Clutch recommendations for a stock '85
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 340
Likes: 19
From: Royal Oak Michigan
Clutch recommendations for a stock '85
Looking for clutch recommendations for a 1985 4+3 car. The car is bone-stock, save for a Borla cat-back exhaust. No major mods are planned for it. The car is used as a summer daily driver and for occasional autocross & drag use (1-2 times per summer). What clutches are out there? What do you guys recommend?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 24,014
Likes: 633
St. Jude Donor '10
Re: Clutch recommendations for a stock '85 (C5Luv'R)
don't get a Ram clutch...had one hated it. I either like the stock GM clutch or a Centerforce like the Callaway has. The pedal is light and it grips like a ****.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 5,270
Likes: 3
From: Seattle Area WA
Re: Clutch recommendations for a stock '85 (C5Luv'R)
I might get guff for this but my stock 86 I went down to shucks and just got the right clutch....took a lot of debating but I am broke (I am also 18 and in highschool.....so I geuss that could be expected) But anyway, I found out I got a "Perfection Hy-Tech" that is made by the same main company as Borg-Warner, Luk, and Zoom. Also shucks gave me a lifetime warrenty, may not last as long (free replacement though!!!) and for about 178$ plus my own labor, sounds like a good deal to me. I am installing it right now downstairs (this is the lunch break) I'll let you know how it goes if you want to. Good luck, theres a lot of choices out there.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Re: Clutch recommendations for a stock '85 (USAsOnlyWay)
I might get guff for this but my stock 86 I went down to shucks and just got the right clutch....took a lot of debating but I am broke (I am also 18 and in highschool.....so I geuss that could be expected) But anyway, I found out I got a "Perfection Hy-Tech" that is made by the same main company as Borg-Warner, Luk, and Zoom. Also shucks gave me a lifetime warrenty, may not last as long (free replacement though!!!) and for about 178$ plus my own labor, sounds like a good deal to me. I am installing it right now downstairs (this is the lunch break) I'll let you know how it goes if you want to. Good luck, theres a lot of choices out there.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,381
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
Stock one is MORE than adequate. I'm not sure how much they cost these days so I'll tell you what I have anyways. I'm running a Centerforce dual friction clutch. VERY street friendly and the pedal pressure is easier than stock. The shole setup was about $375 for the clutch disc, pressure plate, throwout bearing, and having my 4+3 flywheels resurfaced.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 5,270
Likes: 3
From: Seattle Area WA
Re: Clutch recommendations for a stock '85 (CentralCoaster)
As in reply to tools:
I have used (these may not be typical)
2 floor jacks
4 jack stands
Lotsa of wood (had it just up on boxes under the wheels are first)
Gunk Liquid Wrench!!!
A full set of metric sockets (at least 12mm,15mm,18mm,21mm I think...so far <still in process> and having them long with lots of extensions isn't bad either....)
This is my first time under the car and I am still not done yet, so that is what comes to mind right now...I would like some of you other guys to chip in at any moment though.... also I broke a socket so make sure you have some good ones like craftsman, man those bolts get frozen on solid!!!
Anyway, good luck with it, I will try to update with any more stuff I can think of....
P.S. An ultimate tool for any job....the repair manual!!!
I have used (these may not be typical)
2 floor jacks
4 jack stands
Lotsa of wood (had it just up on boxes under the wheels are first)
Gunk Liquid Wrench!!!
A full set of metric sockets (at least 12mm,15mm,18mm,21mm I think...so far <still in process> and having them long with lots of extensions isn't bad either....)
This is my first time under the car and I am still not done yet, so that is what comes to mind right now...I would like some of you other guys to chip in at any moment though.... also I broke a socket so make sure you have some good ones like craftsman, man those bolts get frozen on solid!!!
Anyway, good luck with it, I will try to update with any more stuff I can think of....
P.S. An ultimate tool for any job....the repair manual!!!
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Re: Clutch recommendations for a stock '85 (USAsOnlyWay)
As in reply to tools:
I have used (these may not be typical)
2 floor jacks
4 jack stands
Lotsa of wood (had it just up on boxes under the wheels are first)
Gunk Liquid Wrench!!!
A full set of metric sockets (at least 12mm,15mm,18mm,21mm I think...so far <still in process> and having them long with lots of extensions isn't bad either....)
This is my first time under the car and I am still not done yet, so that is what comes to mind right now...I would like some of you other guys to chip in at any moment though.... also I broke a socket so make sure you have some good ones like craftsman, man those bolts get frozen on solid!!!
Anyway, good luck with it, I will try to update with any more stuff I can think of....
P.S. An ultimate tool for any job....the repair manual!!!
I have used (these may not be typical)
2 floor jacks
4 jack stands
Lotsa of wood (had it just up on boxes under the wheels are first)
Gunk Liquid Wrench!!!
A full set of metric sockets (at least 12mm,15mm,18mm,21mm I think...so far <still in process> and having them long with lots of extensions isn't bad either....)
This is my first time under the car and I am still not done yet, so that is what comes to mind right now...I would like some of you other guys to chip in at any moment though.... also I broke a socket so make sure you have some good ones like craftsman, man those bolts get frozen on solid!!!
Anyway, good luck with it, I will try to update with any more stuff I can think of....
P.S. An ultimate tool for any job....the repair manual!!!
(I've also learned that Haynes works better as a coloring book than a repair manual.)
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Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,381
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
I had the front on ramps and the rear tires on jackstands to get the tranny totally out from under the car.
The biggest bitch is probably going to be getting the cooler lines disconnected from the overdrive unit. I had to cut one of mine and use a compression fitting to rejoin the 2 parts after as the fitting on the O/D was frozen tight enough so that I couldnt' get it off with a 13mm (I think) line wrench like I could the other one. Ended up using a set of vice grips on it once I had the tranny out of the car.
Also the 4 main bolts on the front of the tranny holding it to the bellhousing have two options. You can either use the big torx bit on the inside of them or I think a 19mm socket on the outside. I had more luck with the 19mm.
The biggest bitch is probably going to be getting the cooler lines disconnected from the overdrive unit. I had to cut one of mine and use a compression fitting to rejoin the 2 parts after as the fitting on the O/D was frozen tight enough so that I couldnt' get it off with a 13mm (I think) line wrench like I could the other one. Ended up using a set of vice grips on it once I had the tranny out of the car.
Also the 4 main bolts on the front of the tranny holding it to the bellhousing have two options. You can either use the big torx bit on the inside of them or I think a 19mm socket on the outside. I had more luck with the 19mm.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 5,270
Likes: 3
From: Seattle Area WA
Re: Clutch recommendations for a stock '85 (CentralCoaster)
Right now I have mine at about 16" in front probably around 18" in the rear....I will get back to you when I finish the job with the most appropriate heights... but I have heard about 18" is a good height. :smash:
