Gents, starting a clutch install on my supercharged C5.
Plans are to -
1. Go with Monster LT1-S kit (purchasing from Tick Performance on sale)
2. Mark and note the location of the flywheel on the crank and PP on the flywheel and have them Match balanced locally so the Monster has the same external balance as the stock setup.
3. Replace torque tube couplers (mine have 80k on them).
4. New GM slave cylinder
5. Purchase and install a quick bleeder kit - any opinions about which one is best?
6. What a I missing?
7. Anyone need any video of any part of the process??

Thanks!
Ken

 

Pilot bearing (and puller tool if you dont have one)
I use the Tick remote bleeder kit, works fine. It has a speed bleeder, so once you open the valve its a 1 man operation of just pumping the pedal--no gripes
Flywheel holder tool so you can torque bolts without engine rotating (if you dont have one)
Rear main seal?
Clutch alignment tool, probably comes with one? Mine didnt for some reason IIRC

That's all i can think of right now off hand.

links:

 

Mail Monster directly. They may beat Tick's pricing. They did for me.

Absolutely, absolutely match-balance the monster clutch kit. I had a bad experience with this. You must take it to a machine shop and get it balanced properly. Often this will be a zero-balance, but do not trust that the clutch you get is zero-balanced brand new.

Torque tube couplers, yes, but also the bearings. If you are doing it DIY, you probably want OEM bearings. If you are paying labor, it may be almost the same price to just buy a new prop shaft with new couplers and bearings installed on it.

You can get Monster's clutch kit with the clutch, including the pilot bushing w/ alignment tool, the throw-out bearing, the slave cylinder. And their bleeder. I got the speed bleeder ($50). Technically a "one man unit" as it has a check valve. Haven't tried it yet.

Do NOT go for an adjustable master cylinder, as per Monster's recommendations (via email). You can make it work, but they do not recommend it. With that said, the previous owner installed either an adjustable one or just one with a fat bore, and the shop doing the install checked and said it's set up fine to work fine. We rolled the dice on that and so far no issues. If issues develop, well, that's the cost of not wanting to do the work and spend the money to install a stock unit.

I got their standard flywheel, which is lighter than stock, but I should have gotten their lighter unit. Strongly consider their lighter unit unless you're a really slow shifter



There's a bunch of other stuff you may want to do at this time. I don't have a full list handy, but ...

- Check engine and trans mounts. Replace if needed. No new OEM parts exist, so you will not have the most fun time figuring out which replacement you want.
- Check rear main. Don't replace it unless you need to is the advice I got.
- Probably easy to do new trans/diff fluid at this time.
- Also, in addition to inspecting the rear transaxle for leaks and stuff, clean it all nicely so that if something leaks in the future it's easier to spot.
- Inspect control arm bushings for excessive wear, play, or them kinda coming out of the arms.
- Consider whether you want to take this time to upgrade the prop shaft. You can go for a carbon one.
- Consider whether you want to take this time to upgrade the couplers. You can go for solid couplers over rubber ones. They're no longer a wearable item and are great for race car stuff but not necessarily great for the street. You would also need to carefully machine solid couplers - they do not come perfectly matched to your setup from the aftermarket manufacturer(s).
- Consider whether you want to add a diff/trans brace. Really easy to do it with the drivetrain out on the ground.
- If you need any R&R for the trans/diff, now's a great time to send that sucker to a shop. Or if you want upgrades.
- Consider whether you want to replace the tunnel plate with one that is fatter (stiffer) and/or has heat shielding on it.
- If you dropped the exhaust headers out, now's a good time for nice new MLS gaskets.

 

Gimp made me think of a couple other things / wanted to chime in on.

Definitely stock bore / OEM master cylinder. Twin disc already makes the engagement slipping window small, larger bore makes it way worse. I had the Tick unit initially. I switched over to a standard size bore (3/4" I think?) tilton and it was back to OEM like and much better.

I personally recommend the heavier/standard flywheel. With the supercharger and lower moment of inertia LT1-S clutch/pressure plate... my revs drop like a rock between shifts, even with AC off. I'm guessing yours is already like this even with stock clutch etc. If you have a cam etc too, this should help it catch idle and help idle stability, etc.

 

I feel like there are a million threads on the subject but no one thread seems to contain a master list of "do this," "check this," and "consider upgrading this." Maybe we should gather that info in one thread at some point.

 

Recommendations on torque tube bushings and best place to get them? I have seen some comments not to use the Dormans but not sure why....

 

I am just wondering if this is going to be video.part 9 of your SC install .....

 

I kept it simple and went for OEM. I don't see much point in cheaping out on a $100 part that costs $1500 in labor to replace (where I live, anyways.) The only other option I'd recommend is a solid coupler, but that is expensive and requires machine work to be balanced perfectly.

 

Let me know if you need a hand. I installed my LT1-s last year. But on jack stands, ha.

 

Good Idea, I might do that!

 

Thanks for the offer. I have it out now and am working on replacing the rear main seal, oil dumbell and cover gasket. FUN stuff. Refresh my memory please (I think I may have asked you already), did you match balance yours to your old setup? If so, who did you have do the balancing here in MN?

 

do all c5’s have the bushing issue or just some years? Did an updated part come out from gm or do they just wear out over time and need to be replaced?

 

they are used because they dampen noise/harshness & vibration. Since they are rubber, TIME and clutch drops take their toll on them. Since our cars are 20 years old, time is catching up.... Solid would be a bear. I put poly mounts on a 3800 supercharged once and the noise and vibration sucked! Took them off the same day. For a drag car - ok. For a street car - cant tolerate.

 

thanks. I’m coming due for a clutch job pretty soon. I’ll be sure to take a look at these bushings.

 

Thanks for the offer. Clutch should arrive tomorrow. FUN stuff. Refresh my memory please (I think I may have asked you already), did you match balance yours to your old setup? If so, who did you have do the balancing here in MN?

 

I did not. Just chucked it in and let r buck. You could give proven force a call. That's all I can think of off the top of my head.

 

how many weights did your stock flywheel have.. I have 3 of them, so I am thinking I need to match balance it.

 

I honestly don't remember. Sorry for being of no help. Haha.

 

To be clear, the torque tube couplers are different from engine/trans mounts. Solid TT couplers are not the same as solid mounts.

That machine work I mentioned is what you need to get rid of most of the vibration it'd add.

That said, yes, the solid TT couplers will add NVH to your system. No doubt about it.

And yeah, the rubber couplers are, well, rubber. Time and engine-hours will cause them to degrade. After 15 or 20 years, there is no doubt you should change them out if you go through the work of dropping the torque tube down.

 

I spoke to a tech from Doug Rippie today. He told me he has done countless C5 Clutches without match balancing to the existing clutch and pressure plate and has not had any come-backs with vibration. How was yours - did you notice any vibraiton after the install that was not there before? Maybe this is a much smaller problem than I am thinking and I should just toss my new monster in too....