[rocwandrer]

An area I know little to nothing about, and just want the easy button!!! I've been helping people with stuff I do know something about on here for 6 years now, so I don't feel too bad making one of those "do the work for me, I just want the easy button" posts

So the stock clutch is... well... distinguishable from brand new at this point. I have a sneaking suspicion my wife is hard on the clutch at launch instead of the tires..... I don't know crap about clutches. I want a clutch that I can install, and never worry about again. I know that clutch mass is more important than flywheel mass, even though nobody ever says so, but I'll easily put a premium on other factors.

I want, in order of priority:

1.) Bulletproof reliability even under relatively abusive use. The stock clutch made it 62k miles. Some of them were hard miles, but still... Even so, I almost could see just doing another stock clutch, but for #2. I know some race clutches last well under hard launches, but do poorly in street use. That sounds like a bad compromise to me.

2.) To not have to change the clutch immediately if power ever suddenly happens to jumps up to say 225 ft lb / 250 hp.

3.) As minimal increase in effort/finickiness as possible. I have knee problems that usually aren't too bad most of the time, but they are rapidly getting worse as I get older.

4.) I'm not sure, but, did I mention not wanting to do the clutch replacement ever again?

So, "learn me some clutches"
Richard

 

[sldnrck]

TRD clutch kit has more grip than stock, and no pedal difference.

 

[silversprint]

The best clutch have used for the spyder is RPS. Great holding power. Pedal effort felt like stock. Drove like stock on the street. Disadvantage is, it's expensive and I think the MAX street I used may now be discontinued for the spyder and replaced with something else.

I had a Spec clutch fail on my ca during street driving. A disc spring broke and jammed the clutch after about 10miles.

I currenly have a ACT puck clutch. I don't recommend it for street use. Pedal feel is fine but it's grabby from a start.

I suggest a full disc clutch with springs for street use.. Avoid the puck clutches. You won't need them if running less than 250hp.

 

[Ken Branch]

Must have seen some abuse, 62 000 miles isn't much for the stock clutch. My matrix (same clutch) is at 130 000 miles and still feels like new, my wife is a little hard on it too. Try Monkey Wrench Racing they have a good selection, I would avoid a puck style clutch if you don't race.

 

[rocwandrer]

Must have seen some abuse, 62 000 miles isn't much for the stock clutch. My matrix (same clutch) is at 130 000 miles and still feels like new, my wife is a little hard on it too. Try Monkey Wrench Racing they have a good selection, I would avoid a puck style clutch if you don't race.

I've no idea what you mean. I hear if you get the springs too hot, they lose their temper. These angry springs evidently go on strike and don't push hard enough anymore. So I'm thinking I made my springs angry. Maybe that's why my car rides so rough too.... angry springs!

Anyway, I don't race. I barely do anything with the car anymore since becoming a father. Sometimes on Sunday's I'll drive down the highway to some big parking lot or airport and drive around for around 5-20 minutes, stopping frequently. Usually there are a bunch of other people itching to drive my car around too for some reason, and sometimes I let them. Oh, and rarely I'll go to one of those special roads they have that don't go anywhere but where I just came from and drive around for a few hours. But other than that, no, I don't even really drive it anymore.

 

[OldMan]

I want, in order of priority:

1.) Bulletproof reliability even under relatively abusive use. The stock clutch made it 62k miles. Some of them were hard miles, but still... Even so, I almost could see just doing another stock clutch, but for #2. I know some race clutches last well under hard launches, but do poorly in street use. That sounds like a bad compromise to me.

2.) To not have to change the clutch immediately if power ever suddenly happens to jumps up to say 225 ft lb / 250 hp.

3.) As minimal increase in effort/finickiness as possible. I have knee problems that usually aren't too bad most of the time, but they are rapidly getting worse as I get older.

4.) I'm not sure, but, did I mention not wanting to do the clutch replacement ever again?

Dream On.
There is no Tooth Fairy.
There is no Santa Claus.
There is no Easter Bunny.
There is no clutch that won't wear out.

None-the-less, the OEM clutch is pretty damn good.

 

[spydertoph]

TRD is way overpriced in my opinion. Competition clutches. Great modulation, durable, reliable, and affordable. Best clutch for the money in my opinion. I've never driven one on a spyder, but they are great clutches and have always had very high recommendations from other spyder owners who have them.

 

[dev]

I've no idea what you mean. I hear if you get the springs too hot, they lose their temper. These angry springs evidently go on strike and don't push hard enough anymore. So I'm thinking I made my springs angry. Maybe that's why my car rides so rough too.... angry springs!

Anyway, I don't race. I barely do anything with the car anymore since becoming a father. Sometimes on Sunday's I'll drive down the highway to some big parking lot or airport and drive around for around 5-20 minutes, stopping frequently. Usually there are a bunch of other people itching to drive my car around too for some reason, and sometimes I let them. Oh, and rarely I'll go to one of those special roads they have that don't go anywhere but where I just came from and drive around for a few hours. But other than that, no, I don't even really drive it anymore.

I believe the stock clutch does not use metal springs and instead use rubber cushions. Possibly not having metal springs accounts for the stock reliability. If my puck clutch gives out I'm going with a OEM stock clutch.

 

[southerneditor]

The OEM clutch does seem to have remarkable longevity if you don't ride it.

 

[rcntype]

Dream On.
There is no Tooth Fairy.
There is no Santa Claus.
There is no Easter Bunny.
There is no clutch that won't wear out.

None-the-less, the OEM clutch is pretty damn good.

+1

And your asking alot with all those priorities :lol:

When picking clutches use the torque rating not hp. Springs/marcel springs help dampen the disc - better for street use. The less material for grabbing the flywheel the harder each square in needs to grab which leads to more exotic materials and straying too far from OE leads to more reliability issues - so don't get pucks :lol:

I've had ACT and Competition Clutch clutches on my supercharged car. Both hold up great, still going so both were reasonably reliable? but the CC clutch wins hands down on pedal effort. And its pretty cheap too. Model selection i think have changed since I got mines so do your research obviously.

 

[apex17]

the stock clutch does not have springs and instead has the rubber pucks

 

[plebian]

If it's just 'feel' that's a bit off I'd check your cable play and change your clutch fluid, especially if you live somewhere humid and/or gets cold winters.

I once got really ticked at myself during a clutch change on my old sprite when I pulled the clutch and it looked exactly as when I had put it in. That one ended up being play in the cable. Since then before I do a clutch change I ask myself "Can I change gears". If the answer is yes, I look elsewhere. Bleeding never hurts.

 

[grumpy]

[quote=

 

[rocwandrer]

If it's just 'feel' that's a bit off I'd check your cable play and change your clutch fluid, especially if you live somewhere humid and/or gets cold winters.

I once got really ticked at myself during a clutch change on my old sprite when I pulled the clutch and it looked exactly as when I had put it in. That one ended up being play in the cable. Since then before I do a clutch change I ask myself "Can I change gears". If the answer is yes, I look elsewhere. Bleeding never hurts.

Thanks for pointing that out.

It disengages just fine. The pedal feel change if any has been a decrease in effort and lower disengagement height when stepping on it.

Unless I'm confused, there is no cable. The fluid has never been changed, but the engagement height is rising. Edit: I can't believe I said that backwards, but it is fixed now.

 

[rocwandrer]

I can't find ANY RPS clutches for this application...

I was sort of hoping people would recommend clutches and say "but you don't get X" from your list. What I've got so far:

no puck clutches since they will not hold up to slipage on the street (or my wife's autocross launches)

multiplate puts less thrust into the crank bearing and is lower effort for the same torque, but costs too much.

centerforce has poor QC, but good customer support and good function/reliability if you get a good one (so fail, I don't want to do the work to pull one to get another one with a smile)

act/centerforce both get good reviews? tons of choices. which kind do I want?

 

[cyclehead]

Air in the hydraulics would mean you compress air instead of fluid, which makes the clutch catch closer to the floor. Try bleeding the system.

 

[rocwandrer]

Air in the hydraulics would mean you compress air instead of fluid, which makes the clutch catch closer to the floor. Try bleeding the system.

Sorry, I said that backwards. Takeup is rising, not falling. Actually, I don't know that it has moved, except that I think that both the other spyders I've driven take up lower than mine.

 

[justyourfool]

(or my wife's autocross launches)

If you can't teach the wife to stop frying the clutch on launches you will be replacing clutches regularly.

 

[Sammy Sandbag]

I've been very pleased with the ACT full face. With the HD pressure plate it only increases the pedal effort slightly over stock. I tried a 6-puck disc for a little while, but ended up going back to full face. The puck disc was fine once rolling, but moving in traffic was a pain and makes it look like you don't know how to drive stick. It was more on/off, even when feathering it, it would reach a point where it would just grab.

 

[nocoolname]

I doubt the TRD clutch would hold 225hp reliably for a long while.

Like Sammy said above, look into an ACT full face clutch. Most report that the feel is near stock with more holding power.