Spec Clutches equal JUNK!
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 0
From: Roswell New Mexico
St. Jude Donor '07-'08
I will share my experience with Spec. I have had 3 of their clutches.
1st Spec stage 3. Great clutch, held around 650RWHP with no problems, did a great job while i had it. Switched becasue i turned up the boost to around 800RWHP
That led to the second clutch: The spec 3+. Was told how great this clutch was and it would hold the power. This was a piece of junk. It wouldn't hold what the 3 did. Lasted all of 200 miles before i junked it. Drove great though, better than the 3
That led to the clutch i have now Spec Twin Disk. Awesome clutch. Drives almost like stock, holds a lot of power (over 1K). The downside to this clutch i found is 2 fold. 1. It is a chattering SOB. Not at first, but after a few miles on the clutch, it started to chatter. I believe it is common with most twin disks. 2. The price 2000.00 for a clutch is a little much,
but it holds like no other
Dom
1st Spec stage 3. Great clutch, held around 650RWHP with no problems, did a great job while i had it. Switched becasue i turned up the boost to around 800RWHP
That led to the second clutch: The spec 3+. Was told how great this clutch was and it would hold the power. This was a piece of junk. It wouldn't hold what the 3 did. Lasted all of 200 miles before i junked it. Drove great though, better than the 3
That led to the clutch i have now Spec Twin Disk. Awesome clutch. Drives almost like stock, holds a lot of power (over 1K). The downside to this clutch i found is 2 fold. 1. It is a chattering SOB. Not at first, but after a few miles on the clutch, it started to chatter. I believe it is common with most twin disks. 2. The price 2000.00 for a clutch is a little much,
but it holds like no otherDom
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 3
From: East Hampton CT
Originally Posted by Mr. Big
That led to the second clutch: The spec 3+. Was told how great this clutch was and it would hold the power. This was a piece of junk. It wouldn't hold what the 3 did. Lasted all of 200 miles before i junked it. Drove great though, better than the 3
Dom
Dom
Isn't that like ~940crank hp? Also, if your torque is more than your hp as in most boosted vehicles...you're well over 1000ft lbs on a clutch rated for 850...I'm considering the SPEC III+ for my ~450rwhp C5...in your opinion will it be a good setup? I'm looking for something VERY streetable without much chatter that will hold the hp. It sounds like I'll have HALF the hp as you....
Last edited by Billdog350; Oct 17, 2006 at 08:36 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,281
Likes: 5
From: Boston
Originally Posted by Billdog350
D
I'm considering the SPEC III+ for my ~450rwhp C5...in your opinion will it be a good setup? I'm looking for something VERY streetable without much chatter that will hold the hp. It sounds like I'll have HALF the hp as you....
I'm considering the SPEC III+ for my ~450rwhp C5...in your opinion will it be a good setup? I'm looking for something VERY streetable without much chatter that will hold the hp. It sounds like I'll have HALF the hp as you....
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 3
From: East Hampton CT
Ok, I see that you have a SPEC III+ in your sig. How many miles on it? I've heard they chatter for ~500 mi and then quiet down quite a bit. Maybe the 2+? Those are supposed to be good for 620 tq which sounds like plenty.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 4,251
Likes: 7
From: Woodbridge Ontario
Originally Posted by Darkness
Forget it then, the spec 3+ will handle the power just fine but its not streetable like you want. Very on/off and lots of chatter.
Try a Excedy Dual. That's not streetable!
Spec 3+ feels like stock in pedal feel, and was nice to be able to slip the clutch again after the Excedy.
Last edited by tlaselva; Oct 17, 2006 at 11:51 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 0
From: Roswell New Mexico
St. Jude Donor '07-'08
The 3+ was a very streetable clutch, and i had no chatter at all. It was an awesome clutch, just wouldn't hold the power. I had better luck with the stage 3. It seems almost all clutches are hit and miss. Sometimes they hold, sometimes they don't.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,889
Likes: 7
From: Virginia Beach
CI 3-5-6-7-8 Veteran
I have a LUK stage II w/ a fidanza aluminum flywheel and the drill mod... I'm not a hardcore drag racer, but I have run 12.10's on street tires w/ it.
It's great for the road racing I do b/c the 14 lb. flywheel really allows the car to rev.
I went through a horrid balance nightmare though... nobody told me about the whole match balancing issues some of these cars can have. Install a perfectly good clutch only to find that your factory stuff was slightly off-balanced to compensate for the motor.
It's great for the road racing I do b/c the 14 lb. flywheel really allows the car to rev.
I went through a horrid balance nightmare though... nobody told me about the whole match balancing issues some of these cars can have. Install a perfectly good clutch only to find that your factory stuff was slightly off-balanced to compensate for the motor.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,281
Likes: 5
From: Boston
Originally Posted by tlaselva
Spec 3+ not streetable?
Try a Excedy Dual. That's not streetable!
Spec 3+ feels like stock in pedal feel, and was nice to be able to slip the clutch again after the Excedy.
Try a Excedy Dual. That's not streetable!
Spec 3+ feels like stock in pedal feel, and was nice to be able to slip the clutch again after the Excedy.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 3
From: East Hampton CT
Darkness, have you drag raced your car often or brake torqued at all? I'm trying to figure out why you have an issue and others are saying they're buttery smooth. Its obvious there are SPEC quality questions, but besides that, most people say that the SPEC III+'s are good...I'm always interested in the outliers...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,281
Likes: 5
From: Boston
Originally Posted by Billdog350
Darkness, have you drag raced your car often or brake torqued at all? I'm trying to figure out why you have an issue and others are saying they're buttery smooth. Its obvious there are SPEC quality questions, but besides that, most people say that the SPEC III+'s are good...I'm always interested in the outliers...
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 0
From: Roswell New Mexico
St. Jude Donor '07-'08
Originally Posted by Darkness
No track launches on this clutch, just the usual weekend night street fun. 6k miles it lasted me though but it was heavy and chattery from day 1.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 894
Likes: 1
From: Bethel Township Ohio
I have installed a ton of SPEC clutches the only problems I have had were with disengagment which was solved with a larger bore master cylinder. I have never had one slip. I have a stage 3 in my roadrace car with three seasons on it and another stage 3 in a 700 RWHP roadrace car with no problems
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,369
Likes: 179
From: Road Atlanta You do the MATH!
If my car can ever go 500 miles without being back in the shop I will let ya know but so far no problems from my SPEC. So far about 2k miles with the clutch on there, mostly on the dyno.
I will let ya know but so far no problems from my SPEC. So far about 2k miles with the clutch on there, mostly on the dyno.
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,876
Likes: 8
From: Las Vegas NV
St. Jude Donor '06 & '12
I LOVE my Cartek clutch!!! I have over 850rwtq and I it is by far the most streetable clutch I've owned. The pedal pressure is about 15% heavier than stock and you can slip it all day long.
I have beat the pi$$ out of this clutch and its flawless.
I have beat the pi$$ out of this clutch and its flawless.
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,876
Likes: 8
From: Las Vegas NV
St. Jude Donor '06 & '12
Hey Doug,
It doesnt count coming from you guys..
You could find a way to break a clutch that was made out of cromoly and unobtanium!!!
It doesnt count coming from you guys..
You could find a way to break a clutch that was made out of cromoly and unobtanium!!!
Originally Posted by DOUG @ ECS
Hey Jeff,
Several clutches (including yours) will spark when launched hard through the two holes on the bottom of the bell housing. I guess due to the types of materials used. I have seen that several times before on clutches that worked great for a long time afterwards. (although Spec has not worked for us either)
Several clutches (including yours) will spark when launched hard through the two holes on the bottom of the bell housing. I guess due to the types of materials used. I have seen that several times before on clutches that worked great for a long time afterwards. (although Spec has not worked for us either)
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 3
From: East Hampton CT
Originally Posted by AMERICAN_HP
I LOVE my Cartek clutch!!! I have over 850rwtq and I it is by far the most streetable clutch I've owned. The pedal pressure is about 15% heavier than stock and you can slip it all day long.
I have beat the pi$$ out of this clutch and its flawless.
I have beat the pi$$ out of this clutch and its flawless.
Looking more and more like Spec III+...a few complaints but most people seem to have positive results (80%).
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 653
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore Maryland
Originally Posted by AMERICAN_HP
I LOVE my Cartek clutch!!! I have over 850rwtq and I it is by far the most streetable clutch I've owned. The pedal pressure is about 15% heavier than stock and you can slip it all day long.
I have beat the pi$$ out of this clutch and its flawless.
I have beat the pi$$ out of this clutch and its flawless.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,281
Likes: 5
From: Boston
Originally Posted by 1-BAD-C5
If you dont mind me asing how much did you pay for your cartek clutch and which one do you have from them.
I need to decide if I should just buy another 3+ and take a chance, or go with the cartek and know its going to hold fine with the nitrous.