 2600 and i've had it for quite a while so i was wondering what is a good clutch kit thats under 500 dollars and can handle about 20 psi and will last me a long time. i dont go to the track and i dont race on the streets i just like to drive around and hit the gas pedal once in a while. mods i currently have is just an HKS blow off valve, HKS turbo timer, straight downpipe, injen intake, act 2600 clutch and a few others, thanks for reading and your help is greatly appreciated. any more info you need on the car just let me know, thanks.

if you're looking for an equivalent to a 2600... the fidanza 3.2 would be nice or even a 4.3.. its up to you want you, and what you plan on doing with your car... I have a 1g awd and i got the fidanza 2.1 (equivalent to a act 2100) and i love it... my stock was toast so this thing is like heaven! it holds great...

EXTREME PSI : Your #1 Source for In Stock Performance Parts - Fidanza

 

[GsXtC21]

Audiomaster, yeah i too have been strongly considering the XTD Stage 3 Clutch kit w/ a Fidanza Flywheel.... Im pretty sure ill end up going that route also simply b/c of all the mixed reviews on ACT Cluthes (not worth the 400-500 imo)... Now would you guys consider that to be a good combo, the fidanza flywheel w/ xtd stage 3 clutch.. My goal is 325-350whp eventually and i have awd...

 

[lacroixdp]

I did a little reading up on XTD and they sound like they might be a bit shady:
Rip-off Report: Aimco Clutch Company, Ebay Id Aimcoclutch, Jim Kun Song, XTD Racing Clutches Sells automotive clutches on Ebay and website, advertises 12mo/12kmi manufacturers warranty on XTD clutch kits, but refuse to honor the warranty. Los Angeles
Of course, YMMV.

 

[gstryyder]

Fidanza 3.2 FTW. hands down. light pedal feel, almost like driving the stock clutch... and an buttload of holding power. they last a good amount of time also!

You don't need much more then that for the goals you have for it.

So far, all the guys in this thread asking about clutches would be good with a Fidanza 3.2 , if you plan on going 400hp or more (especially the guy asking that is looking to get an fp3052) i would be a bit safer and go with the 4.3 clutch. MAKE SURE YOU TAKE THE TIME TO BREAK IN THE CLUTCH FOR 500 MILES!!!(not for the disk... but for the PP to break in and get its maximum holding power!) Fidanza has great customer service, and a great product!

 

[gstryyder]

BTW... I would never go with XTD clutches.

 

[magna]

I would stay away from XTD, looks like a knock off brand.

 

[n00btalon]

BTW... I would never go with XTD clutches.

amen, i went threw this a month ago when looking for my clutch kit... someone also said get F1 or XTD... fact of the matter is they are the same... look up the post where the guy digs into it and looks for the guys that make the f1 and find out its pretty much a standard pressure plate just painted... nothing beats quality... price at the expense of quality is never a good route!

 

[n00btalon]

Fidanza 3.2 FTW. hands down. light pedal feel, almost like driving the stock clutch... and an buttload of holding power. they last a good amount of time also!

You don't need much more then that for the goals you have for it.

So far, all the guys in this thread asking about clutches would be good with a Fidanza 3.2 , if you plan on going 400hp or more (especially the guy asking that is looking to get an fp3052) i would be a bit safer and go with the 4.3 clutch. MAKE SURE YOU TAKE THE TIME TO BREAK IN THE CLUTCH FOR 500 MILES!!!(not for the disk... but for the PP to break in and get its maximum holding power!) Fidanza has great customer service, and a great product!

this guy knows his stuff! i've heard nothing but great things about Fidanza and their customer service and honoring their product! they stand by it, i've seen threads where even abused cluthes, not broken in being replaced for no cost by Fidanza... a company that has nothing to hide will stand behind their product 100%!! keep that in mind!

 

[audiomaster]

For the OP I think that the fidenza fly wheel is great. Actually the F1 and XTD are not the same. I have seen both with my own eyes and they are different. I agree that the XTD is a bit shady and real world people I have talked to in person that own F1s are happy with them.
I don't know what to think about all the "throw out looks stock" murmering I hear, especially when I see pics of ACT throw outs missing teeth and read threads of people running stock throw outs with 6 and 4 pucks. Like another poster said most of us don't make the HP to even justify a cerametalic 6 puck sprung clutch. My GSX will be making 400WHP and I think I'll need it. Driving Habits also play a major role, brake boosted 5000+ RPM launches in an AWD car are going to take their tole and constant dragracing and full boost hot clutch runs will significantly wear a clutch even on a 250 WHP car. 250-300HP is no joke especially on an AWD car. . . .

I would also agree that the fidenza clutches are great, I think i mentioned i ran one on my subaru with 0 problems.

Finally, gstryyder is 100% CORRECT when he says the break in is important. I will drive my car off boost or at low boost levels for that 500 miles as to not glaze it. After that booh-yah! (by then hopefully all my boost leak problems and other little gremlins will be solved . . . if they ever can be on a DSM )

 

[HeliAnimal]

I'd still go with the 2100. If you think you need the power of a 2600, get a six puck disk with the 2100. The 2600 is just gonna make you motor more prone to crankwalk.

 

[GsXtC21]

Hi i just got all the maintenance done on my car and then my clutch decides to fail me... First off i have a 98 gsx and the clutch is slipping really bad therefore im looking to get it replaced, im considering several options but i'm still not positive what to go with and would greatly appreciate help from experienced dsm'ers...

Clutches im considering: Act 2600, Act 2100, XTD stage 3, Fidanza 3.4

Flyeewheels: Fidanza, Xact, or Act


My goal: is to have a "weekend toy" pushing about 325-350whp that will not be my daily driver and may see the track about 3-5 times a year if that...

I would like a cluth that is reliable (dont want to worry about CW) that can easily hand 350ft/lbs trq...

Thanks in advance fellas, ps i have read this entire thread and now im stuck deciding..!!!

 

[gstryyder]

It is VERY hard to GLAZE one of these clutches. the main point of breaking it in is solely for the PP... It can make a difference of up to 500lbs of clamping force. as for it being able to bite... This is coming from Fidanza and speaking with them and reading up on their site and all their info. It is as simple as taking it easy for 500miles.

Example of durability, quality, peformance, holding power...Stay away from street disks.

I had my 98 gst heavily modded with a 20g. my 3.2 clutch worked GREAT! had my rear main seal continuously leaking on my clutch for a while(filled up my bellhousing). Even under hard pulls thru 5th gear it took about 1k miles for it to start slipping. And would ONLY slip under full boost in fifth gear (but only when i went thru every other gear first) if i just rolled on it in 5th it was fine. Drove it for about 5k miles like that (didn't have time to fix it working 18hr days...but still drove it hard every day!) SOAKED IN OIL!!! And ONLY slipped in 5th the whole time!! These things hold even under sever conditions!! I replaced the rear main seal; Soaked and cleaned the clutch plate, pressure plate and all that... now it holds like it was new!

Go Fidanza! They make some good $hit!!

 

[boostin3030]

Stay away from XTD!!

 

[CDgr97GSX]

I ended up buying Fidanza 3.2. Hope i made the right choice

 

[gstryyder]

I ended up buying Fidanza 3.2. Hope i made the right choice

where did you end up picking it up at? hopefully it was a reputable place with a great price! and free shipping! =)

 

[CDgr97GSX]

I'm not cheap I bought it from extremepsi.

 

[GS ice T]

The XTD stage 3 I had worked well for the 30k miles I put on it over a year and a half granted I probably didnt have any more than 250fwhp. When I examined it, it probably only had another year left on it before it was toast. Lots of chatter, but I got used to it and if you slip it just right you barely notice it.

The ACT 2600 in my other car fell apart on me but it was abused and had 400+awhp going to it. I'm switching to a Competition stage 4 clutch to see how they do. It was either that or a Fidanza 4.3.

Break-in length, clutch adjustment, and abuse all play a big role in how long a clutch lasts and if it fails prematurely. It's not always the manufacturer.

 

[donniekak]

Stay away from XTD!!

I have ridden in another galant vr4 with a 35r and a xtd stage 4 with an unsprung disk. The clutch held fine. The car was tuned for 26 psi, on pump. I would buy an xtd before an act any day. I see more problems with act than any other clutch. The main problem is that clutches with spung hubs break at any kind of real power level. I have an unsprung on my galant and i city drive it all the time, driver mod ftw.

 

[GsXtC21]

Seems like mixed reviews on the XTD's but mainly positive reviews from those who have actually had experience with them...

What will i do...