What clutch? blown street/strip car

[squirrel]

My friend fried the clutch in his car the first time he ran at the strip. It has a blown 389, making at least 500 hp. And it has a clutch turbo transmission, which is a TH400 minus the converter, it has an input shaft with clutch splines, and a funky gizmo that drives the front pump off the pressure plate fingers.

He's trying to figure out what kind of clutch he should get, and the more he asks around and reads, the more confused it gets. Organic? bronze? iron? kevlar? multi-disc?

The car will get mostly street driven, but needs to make some runs at the strip.

Anyone running a high hp manual trans car on the street that can recommend something?

[Dynoroom]

Re: What clutch? blown street/strip car

Jim, I like the McLeod dual disk. they can be had with an aluminum flywheel for light cars, lightweight steel or standard steel for med & heavy cars. Very durable for the street and will take the abuse at the track. Can be had with organic, ceramic sintered-organic, ceramic-ceramic, along with all the race type materials.
Check it out.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: What clutch? blown street/strip car

how about an eight inch convertor ?

[Scott Liggett]

Re: What clutch? blown street/strip car

Full race type clutch discs absolutely suck to drive with on the street. Nearly impossible to leave with a stop without chatter. That makes cruising annoying.

There are plenty of material types and some with dual sided, race materials on one side and street materials on the other, that are plenty liveable on the street and will take track abuse.

[fahrenschnell]

Re: What clutch? blown street/strip car

Stay away from sintered metallic.....They are NOT street friendly. But they hold like a mother.

Seth

[truckpuller]

Re: What clutch? blown street/strip car

Stay away from sintered metallic.....They are NOT street friendly. But they hold like a mother.

Seth

Sintered iron was developed for truck and tractor pulling, they were never intended for the street.

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: What clutch? blown street/strip car

Jim, I like the McLeod dual disk. they can be had with an aluminum flywheel for light cars, lightweight steel or standard steel for med & heavy cars. Very durable for the street and will take the abuse at the track. Can be had with organic, ceramic sintered-organic, ceramic-ceramic, along with all the race type materials.
Check it out.

I know a couple guys using these on cars making more snot than your buddy's so it seems like a good choice from that respect. I'd call McLeod and tell them exactly what you're doing and let them make a recommendation. They have some guys there that were around when the clutch-turbos and clutch-flite's were de rigueur equipment.

Brian

[revolutionary]

Re: What clutch? blown street/strip car

Is McLeod back to a state where they will answer calls and tech questions? They were really bad before the most recent buyout/takeover.

We have a local clutch guy (Tennessee Clutch) who builds us whatever we want based on the power we're making and his stuff is always half the price and twice the quality of the name brand guys. The kid that works for me has a 475 horse lt1 that he hits with a 250 shot of nitrous regularly and the Spec stage 3 clutch gave up after a few weeks but the local guy's lasted over a year. It is a six puck setup that I believe is still marcelled so it it a little stiff but works as his daily driver. It sounds like your guy doesn't make enough power to need anything that is totally undriveable but there will still be a foot-learning curve to whatever he gets.

[Cyclone03]

Re: What clutch? blown street/strip car

The fact he's running a Clutch/Hydro will most likely limit him to a long style PP,the fingers in gage the pump drive with an adapter.
I think that set up tended to be an on/off type set up from back in the day when torque converter only ate HP.
All though kind of cool and definitely BS approved that thing will never have super clean street manners.

[squirrel]

Re: What clutch? blown street/strip car

He's running a BB type pressure plate in it now, it just barely fits.

[calico camaro]

Re: What clutch? blown street/strip car

ive been fighting clutch issues for awhile now. tried about every disk material out there. i have an adjustable clutch from RAM and static pressure is the key to making it livable on the street, but a fine line of too much slip for the track. there is a sweet spot. but you constantly chase it with wear. im very hard on my stuff and have come to the conclusion i need a twin disk. i have driven a few twin disk cars and they seem to be the hot ticket for taking power/abuse and still having maners on the street. McLeod, RAM, and Spec all make a street twin to handle some serious power and drive nice... i would have him give each of them a call and see about a twin disk combo with a PP that would would with his setup. oh and buyunspeed has a sale right now on all clutches if there is a off the shelf piece that would work

[squirrel]

Re: What clutch? blown street/strip car

That's what he was thinking..but it looks like there is not enough room for a twin disc clutch, with the funky pump drive thing in there.

Thanks for all the input so far guys, I'll let him know...

[bobbowtie]

Re: What clutch? blown street/strip car

Mc cloud dual disc in our 800 H,P. blown street motor for 3 years works better than stock w/organic lining behind our t56 bob

[squirrel]

Re: What clutch? blown street/strip car

Not enough room in this one for a dual disc. He got an old NOS hays pressure plate and will give it a try....should be interesting.

[TC]

Re: What clutch? blown street/strip car

I'm surprised CenterForce hasn't been mentioned yet. They are right here in Arizona, Prescott I believe.