Why you don't buy ebay clutches
#1
Want fries with that?
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Why you don't buy ebay clutches
So I thought I would post this thread since when I bought it I didn't really find anything conclusive about ebay clutches. There were mixed reviews and I couldn't really get to the bottom of them.
Anyways, I put a sprung kevlar "stage 2" f1 clutch in my car. It claimed that it could hold up to 2xx hp and 25x tq (Don't remember the exact numbers). I put it in over the winter so the car sat for a couple of months before I could actually use it so I can't give much comparison to the slipping stock clutch, but I can try.
The stage 2 felt exctly like the slipping stock clutch, only it engaged higher up. The engagement was so harsh that even with a kevlar disk I would commonly stall, being used to a much, much nicer clutch. It slipped under stock power, and when I turbocharged the car it would hold up until about 4,500rpm and then it would go nuts. This thing smelled BAD aswell. It slipped so much that it would start to burn, especially with spirited driving and traffic. It was rancid.
I finally got rid of that POS when the rear main seal blew. I have since replaced it with an unsprung ceramic 6-puck ACT clutch. You might be thinking that it would be impossible going from a sprung kevlar to an unsprung 6-puck. On a reputable clutch, that would be very true indeed. On this? The engagement actually got better. That's right, the engagement got BETTER because of how bad the ebay clutches are made.
Other people feel free to chime in as well. Just want to prevent someone from making the same mistake I did.
Anyways, I put a sprung kevlar "stage 2" f1 clutch in my car. It claimed that it could hold up to 2xx hp and 25x tq (Don't remember the exact numbers). I put it in over the winter so the car sat for a couple of months before I could actually use it so I can't give much comparison to the slipping stock clutch, but I can try.
The stage 2 felt exctly like the slipping stock clutch, only it engaged higher up. The engagement was so harsh that even with a kevlar disk I would commonly stall, being used to a much, much nicer clutch. It slipped under stock power, and when I turbocharged the car it would hold up until about 4,500rpm and then it would go nuts. This thing smelled BAD aswell. It slipped so much that it would start to burn, especially with spirited driving and traffic. It was rancid.
I finally got rid of that POS when the rear main seal blew. I have since replaced it with an unsprung ceramic 6-puck ACT clutch. You might be thinking that it would be impossible going from a sprung kevlar to an unsprung 6-puck. On a reputable clutch, that would be very true indeed. On this? The engagement actually got better. That's right, the engagement got BETTER because of how bad the ebay clutches are made.
Other people feel free to chime in as well. Just want to prevent someone from making the same mistake I did.
#3
mkturbo.com
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FM stage 1 is the only clutch I will recommend now for any non built boosted motor. I have done enough clutch jobs to know that it is something you do not cheap out on.
Ask Brain about that time were took out his transmission twice in a day and again the following weekend because he cheaped out on a clutch.
Ask Brain about that time were took out his transmission twice in a day and again the following weekend because he cheaped out on a clutch.
#4
I've been on an ebay F1 stage 3 for about 15k now.
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#5
Boost Czar
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don't buy a kevlar clutch and expect it to hold. Those things need to cautiously installed and babied or they glaze over and are ruined. Sounds like you did something during installation like not readjust your engagement rod, kevlar should engage easy, so long as it's a full faced disc.
That said, if you're buying a clutch other than the:
Exedy Stage I
ACT HD or XT (Street Disc)
FMI or FMII
949 Racing Twin Disk
You = Fail.
That said, if you're buying a clutch other than the:
Exedy Stage I
ACT HD or XT (Street Disc)
FMI or FMII
949 Racing Twin Disk
You = Fail.
#9
f u, my clutch is holding more powah than your car has ever seen.
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#13
mkturbo.com
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I had an ACT street disk and it worked great for 2 years. Since then I have driven several FM1 equiped cars and the clutch pedal is so much easier on them. So I have switched to only recommending the FM clutches unless you are baller and going for the 949 twin disk.
#18
Cpt. Slow
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Go clog a cat.
I'm another that's been through an ebay clutch. Then again, it wasn't installed properly the first time and blew up fairly quickly. My current one WAS installed correctly, and is doing great, beyond the jerky starts. I'm fine living with that since it's showing zero signs of slipping.
I'm another that's been through an ebay clutch. Then again, it wasn't installed properly the first time and blew up fairly quickly. My current one WAS installed correctly, and is doing great, beyond the jerky starts. I'm fine living with that since it's showing zero signs of slipping.