Get Car Ready For a Performance Clutch Disc

Your clutch is a vital component that needs to be upgraded to handle increased horsepower and torque. Improved durability, heat-resistance, and performance use are a few reasons you may want to look at upgrading your clutch disc.

But not so fast, before you go ahead and swap out the clutch. There are several essential things you’ve got to keep in mind before doing so. It’s good to understand what’s going on and what upgrades you may need to make. We want to help you choose right clutch and make the essential modifications that you need.

Clutch Pressure Plate

One of the main reasons for upgrading the clutch disc is to increase the clamping force. For performance use, excessive clutch slipping is something to be avoided. When the clutch slips, power from the engine doesn’t reach the wheels.

That’s why a strong clamping force is necessary, and that force comes from the clutch pressure plate assembly. By getting a clutch pressure plate with a higher clamping force, the plates squeeze the clutch disc tighter. This will make your clutch pedal feel noticeably heavier, but reduce clutch slipping.

The Flywheel

Single-mass and lightweight flywheels weigh less than the usual dual-mass flywheels found in regular everyday cars. This helps the engine rev higher and lets you shift faster. Perfect for performance use. Or is it?

The issue with lightened flywheels is that they transmit a lot more engine vibrations to the drivetrain. This increases the wear on the transmission, engine and differential gears. Drivability is reduced and may not be ideal for city use.

Single-mass flywheels are just flywheels made of one piece, which causes engagement to feel a lot harsher. Great for expert drivers with good clutch control and getting a good initial launch.

Choosing The Right Clutch

Most importantly you’ve got to choose the right clutch. You’ll often find clutches rated from stages 1 to 5. Stage 5 has the highest possible friction coefficient. Which means it really grips, this is useful when drag racing where rapid engagement is necessary.

Stages 3-5 are good for performance usage, and stages 1-2 make good clutches for everyday use.

At SpeedeClutch, you’ll find both sprung and unsprung clutches. The sprung clutches have springs in them, which leads to smoother engagement by absorbing the shocks. The unsprung discs can work just as smoothly with a dual-mass flywheel that has some cushioning.

For racing purposes, you can have both a solid flywheel and unsprung clutch disc for faster engagement. Keep in mind this does put more wear on the engine and transmission.

Transmission Fluid

The transmission fluid is very important for your gearbox and often neglected by drivers. It’s important to choose the right transmission fluid, and the best you can buy to ensure your gearbox runs smoothly. Check with your gearbox manufacturer and change it when needed. It protects your gears and allows for smoother shifting.

Conclusion

We often change the clutch in response to making car and engine upgrades. However, it’s really important that everything works in synchrony, and just the way you want it to. Ultimately you’ve got to choose the compromises you’re willing to accept and make the upgrades accordingly.