I have pretty much determined that my rear main is leaking. While i have to tear everything apart to get to that rear main i have decided that i might as well replace the stock clutch(84,000 miles) and bolt on some headers. I have done some research and havent gotten a definitive answer yet..what do you guys think is the best way to go? Do you think i should buy a whole clutch kit with a new pressure plate and throwout bearing from, maybe centerforce, for like $650. Or should i just order an SLP clutch disk for half the cost. I would like to know if it's preferred to just buy the kit so that everything in there is new, or if i could just buy the disk, save some money, but not sacrifice reliability. Also, i know that SLP seems really popular on this board, but are there any other favorites out there? Another thing, where do most of you guys get your clutch parts? what kind of prices?

Thanks,
trav

 

What have you guys heard about hays? I found a Hays Performance Clutch kit for $250. My car is pretty much stock, but i do have nitto drags, do you think it will hold up allright? I dont have a lot of money right now, but i want a quality clutch that will stand up to some abuse, but wont break the bank.

Thanks,
trav

 

Whatever you do don't go CENTERFORCE....it's the worst clutch you could buy for a 4th gen. I would go with a lowend SPEC or SLP. I just pulled out my Centerforce....and the part that still hadn't separated....was cracked on both sides and was about to separate.

Joe

 

i have never heard of the Hays clutch. i went with regular GM parts thru a discount part dealer like jason cromer or dal.. do a search for their names for thier numbers. i got ahold of an LT4 pressure plate which is the best pp made for our cars, unless you want to spend near a grand on the clutch, and its only $208. while i was on the phone with him i went ahead and got the rear main seal and gaskets as well as the LT1 stock sprung disc for $180. i know SLP makes a similar setup which is believed to be the LT4 pp with holes drilled in it to relieve heat and gases... it runs around $240. SLP then offers a disc similar to the GM LT1 and its only $90.. they look identical but im not sure of the quality but i hear it feels like stock. if i were you i would stay away from centerforce as they tend to have a lot of problems on these cars unless you convert EVERY part over to centerforce which is $$$. with the mods you have the LT4 pressure plate and stock disc will do fine. now a small word of caution.. dont go with a throwout bearing as they can freeze up and youll be pulling that clutch out again to replace it. instead go to a parts store and ask for a pilot bushing. for some reason GM only lists the bearings which is why youll have to go elsewhere for the bushing. i think i got mine at an all pro parts or maybe napa. hope that helps a little.

 

i dunno, ive got centerforce df on my car for past 30k miles, no problems what so ever... and yes get the bushing... when you replace your clutch.. idont beleive any of the kits come with one, but its like 20 dollars from napa

 

this is NOT TRU by all means! yes the centerfocre is WAYYYY overpriced and i would NEVER reccommed anyone to BUY one! i actually got mine from a buddy who was selling his car and had one sitting brand new that he gave me for $50. i made TONS of 10 second passes and pulled many 1.6 60* times on that thing. there is NOTHING wrong with the centerforce its just that people dont install it right on the STOCK flywheels for our cars theres a lil X on the flywheel and you HAVE to match the yellow dot thats on the pressure plate with the lil X on the flywheel or it will not be balanced. i myself have had my flywheel neutral balanced so it doesnt apply to me but it DID when i first got my centerforce cause my flywheel was NOT neutral balanced then so i had to match the X and DOT as stated above!

 

Throwout bushing? thats a new one on me. I think ill stick to my bearing, maybe ur thinking pilot bushing.

either way i have had no trouble as you claim with bearings.

 

My clutch WAS installed correctly. You might wanna do a search on Centerforce before you say that.

Joe

 

correction.. i meant pilot bushing.

 

All i have to say is http://www.specclutch.com > all :-D They makes stages 1 through 5, and I would DEFINITLY recomend their stage 2 setup for what your running up until you get to 450 rwhp :-) They are GREAT setups, GREAT customer support, and good prices. I think the clutch, pp, thowout berring is all together like $469 i think. I would NOT resurface your stock flywheel, I would also order their lightweight flywheel, using a resurface stock flywheel with a high performance clutch setup is the worse thing you can ever do. Also as for replacing your pilot berring with a pilot bushing, I would DEFINITLY recomend it, you can prob get one from GM parts dept at a local dealer. Hope that helped.

 

What would be even better than a spec clutch is a McLeod Street Twin www.mcleodind.com

 

ANOTHER problem with centerforce is customer service. There have been so many people on this board that called them about problems and Centerforce doesn't warrant jack crap or even attempt to help them out. That says something about the company right there. I'll see how my SPEC stage 3 ceramic 6 puck does....no more centercrap for me.

Joe

 

I wouldn't recommend the Spec Stage 3 either. If you compare the springs on the Stage 3 to the springs on a stock or any other brand clutch disc, you will notice that Spec uses TINY springs in the center of the disc as compared to the stock or other brand springs which are twice the length, coil diameter and 1.5X overall diameter as the Spec springs. They hold up fine for about 4-6 months, then they have a tendancy of breaking/blowing out. Did some research into this, and it turns out that the center section of the disc is EXACTLY the same as the center section on four cylinder clutches. Spec will of course try to blame the broken springs on either a bad pilot bearing, input shaft, misalignment in tranny, bad engine or trans mounts. I know this isn't causing this because in January I replaced and had checked out everything, only to have another Stage 3 disc blow its springs with my daily driven, non-raced, nearly stock car. This is why I investigated into them and found out about their cheap build design. Yes, their customer service is good, but only offer 120 day warranty on ALL stages of clutches and have heard from one of their dealers that they are in financial trouble. Discs are made in China also. Compare the springs and you will see why NOT to go with their Stage 3. I am sure their Stage 1 or 2 use the same center, but the material allows for a little more slippage, so they last maybe a few months longer. Area clutch builder/dealer let me know he has at least 2-3 calls weekly about blown springs on Spec discs.

 

In the past they had ALOT of trouble (1) with flywheels from Fidanza that were cut to low causing uneven wear and high grabing clutches. (2) they had a batch of faulty presure plates at one time (3) they had a batch of springs that were bad in their discs. NOW that has all changed acording to the people I talk to there. They have redone ALL their dics (IE: stage 3 is now a 6 puck disc rather then a 3, AND it is a MIX of the diffrent materials is used to come in, now its only one material) They NOW do all their flywheels in house, they do not order from any 3rd party sellers, so they can ensure everything is good. I had my stage 2 clutch for well over 120 days, more like 10 months, and i had one of their lightweight flywheels that were cut to low from the factory, they replaced the flywheel for free, and upgraded me to a stage 3 for pennies, AND also torsion tested my presure plate, and cleaned it up for me, they didn't have to do all that, but they did. Star Spec all the way for me :-) All problems they had in the past are/should be cleared up by now acording to them.

 

I have pretty much decided on going through SLP and ordering their Disc and Pressure plate kit for a total of $372.85. My only question is on the flywheel. I work at checker auto parts and i can get a pretty much stock replacemet flywheel for like $45. I cant seem to find a performance flywheel for less than $200, so i was wondering if using that stock flywheel would work out allright.

thanks,
trav