I want to replace my clutch Master Cylinder. Is there a better than stock or upgraded master available that installs just like the stock one. I do not want the Tick because I do not want to modify the mount. I replaced my Clutch and slave with an Ls7 clutch but sometimes when shifting fast it feels like the clutch is dragging a little. I also installed a speed bleeder and have bled the system a couple times. Normal driving is great. I feel that an upgraded master would move a little more fluid a little faster for those racing type shifts,

 

I can't speak to other master cylinders as I went with the Tick, but the "modifications" on the pedal mount were pretty easy.
All it was was drilling two holes with a paper template that they included in the kit. Center-punch, center-punch, drill, drill.
The quick disconnect was the more difficult part, personally. I do understand not wanting to make a more permanent change to the car though.

I also did the master cylinder to try to fix a clutch disengagement issue. Unfortunately it was a cracked bellhousing causing deflection under load and was binding the clutch.
I would have been able to see the crack if I had considered it. Hopefully a new master does take care of your issue.

 

Some people also drill out the restriction in the stock master to allow more flow, this "drill mod" is popular among f-bodies but I did it when I went to a twin disc clutch myself.

 

This is my experience with tick had it for about 10 years or more dont remember. it started leaking from the inside so i decided to go back to stock to my amazement i got my left leg to go back to normal size because it was harder to push down. when your in stop and go traffic for up to 2 hrs a day going into downtown chicago is not fun. going back to stock was the best mod i ever did on my 1000hp vette. and i have twin disc mantic. now i don't realize pushing in the clutch anymore.

 

Stock, drill mod and Tick are the only options. The rebuild kit is inexpensive for the Tilton used by Tick.

 

I have had two Tick masters. On my daily 99 with blower and RST, the combo worked lighter than stock and zero reliability issues yet after 6+ years. I then bought a 03 Z which came with the Tick and an RXT and the thing was a leg workout. I've got a new, different size Tick master in the Z to try but have not been motivated to finish the project engine install yet to try it out.

 

looks likes i had the bad one.

 

Get a Tick with stock MC bore size then you get adjustability and no added pedal effort. I have this on a SPEC 10.5" Stage2+ aluminum PP and 10.5" aluminum FW and is amazingly steerable. My wife drives/races my car.

 

I plan to do the drill mod on mine when I have everything out to swap my whiny differential. When I drove my friend's car with the Tick I was not impressed but I did REALLY appreciate the lack of clutch line restriction. It made the T56 feel smooth as butter and less like a tractor transmission. If you creep around the for sale forums you'll see a never ending stream of hardly used Tick masters because people tend to hate them, get frustrated with the (frankly useless) adjustment, or completely jack up their slave cylinder with it. Stick with OEM...

 

One persons inability to understand is another persons benefit buying good parts cheap .

Larger bore = more pedal effort
Pedal adjustment = more or less throw. Too little and clutch doesn't release. Too much and you over extend the slave

Part of the issue is the LS7 clutch. Still a heavy clutch that people love to put in when there are better/lighter options that can take more heat and still function like stock. My car "broke" and the clutch wouldn't release for me to shift into any gear from neutral. So I started with the "easy/cheaper parts" and did a Tick MC. Still broken so I got the car in the air and found some PP fingers broken. Never used the Tick MC and stock clutch but MANY report the stock clutch being the issue for repeated high RPM shifting.

 

Found a clutch master cylinder made by Ram clutches that is supposed to be adjustable and a direct replacement for C5. Has anyone used this master.

 

I'll never understand why people say this about the Tick clutch. The pedal adjustment has NO effect on the throw. It only changes the length of the rod between the resting pedal and the resting cylinder thus the position of the pedal at rest and the pickup point follows. The throw is built into the hydraulic ratio between the master and slave and cannot be changed. My buddy and I spent ages getting his car to work properly actually completely releasing the clutch with the foot on the floor and not push too much fluid. The end result was the pedal rest and pickup points far to high off the floor for comfort on an LS1 clutch. The factory system worked completely perfectly ignoring the flow restriction mentioned before.

I have an OEM C5 clutch hydraulic system with an LS7 clutch and a 12lb aluminum flywheel and it works literally perfectly. Complete OEM drivability, OEM pedal effort and tons of headroom for more power. Sounds like you were one of the many who fell for the "Tick solves all C5 clutch problems" only to tear your car apart to find something was actually broken. Interesting case for sure since most people usually find they have blown seals in their clutch hydraulics after the Tick helps them for a few miles and then they puke all the clutch fluid out on the ground anyway.

 

So you mean to tell me if you adjust the pedal damn near to the floor (make the rod really short) and only have 1/2" of working travel between a pedal at rest and when it bottoms out on the firewall you can have a properly functioning clutch that will disengage? I doubt that. Rod length is tied between the pedal and MC piston. 1/2" of working pedal travel won't allow the MC to push enough fluid to push the slave far enough to disengage the clutch. So I say yes, pedal height IS related to slave movement and therefore functionality.

I don't have stock hydraulics and mine works literally perfectly too...Oh and I can fine tune the pedal height for my driving style and purposes. Can't do that with stock MC.

Too bad you fell victim to the "LS7 clutch is awesome". Much better options out there. My 30lb TOTAL PP/disc/FW combination can be driven no issues with perfect street manners and even driven by my wife. If you like your lighter FW, imagine a lighter PP along with it. Going from 50lbs LS6 to 30lbs makes a measurable difference on the dyno as well...I have a sheet to prove it.

And no I didn't "fall" for anything. I said I started cheap and simple HOPING it was my MC that was the issue which I could do in my garage with hand tools. It didn't fix it. But now I have a modular MC that can be swapped for a different Tilton unit AND pedal adjustment capability. Why is this a bad thing?

And I know guys running stock MC with a QM 7.25" race clutch and QM slave cylinders. What does that mean to you? NO idea how their pedal effort/drivability is. Most likely poorly due to clutch selection but given the stock MC and 3/4" bore pedal effort probably isn't too bad.

I'm glad I spent $400 on a Tick MC vs $400 on engine bay "bling". lol Not sure if I would have gone Tick if I knew the clutch was broken first. Also not upset that I did.



To answer OP...no there are no other options other than a Tick MC if you don't want a stock one as far as I know.

 

Yes you are making my point that its very easy to make the adjustment such that the clutch doesn't work at all up to and including never releasing or completely blowing the seals out of the slave. It's the best part ever!

The LS7 clutch is fine it answered all my needs. Paying more for an aftermarket unit earned me nothing so I didn't do it. If others prefer something aftermarket that is great! I'm also not decrying your choice to stick with Tick at all. if you like it that is dandy. My point is that people are constantly buying them trying to solve problems that are not caused by the (perceived crappy but perfectly fine and cheap) OEM master cylinder, then finding their problem is not fixed after doing the work to modify their car, adjust the pedal to an uncomfortable position that JUST barely works and have to go fix the actual problem with whatever money and time are leftover, then end up selling it to someone else because they hate the way it feels.

My bottom line is if you think you have a master cylinder problem, you are JUST as likely to have a slave problem! In fact, if you do have a master problem and you replace it, a new master will oftentimes EXPOSE a weak slave and kill it! That would have to hold especially true should someone jump on the "Tick solves all problems" forum bandwagon. So it makes the most sense to buy an actual cheap part like the OEM cylinder and see if that fixes it, if it doesn't then replace the slave as well and rock and roll just fine. For people who just WANT the unnecessarily stiff clutch pedal with tricky adjustment that you can mistakenly damage your car with, then they should upgrade to it but they should really drive a car that has it already before springing for it. That's all...

 

Well no, your point that I argued against was that pedal adjustment on the Tick MC makes no impact on throw...that is not true. And you admit that it DOES by agreeing with me that excessive pedal adjustment can make the clutch not disengage OR blow out the slave at the other extreme which is directly referring to too little or too much slave throw.

Anywho, I agree there is a bandwagon and false truths spread all over the place. People do something to their car, it may band aid or slightly fix their issue and then it becomes "THE FIX" when they don't fully understand what they have done. Monkey see monkey do.

Facts are:
Tick MC impacts slave throw
3/4" bore is less effort than 7/8" bore.
7/8" bore pushes more fluid when pedal travel is kept the same.
Adj MC can bite you if not adjusted properly
LS6 and LS7 clutches are heavy. Fine for OEM replacement options on "the cheap".

...all else is opinion and personal preference.

Make your part selection wisely and according to your needs and budget.