Not All Throwout Bearings Are The Same! How Quick And How Smooth Depends On Application. McLeod Has You Covered.


Not All Throwout Bearings Are The Same! How Quick And How Smooth Depends On Application. McLeod Has You Covered.

Not all throwout bearings are created equal, but most folks equate that statement to the components within them and the quality of the piece itself. This certainly is one of the differences between some off the shelf generic throwout bearing and a high quality unit like those made by McLeod, but there is more to it than that. Assuming you want a high quality, durable, and efficient unit in your car there are still choices that fit that bill depending on what kind of driving you are going to be doing with it. That’s not to say you have to have a different throwout bearing for daily driving and then will have to swap one for weekend action at the track, but the intended use can affect which throwout bearing is right for you.

There are several internal differences in throwout bearings designed for high abuse racing environments vs street use, and they impact that way the car will drive in some cases more than others. I drive a stick car every single day, and because it is not a race car I like the easy smooth clutch actuation I get with it. If I was drag racing it, then this setup would not allow me to make quick shifts without lifting off the throttle and that would make me less happy.

One of the major differences in how a throwout bearing behaves is the size of the passages, or orifices, in the components of the throwout bearing. Stock replacement throwout bearings like you get from a dealer or parts store will typically have smaller orifices than a race or high performance throwout bearing. This makes the actuation of the clutch smooth and slow and comfortable for anyone driving a stock style ride. But if you bolt a ProCharger onto your car and want to bang gears that throwout bearing may not move quick enough to keep up with your hand and feet. If you have every tried to powershift a stock car that just never seemed to work, that was probably one of the reasons you couldn’t unleash your inner Ronnie Sox.

A larger orifice flows more fluid and allows the bearing to move quicker if all things are setup correctly to do so. And driving a car that has been switched from a slow bearing to a fast acting one will really surprise you in just how much nice it is to shift quick. But there is a point where that can also cause some driveability issues depending on the clutch that is also in the car. Generically speaking, the quick acting throwout bearing makes the clutch a little less smooth to release when say taking off from a stoplight slowly. With clutch technology the way it is today though this is not a problem when you get all the right components working together from someone like McLeod. Whether you are daily driving a high horsepower ride, just want an upgrade for your performance street car, or are building an all out drag racer, road racer, or drift car then they have something for you.

In a recent Facebook post this is what they had to say. Follow them on Facebook HERE, and visit the McLeod website to see just what they have to offer for your ride RIGHT HERE. 

Clutch Kick or Smooth & Quick? Whatever your style is, our billet aluminum hydraulic throwout bearings keep consistent clutch actuation for your street or race car!⁣

Pictured is our CD009 slip-on hydraulic throwout bearing. The perfect bearing for #CD009 swaps! Each bearing comes with a bleeder and feed line. ⁣

Available for most popular street and race transmissions such as T56, G-Force, Muncie, Lenco, Tex Racing and more!⁣


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One thought on “Not All Throwout Bearings Are The Same! How Quick And How Smooth Depends On Application. McLeod Has You Covered.

  1. Gary D

    I purchased a 2006 Z06 Corvette new and the talk on the forums was that Chevy purposely did this to protect the driveline components from sudden shock of a dumped clutch or flat shifting. I didn’t race or beat on the car so I don’t know, but I suspect that this story was true.
    A question: I read a review that these are made in China. This true or false?

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