Hydrolic Clutch Benifits??
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: High River Alberta
Hydrolic Clutch Benifits??
Hi guys
What are the benifits of going to a hydrolic clutch compaired to the mechanical??Is it worth the almost $700.00 they ask for??Im thinking of going with Keisler TKO600.Any info is appreciated.
Doug
What are the benifits of going to a hydrolic clutch compaired to the mechanical??Is it worth the almost $700.00 they ask for??Im thinking of going with Keisler TKO600.Any info is appreciated.
Doug
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,841
Likes: 3
From: Halifax, NS, Canada
I am running Keisler's hydraulic release bearing and it is a switch from manual linkage that I certainly do not regret. It sure makes for a clean setup and does away with all the linkage and rods. Lots more room under there to work without the linkage. The clutch effort will be at least half of what it is with manual linkage. I highly recommend it and the install is pretty straight forward, their instructions are very good.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,841
Likes: 0
From: Inver Grove Minnesota
I put mine together from 85 1 ton gmc parts. Pretty nice, I had tons of issues with the stock style setup when I swapped to a 4 speed. For $100 and some fab work I wish I would have done it from the get go.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 23,375
Likes: 1,067
From: Virginia USA
Question:
Do you have to pull the trans to install it? In other words does it change the throwout bearing and clutch fork or does the kit work with those? My wife has expressed interest in driving the Vette but can't push the clutch pedal in very well because of the force it takes.
Do you have to pull the trans to install it? In other words does it change the throwout bearing and clutch fork or does the kit work with those? My wife has expressed interest in driving the Vette but can't push the clutch pedal in very well because of the force it takes.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,841
Likes: 3
From: Halifax, NS, Canada
Question:
Do you have to pull the trans to install it? In other words does it change the throwout bearing and clutch fork or does the kit work with those? My wife has expressed interest in driving the Vette but can't push the clutch pedal in very well because of the force it takes.
Do you have to pull the trans to install it? In other words does it change the throwout bearing and clutch fork or does the kit work with those? My wife has expressed interest in driving the Vette but can't push the clutch pedal in very well because of the force it takes.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,826
Likes: 3
From: Tennessee
Our hydraulic kit uses an internal hydraulic throw out bearing which is mounted to the front of the TKO. It does away with the Z-bar and all of the mechanical linkage and does make for a clean looking engine compartment. On the other hand, if you are used to and like, mechanical linkage, hydraulics will feel strange to you. Personaly, I like the "feel" I get from mechanical linkage. I can feel the clutch when engaging and dis-engaging. With hydraulics, the fluid dampens that and you lose the "feel".
Typically, hydraulics will give you the best "bang for the buck" if you have a high horsepower motor that requires a heavy clutch. In that instance, hydraulics makes it easy to push the clutch down. On standard horse power applications (300hp-450hp), the diaphram style clutch already has a light pedal effort, so in my opinion, hydraulics is not needed nor is it as beneficial. The previous statement was a personal statement and not necessarily the Keisler standpoint.
To each his own. Obviously if you have had surgery on your knees, legs or back or are just not as strong as you used to be, then hydraulics will benefit you as well.Richard
Tech Support
Last edited by rj8806; Aug 12, 2008 at 03:56 PM.
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Pro
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 716
Likes: 1
From: Albuquerque New Mexico
I considered both and decided to put Keisler's TKO 600 w/Mech. clutch in my '68 Camaro and after 2 years have no regrets. Nice feel and not too hard pedal effort. Definitely more effort required than hydraulic but huge improvement over the effort that was required back in the muscle car day. It gives me the feeling that my foot is in total harmony w/what clutch is doing. I'm not sure how significant of an issue this really is but one factor that weighed in my decision was that sometimes the car will sit for a couple weeks to a month w/o driving it and several people I spoke to had concerns about seals drying and the fluid leaking in these scenarios where a car sits periodically vs. routinely driven and as a result presents more risk of wrecking your clutch disc surfaces.
