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another Spec Stage 3+ failure

got a good one.

put an email into Luk asking if they had a clutch that would handle the power that a 3L turbo makes. I was informed that they no longer make a clutch that would work in that application. They just supply OEM clutches again now ....

I inquired a year back with Luk and was told they have never made a performance clutch for our application. Only their "RepSet" which is OEM replacement. Their upgraded performance clutches are "Pro Gold"
 
For what it's worth, I recently ordered a "Red" clutch/PP from Clutchnet and the disk was close-windowed . I think they liked the design enough to adopt it permanently, lol. Still, ain't no springs coming out of it.
 
ok I have some rockwell C hardness test results. I have alot more digging and researching to do on the specific materials before I draw an further conclusions from this data.

Spec - 50
Stock SE - 55

This seems to confirm that the spec clutch spring cage is not strong enough for the application. now I don't know if this means it wasn't properly heat treated or if its just the wrong material. I plan to try to find out the material of the clutches so that I can find out where the hardness test results fall in terms of yeild stress for the particular metals used.
 
what I am thinking, depending on Specs answer to me when I get all my thoughts and information together is going with clutchnet. I want to see if they can take the red, 6-puck and make it a full face disk. I think this will make it pretty close to the Spec Stage 3+. I would then go with a yellow or red pressure plate. clutchnet suggested the yellow plate so that it would be so heavy it would be tiring to drive in say stop and go traffic because of increased pedal pressure because of the redesigned spring to get better clamping forces.
 
Clutch net has full faced discs you can use. Just use a higher clamp pressure plate, or your current S3+ if its in good condition.
 
ok I have some rockwell C hardness test results. I have alot more digging and researching to do on the specific materials before I draw an further conclusions from this data.

Spec - 50
Stock SE - 55

This seems to confirm that the spec clutch spring cage is not strong enough for the application. now I don't know if this means it wasn't properly heat treated or if its just the wrong material. I plan to try to find out the material of the clutches so that I can find out where the hardness test results fall in terms of yeild stress for the particular metals used.
Awesome info Brian, thank you for this, I think it will come in handy for the complaints to SPEC!
 
Clutch net has full faced discs you can use. Just use a higher clamp pressure plate, or your current S3+ if its in good condition.


well when I called then and told them how much power the clutch needed to hold they imediately suggested the 6 puck red disk. my father suggested the kevlar disk to me and I like the sounds of the fiber carbon disk. seems kinda close to the stage 3+. I am thinking yellow or red pressure plate to go with it. also they told me that since the stage 3+ pressure plate in my car felt lighter then stock that was bs and if the springs where re-worked for more clamping force the pedal would be heavier.
 
If your pedal felt lighter than I would say for sure there is something going on. My pedal definitely feels stiffer. Though when I first installed my 3+ it was slipping slightly. I sent it back to spec. They sent me a new clutch with supposedly a even higher rated pressure plate. 3+ come with a stage 5 plate, so mine maybe a 6 or higher.
 
well when I called then and told them how much power the clutch needed to hold they imediately suggested the 6 puck red disk. my father suggested the kevlar disk to me and I like the sounds of the fiber carbon disk. seems kinda close to the stage 3+. I am thinking yellow or red pressure plate to go with it. also they told me that since the stage 3+ pressure plate in my car felt lighter then stock that was bs and if the springs where re-worked for more clamping force the pedal would be heavier.

I am not big on using 6 pucks for street use. I like full faced discs. Clutchnet appears to make a better product, but there tech support sound like high a school kid. I personally would go with the fiber carbon and a red pressure plate. Don't think it has been tried, just my personal opinion
 
I am not big on using 6 pucks for street use. I like full faced discs. Clutchnet appears to make a better product, but there tech support sound like high a school kid. I personally would go with the fiber carbon and a red pressure plate. Don't think it has been tried, just my personal opinion


yeah that is what I was thinking about trying. I also want a full face disk for street driving because that is mostly what I do. But I do want it to hold up if a want to go to the strip or track. I would reuse my spec pp but the fingers show where the springs rubbed on them. also it sounds like something wasn't right with it anyway. that and spec says the 3+ was a carbon semi-mettalic material so the fiber carbon should be a good match I'm thinking.
 
If you do, I want to hear the results :cool:

I was thinking yellow carbon fibre disc and a stock SVT pressure plate, but may be willing to try a clutchnet one if the engagement is better than the SPEC.

I don't have a stock SVT pp to use. I have a svt clutch kit but I need that for my SVT soon, clutch sometimes drags at idle so I have to rip that apart to see whats up. clutchnet said they do the same as spec with the pp. they will use a german made stock stamping and put their revised springs into it. they listed both sach and luk which of course make our oem clutches.

I could use the spec pp but since it sounds like something it off I might as well go with a clutchnet set. definately would be a yellow disk and pp. not sure why the red is better because its listed as being rated the % grip more then stock as the yellow :confused:
 
I'm just trying to limp my clutch along till we find a good alternative. Although I could be making things worse for myself.
 
If you do, I want to hear the results :cool:

I was thinking yellow carbon fibre disc and a stock SVT pressure plate, but may be willing to try a clutchnet one if the engagement is better than the SPEC.

thats exactly what I'm planning when the mtx comes out for the diff/final-drive this winter

I'd thought about kevlar, but I hear they chatter and smell pretty bad
 
yeah that is what I was thinking about trying. I also want a full face disk for street driving because that is mostly what I do. But I do want it to hold up if a want to go to the strip or track. I would reuse my spec pp but the fingers show where the springs rubbed on them. also it sounds like something wasn't right with it anyway. that and spec says the 3+ was a carbon semi-mettalic material so the fiber carbon should be a good match I'm thinking.

If I had to guess I think it would do just fine. Most of the holding power for a clutch comes from the clamp force of the pressure plate, the material makes a difference too, but not quite as much. Material also has a big effect on the engagement, harshness etc.. So I think the fiber carbon would have less of a harsh engagement and still hold up. Only one way to find out!
 
If I had to guess I think it would do just fine. Most of the holding power for a clutch comes from the clamp force of the pressure plate, the material makes a difference too, but not quite as much. Material also has a big effect on the engagement, harshness etc.. So I think the fiber carbon would have less of a harsh engagement and still hold up. Only one way to find out!


yup, one way to find out .... however I would prefer not to have to pull the trans again within a year, or a few years if it can be helped. hope to get a new email off to spec this afternoon with the test results and see what they have to say.
 
Update on mine. TRicker pulled the clutch on mine and the springs didn't pop out of the clutch actually. :confused: A rivit broke so the springs came out. :laugh:
 
wow, thats pretty janky.

with an ATB an unsprung disk would solve that though, at the cost of a little harshness.

I've never driven an unsprung disk, how is it? clutch net offers a solid faced carbon unsprung for a nice price....

how would that work out with an SVT PP?
 
ok I finally made another reply to Spec last night bring up the hardness difference between my spec and a stock clutch .... but they are out of the office til the 7th...
 
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