anyone have problems with monster clutches?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,524
Likes: 914
From: Communist Colorado
[QUOTE=hatewhatownsyou;1573911040]i have a stg 3 with 800 miles on it, when did yours start makin these noises?
Around 1100 miles or so. I followed the break in procedure properly also.
Around 1100 miles or so. I followed the break in procedure properly also.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,146
Likes: 64
From: Mechanicsburg PA
First of all I dont have a Level 3.5. Its a Level 3. Secondly, its not about the clutch pedal pressure. If you intend to use the Level 3 on the street and not dump the clutch at 2500-3000 rpm on a regular basis, it makes a terrible, embarrassing squelching noise due to pressure plate/flywheel glaze.
Steve at Monster sent me a video of a GTO making the exact same sound I described to him. He knew what the sound was when he sent the video. That tells me its a fairly regular occurrence and also why there is a Level 3.5 Its probably better suited for street driving.
ECS sold me the clutch and the sales guy said its just like the stock clutch. Its nothing like the stock clutch. Theres more to consider than the feel or pressure of the pedal when comparing clutches.
Steve at Monster sent me a video of a GTO making the exact same sound I described to him. He knew what the sound was when he sent the video. That tells me its a fairly regular occurrence and also why there is a Level 3.5 Its probably better suited for street driving.
ECS sold me the clutch and the sales guy said its just like the stock clutch. Its nothing like the stock clutch. Theres more to consider than the feel or pressure of the pedal when comparing clutches.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,250
Likes: 0
From: Katy TX
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,960
Likes: 21
From: West Norriton PA
St. Jude Donor '08
Unless you're a DIY er, you pretty much get screwed when any of these aftermarket parts failure.
Instructor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 169
Likes: 36
From: China Spring TX
I built clutches for 30 years. You CANNOT have a race clutch with metal pucks act like street car clutch. It ain't happening. If you have a high HP car with a race clutch in it, don't drive it on the steet. Race clutches are built to hold, not to slip. They have a short life. Forget the noise. They are going to make noise! The guys that race professionally change their clutches weekly, and you expect it to last 1000's of miles of street driving. You can't have it both ways. A street clutch will be nice and soft, smooth and quite so your grandma can drive it. A high performance clutch will be rough and make noise. It's not built to last in street applications, so don't expect it to. So race your race car and drive your street car.
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,960
Likes: 21
From: West Norriton PA
St. Jude Donor '08
I built clutches for 30 years. You CANNOT have a race clutch with metal pucks act like street car clutch. It ain't happening. If you have a high HP car with a race clutch in it, don't drive it on the steet. Race clutches are built to hold, not to slip. They have a short life. Forget the noise. They are going to make noise! The guys that race professionally change their clutches weekly, and you expect it to last 1000's of miles of street driving. You can't have it both ways. A street clutch will be nice and soft, smooth and quite so your grandma can drive it. A high performance clutch will be rough and make noise. It's not built to last in street applications, so don't expect it to. So race your race car and drive your street car.
It's either one or the other.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)
Joe Kucinski
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!
Brett Foote
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)
Joe Kucinski
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!
Michael S. Palmer
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!
Joe Kucinski
7 Bolt-On Upgrades From Extreme Online Store to Level Up Your C6 Corvette
Pouria Savadkouei
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,960
Likes: 21
From: West Norriton PA
St. Jude Donor '08
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 410
Likes: 0
From: Topeka KS
I was just saying you can still get a streetable clutch that holds a lot of power in a twin. Although I'm sure some will debate that too.
Instructor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 169
Likes: 36
From: China Spring TX
The twin clutches add surface area to the assembly which is equivalent to going to a larger diameter. These in theory will do the job. The potential problem with them is more working parts. The centerplate must float between the 2 disks for a good release. Since the release gap for most clutches is about .050, this would have to be divided between 4 surfaces instead of the normal two. Several mfg's are also reducing the OD of the assembly when going to a dual. This negates most of the advantage of using a dual. The best bet is to use as large an OD as possible and stay with the organic friction surface. We have experimented with 1 organic disk and 1 metallic disk with some success. A good clutch shop can 'play' with types of frictions to come up with some custom applications.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 410
Likes: 0
From: Topeka KS
ref - wouldn't you want the twin/triple to be a smaller diameter for less inertia? I mean as you mentioned if you stay at the same OD you effectively double your surface area so to try and compensate for the higher inertia you reduce the diameter but you still end up with a good amount of surface area over any other single disk?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 13,760
Likes: 75
From: Haymarket VA
FWIW: I just took a dual disk clutch out of my car after I got really tired of the rattle that is inherent with all multiple disk clutches. It was smooth and never chattered of grabbed. I seriously considered a Monster 3.5 until I found out they stopped making them. Sellers tried to convince me that the Monster 3 would engage smoothly without chatter and grab. That would make the Monster a truly MAGIC clutch. Every puck style clutch I've ever seen is grabby and chatters. It's the nature of the beast regardless of friction material. Now reports are coming in confirming my experience.
I ended up with a Spec 3+ which is just now finishing breaking in. I get stuck in rush hour traffic and need a smooth clutch. So far I'm very happy with the Spec 3+. I made a horrific "growling" noise as it was breaking in but that's gone now.
I ended up with a Spec 3+ which is just now finishing breaking in. I get stuck in rush hour traffic and need a smooth clutch. So far I'm very happy with the Spec 3+. I made a horrific "growling" noise as it was breaking in but that's gone now.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 410
Likes: 0
From: Topeka KS
Instructor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 169
Likes: 36
From: China Spring TX
That's usually correct. But, the the Vettes have so much bottom end, that the gain in less inertia hardly noticeable. Most of the mfgs are making a twin out of 9" clutch disks and an import pressure plate (Mazda I think). An increase in sq. in. surface area, but the mean radius dimension is quite smaller, which defines the torque capacity. They machine the fulcrum on the main plate to increase the clamping pressure, but that reduces the plate travel - making it harder to release. High RPM engines with little low end torque, like IRL or F1, as well as NASCAR benefit greatly from less inertia and use 7.25" or smaller clutches with 3,4,5 disks. But remember these guys only expect a few hundred miles out of a clutch and they don't use it to shift. So all the clutch does is clamp. Total wear allowed is usually only about .040". So slip a few times in it's life and it's toast.
I run an old small block RP autocross car (C3) with 440 ft. lbs of torque and use a 10.5" single plate with a 6 pad button clutch (3 Fibertuff & 3 Velvetouch Metallic on each side). It launches hard with 13" Hoosiers and has never slipped in 3 years.
I run an old small block RP autocross car (C3) with 440 ft. lbs of torque and use a 10.5" single plate with a 6 pad button clutch (3 Fibertuff & 3 Velvetouch Metallic on each side). It launches hard with 13" Hoosiers and has never slipped in 3 years.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 410
Likes: 0
From: Topeka KS
That's one thing I was worried about before I ordered my McLeod RST twin (still waiting for it to be delivered). I didn't think that all twins rattled though.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 13,760
Likes: 75
From: Haymarket VA
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 14,577
Likes: 10
From: City of Turbo Buicks in Corvette County FL
Squeaky monster level 3 here. Its very annoying on the street. But it does not slip when launching, it can take abuse. The only way it doesn't make the squeak is if I just let the clutch out slowly from idle with no gas. The pedal is way stiffer than stock. At the end of the day I'm not worried about the clutch not getting me home.
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,960
Likes: 21
From: West Norriton PA
St. Jude Donor '08
Thanks for posting up in this thread, your technical expertise in clutch design and the inherent problems with the different designs is very helpful in choosing a clutch.
That's usually correct. But, the the Vettes have so much bottom end, that the gain in less inertia hardly noticeable. Most of the mfgs are making a twin out of 9" clutch disks and an import pressure plate (Mazda I think). An increase in sq. in. surface area, but the mean radius dimension is quite smaller, which defines the torque capacity. They machine the fulcrum on the main plate to increase the clamping pressure, but that reduces the plate travel - making it harder to release. High RPM engines with little low end torque, like IRL or F1, as well as NASCAR benefit greatly from less inertia and use 7.25" or smaller clutches with 3,4,5 disks. But remember these guys only expect a few hundred miles out of a clutch and they don't use it to shift. So all the clutch does is clamp. Total wear allowed is usually only about .040". So slip a few times in it's life and it's toast.
I run an old small block RP autocross car (C3) with 440 ft. lbs of torque and use a 10.5" single plate with a 6 pad button clutch (3 Fibertuff & 3 Velvetouch Metallic on each side). It launches hard with 13" Hoosiers and has never slipped in 3 years.
I run an old small block RP autocross car (C3) with 440 ft. lbs of torque and use a 10.5" single plate with a 6 pad button clutch (3 Fibertuff & 3 Velvetouch Metallic on each side). It launches hard with 13" Hoosiers and has never slipped in 3 years.