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A peek into our Clutch line

2011-03-09 15:37:12 by




Clutches available from us
This is a quick peek into the different clutches we offer - starting from spares which just replace the stock to high-end multiplate clutches. For starters here are some brands, later on there is some general information.

Clutch Masters clutches
Clutch Masters is an US performance clutch manufacturer. The CM clutch range covers most European, Japanese and US models. The most popular clutch kits from CM are the FX300, FX400 and FX500 -series clutches.

FX300 –Series comes with an organic mass disc, which can handle roughly twice the torque compared to the stock clutch.
FX400 –Series comes with a sprung sintered 4- or 6-puck disc. Offers a bit more torque cap.
FX500 –Series comes with an unsprung solid 4- or 6-puck disc. This offer the most torque capability, but is also a beast to use.

Clutch Masters clutches in our webshop

Sachs race engineering
Sachs is a huge corporation in Germany manufacturing many different spare parts. Sachs has a performance department, and the dpt. also makes performance clutches. Sachs clutches also include both organic and sintered discs as well as heavy duty pressure assemblies. Sachs is an especially popular choice in European cars.

Our pricing for Sachs performance clutches is the same as the Germanese lists, so there are no premiums added - the same policy as other brands like Quaife and Whiteline for example.
The Sachs performance cluthes are not listed in the webshop yet, but a an application list and a simple pricelist is available from the following link:
Sachs Race kytkimet

Spare parts, throw out bearings and repair parts
When you need a clutch, but dont really need more torque capacity, we can also offer you a cost-effective stock replacement OEM grade clutch. The stock replacement kits start from around 100€, so they are cheap compared to the more expensive performance clutches.

The clutch and related parts naturally include more than just a disc and a pressure assembly. There are throw out bearings, guide bearings, main- and slave clutch cylinders and sometimes a clutch wire needed to operate the clutch. These are also available from us. With a very small pricetag, it is a good choice to replace these small parts while you actually take the clutch apart. This ensures a quality result and you avoid having to do take things apart again just to replace the 5€ part.

There are 100.000's of spare parts, so most are not listed in our website. You can take a peek over here though. To order spare parts, simply give us a call or send us an email.
Race.Fi spare parts

Cusco, HKS, Act, Quartermaster, Os giken etc. brands
The upper paragraphs mention our main clutch brands, but our range also includes some rarer parts which we use for patching our main brands if something is not available from them.

Pedal feel and stiffness
It is a common misconception that the clutch disc would have an effect on pedal stiffness. The pressure assembly clamps the disc between it and the flywheel. The stiffer the pressure assembly, the stiffer the pedal feel - the disc doesn't matter in this case.
If the pedal feels like an air balloon, there is likely some air in the hydraulic clutch operating system.

Sintered vs. organic
Stock clutches are mostly so-called organic clutch discs, see the picture on top of the post. Most competition clutches how ever are 3, 4, or 6-puck sintered discs which offer a quicker grip and some more torque cap. The most important difference between sintered discs and organic discs is the ability to slide, as far as usability is concerned of course. The stock clutch can be slid effectively, but a sintered disc will heat up, wear down or ruin your flywheel.

Which disc to choose then? If you dont need the extra grip a sintered disc offers, you are best off choosing an organic plate like the Clutch Masters FX300 or a Sachs Performance organic disc. If you are a drifter and use clutch kicks, you are better off using a sintered disc as it will grab a bit quicker.

Sprung or unsprung disc.
Clutch discs are available in both sprung and unsprung versions. In the picture on top, you see 6 small springs. This is a sprung disc.
The springs job is to damp some of the clutches grab to take things a bit easier on the transmission. A sprung disc also absorbs some vibration so at least in theory a sprung disc will have less transmission noise compared to an unsprung disc.

Rattling or screeching noises
Do you hear voices? That is just normal, dont be afraid.

There is a lot of talk about noises coming from the transmission or clutch. These noises are also prone to be misdiagnosed.
The most common noise in a clutch, is the noise an old throw out bearing (TOB) makes. When you press the clutch pedal, a hydraulic cylinder or cable pushes the TOB towards the pressure assembly which in turn releases the clutch. In this situation the TOB starts to rotate, as the pressure assembly naturally rotates because it is attached to the flywheel. If you dont press the clutch, the TOB just sits there, and doesnt touch the pressure assembly (in 99% of the cars at least).

So, if you hear a noise which starts when you press the clutch, and ends when you lift, it is a TOB problem. The TOB only works when you press the clutch. A new TOB is usually around 15€, so this one of the parts you should change just to be sure. The noise is mostly harmless, so this doesnt prevent you from using your car (again, in 99% of cases).

If you hear a constant noise which goes away when you press the clutch, and comes back when you lift the clutch, this is a noise coming from the transmission. The transmission has bearings which can go bad. Since there are a bunch of different transmissions, i wont go into detail about this.


What is clutch slip, and how do i know it slips?
The higher the gear you use, the more torque is needed to accelerate your car. At some point the clutch just starts to slip when the torque it needs to handle is too much. At small gears, the clutch doesnt need to handle so much torque, so slipping usually starts in high gears and gets worse as the disc wears.

A clutch which is slipping is basically the same as tires slipping: The wheel (or clutch disc) spins, but the power is not transmitted to the road (transmission), so you end up with high engine revs without going any faster. when the clutch slips you will notice a sudden rise in engine rpm but no increase in speed.