Spec Stage 3 or 4 clutch. Please help me decide.

I am in the process of finishing up my engine build and I need help with what clutch to go with. Please go to the website in my signature, under specification it will list my mods. Basically its a N/A 400HP Car. I still want the drivability of going to work every once in a while with this car and be able to drive it on the weekends. It will not be my daily driver 100%. However it will more than likely be driven after work and on weekends frequently. So I am looking for a clutch that isnt a pure race clutch. From my understanding the Stage 4 is either on or off since it doesnt have any springs. I am also under the impression that the Stage 4 does not slip at all... I am leaning towards the Stage 3 but I hear bad things about how they break and leave mass destruction. This car will see the track very little if any for atleast another year due to the fact that I still need to put in the 9" and 4.11 gears. This car is also on the stock tranny and stock rear end. So please help me decide which clutch would suit my needs better.

On another note, I had a 1991 tsi awd talon before this car and it had an ACT 2600 clutch. This clutch seemed fine for daily driving. So I can handle a decently harsh clutch.

Thanks again guys!

I am leaning towards the Stage 3 but I hear bad things about how they break and leave mass destruction.

http://community.webshots.com/album/356140671QRXNyK

Thats my stage 2 :irk:

If I bought another spec clutch, it will be an unsprung hub. Ive talked to a local guy who has a stage 4, and he says its great, untill it gets hot. It then likes to chatter. So keep it out of traffic.

I sent my clutch back to them. Ill hear from them by wednesday hopefully. Dont buy from them till then, wait to hear how they treat their customers with problems first.

How many miles were on your stage 2? This car will only see maybe 2k miles a year if that.

I say just go with the Spec stage 4, it is not much more than stage 3 and will last you. That is advice coming to you from a Lt1 with t56 putting 571TQ at the wheels (On the Bottle) and it has been driving on for roughly 12,000 miles with tons of "abuse" without a problem yet :bow:

stage 4 is prob good.. i have stage 3 and love it.. just as easy to drive as stock(or dam near close anyway) if only 2k miles a year.. why NOT go with 4?! even if it was daily driven.. everyone says stage 4 is fine for that too...

go with 4...

edit: pics of stage 3 and billet steel flywheel in sig

-cory-

Will I still be able to slip the clutch with a stage 4? I dont wanna have to hammer the throttle and drop the clutch for daily driving.. I want to be able to roll out of places like parking spots etc. Maybe this clutch isnt as harsh as I am thinking...

I have been leaning towards spec stage 4 kevlar for quite some time now... However, I have been reading a lot of reviews lately since its purchase time and most of them state that the clutch is a all go or no go clutch, no in-between.

stage 3 easier lets you feather it, and when want.. GRIPS like hell (snapped axle with stockpower) on my first launch at the track... if rly worried about drivability.. i can vouch 100% that the stage 3 is great, and EASY to drive...

stage 3 easier lets you feather it, and when want.. GRIPS like hell (snapped axle with stockpower) on my first launch at the track... if rly worried about drivability.. i can vouch 100% that the stage 3 is great, and EASY to drive...

everyone I know says this about stage 4, and I quote

"Stage 4 is fine, all those people on the internet bitching about 4 are all just a bunch of pussies" ;)

In all seariousness though, I have heard it is slipable and not much of a difference. And I have only ever heard bad things about stage 3's :confused:

im not saying dont get stage 4, next clutch i get will prob be stage 4.... but... all im saying is the stage 3 is great, and nothing bad yet has happened... if i was staying same power i am at, id get stage 3 again, but im going to be around 450rwhp by the time i get new clutch, and ill be racing a good bit(track)

soo ill end up with 4 then...

-cory-

With all the problems coming from the sprung hubs in SPEC clutches, I got myself a stage 4. Just have to install the damn thing already :D

How many miles were on your stage 2? This car will only see maybe 2k miles a year if that.

It had around 15k miles. The sprung hubs in spec clutches simply suck. I would not recommend a stage 3 for you. A couple people may get lucky here and there (I thought I was one of them :rolleyes: ), but If they're all the same, they all have a good chance of breaking.

If you get a spec, get the stage 4. Period. If thats too much for you, get a different brand. Ive heard good things about the stage 4 after its broken in. Heard it takes lots of time to break it in though. Also heard its bad in heavy traffic, but like you I only drive a couple thousand miles a year lately, and that dont bother me.

"Will I still be able to slip the clutch with a stage 4? I dont wanna have to hammer the throttle and drop the clutch for daily driving.. I want to be able to roll out of places like parking spots etc. Maybe this clutch isnt as harsh as I am thinking..."

you can slip it just the same. i'm still breaking my Spec 4 in so it still chatters a TINY bit on some stoplight starts...but nothing horrible.

if people think this clutch is harsh...they must be the biggest wusses in the world...cause to me (besides the tiny bit of chatter) it drives just like stock.

I have a stage 3 that just won't hold. At the track, it'll hold the launch and 1-2 shift, but 2-3 and 3-4 is slips bad. I don't know how it's getting so hot, must be slipping a bit on the launch. I've never been happy with it. I'm going to get a stage 4 next year, hopefully it holds up better.

Ok. Stage 4 for sure. I just was afraid it was SO harsh that it just wasnt humanily possible to slip it. If its just a tough clutch I would rather prefer that. Now the question is... What material should I go with?

Kevlar or Ceramic? Whats the big difference between the two? I know most dragsters run ceramic.

Ok, I just ordered it from Tybrne and went with the carbon disc. They are having a 10% sale right now on their clutch's so I decided to purchase today.

Why do yall say you dont want to drive with the stage 4 in heavy traffic?

Sorry I didnt update. I went with the Spec Stage 4 with the carbon fiber disc. It is really grabby, but not as bad as a ceramic would be. There is 0 clutch chatter. Since it is an unsprung clutch the clutch is very grabby, I drive mine daily here since I have put it back together, even in rush hour traffic. The clutch manors are great, you just have to rev your motor a little higher before leaving the line so you dont either stall the car or get that horrible jerky feeling. I rev the car to 1400rpm in order to get the car moving, this is also partly due to my gm847 cam.

Kendall

After all the problems with Spec...has anyone tried McLeod or Exedy clutches? I am dumping 12-15k on the odo in a year, with some serious beatings going on

Sorry I didnt update. I went with the Spec Stage 4 with the carbon fiber disc. It is really grabby, but not as bad as a ceramic would be. There is 0 clutch chatter. Since it is an unsprung clutch the clutch is very grabby, I drive mine daily here since I have put it back together, even in rush hour traffic. The clutch manors are great, you just have to rev your motor a little higher before leaving the line so you dont either stall the car or get that horrible jerky feeling. I rev the car to 1400rpm in order to get the car moving, this is also partly due to my gm847 cam.

Kendall

Thats awsome. My stage 4 will be going in as soon as my damn trans seals get here. D&D Performance has slow shipping :irk:

I consider myself a bit on the conservative side. I was skeptical about getting the Stage IV for the reasons you mentioned. However, I decided to get it, and I love it. Yes it will have a firm pedal, The either on or off type of engaging mechanism you hear about, it's not too bad. It will last a short time as you break it in, and you get used to it. This clutch will hold up pretty good at almost anything you throw at it. That's what I like about it. So far, it has exceeded my expectations.
-Goose :)

I consider myself a bit on the conservative side. I was skeptical about getting the Stage IV for the reasons you mentioned. However, I decided to get it, and I love it. Yes it will have a firm pedal, The either on or off type of engaging mechanism you hear about, it's not too bad. It will last a short time as you break it in, and you get used to it. This clutch will hold up pretty good at almost anything you throw at it. That's what I like about it. So far, it has exceeded my expectations.
-Goose :)


Any track passes on it Goose? I have spec stage 4 that needs to go in when I get around to it.. just curious.

Any track passes on it Goose? I have spec stage 4 that needs to go in when I get around to it.. just curious.
Oh yeah. It's been holding up pretty good at the track. So far 5000rpm launches has not been a problem. :D
-Goose :)

Another Spec 4 lover.

I got the ceramic and really like it, except rush hour traffic like someone else was talking about.