OK guys I dont think the stocker is liking me much anymore. With 500hp and over 450tq its taking a toll on it with my driving style.

So I am dead set on a lightweight flywheel as I have had one in a car in the past, and it worked great for my driving habits.

Now the question is what brand and type of clutch do I go with? I most likely will NOT go with SPEC due to there tendency to explode and have seen a few "shop" branded clutches but wonder who builds them?

I really have not done a deep dive into the options and figured users of them would do much more justice than reading sales specs.


Also whats the general labor cost for install? I saw in another thread a shop was quoting @$1700 for clutch/fly/install. Is this the norm?

Thanks- help me get some grip back.

 

I just put a McLeod twin in my turbo Mustang and will be using the same clutch in our '07 C6 car when needed. Drives very well on the street, not sure what it will hold yet. Will tell you how it handles 700 hp and 8000 rpm shifts in a few weeks. Should be fine in a C6 Vette.

I have (Mustang) a 4.56 gear and a 3.27 low gear on 28" tires and launch it at 7000 rpm with an aluminum wheel so a good clutch is kind of important.

 

One of our favorite forum buddies who is currently on vacation has been getting great results with his textralia clutch. He is making 498rwhp and 460rwtq. I have driven and been in the car it is an awesome clutch, and clutch peddle feel is almost like stock.

BTW he recently ran 10.84@128 with sticky tires.

Here is the video..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vh1xtBWDXo

 

I am in the same boat....just trying to stretch it a bit to make it a fall project. Im not a racer, I may be at a track 2x a year, if that. Living on LI, I have to deal with traffic, so daily driver manners matter, but most of all, clamping force to put my 480 RWHP to the ground. Based on that, driving other people's cars, reading, asking, learning, here's what I am considering:

1) Best combo I've felt so far, Spinmonster's Fidanza flywheel with stock Z06 clutch, all balanced together by S/K Speed. Smooth, faster revving, traffic manners and his sticks fine even with the NOS shot.

2) Textrailia - Nice price, comes digitally balanced. My uncertainty is X or Z grip. I drove one Z Grip and had very nice pedal feel (stiffer than stock but not by much), only it didnt seem smooth enough for me for DD situations. Granted, the car I drove is a land rocket (C6Dvls ) and it could be I would need some seat time to get the feel of that powerful cam lope/clutch release. My concern is I can find many compliants of noise and shudder with the Z, I havent found anyone with the X to see it up close.

3) Chuck CoW (please dont be mad at me for spilling the news) is working very closely with a name brand manufacturer to bring his own design to market, aimed squarely at what I want to achieve. The specs look great, but I won't know until I see and feel the final product.

4) The Cartek Clutch - tons of real world testing and good track records (1/4 mile and customer service). I still need to see one up close and feel it...Ive heard good and bad about the last revision, but the new one is supposed to be awesome. I need to speak to Max directly to see about more info.

I was also impressed with the VetteDoctors clutch that was recently installed into VetteJoels Z06 which makes about 650 RWHP. I don't know the brand or specs, but Joel was very happy with it. Maybe he or Carmen can jump in and fill us in.

 

I have the Textralia X-Grip. With 482 RWHP it was needed. It's very close to stock engagement. I'm very, very happy with it. The only thing I'd warn is with almost all aftermarket clutches there is a rattle at idle when the clutch pedal is out.

Craig- Come up to Bear Mountain this weekend and I'll let you drive it so you feel for yourself how the X-Grip engages.

 

Thanks for the feedback thus far guys- lets keep it coming.

Fidanza flywheel is in the budget already, but not feeling the C6Z clutch. I hear its very heavy and in my eyes would almost rob me of the benefits of the Fidanza. Again just my understanding and thought.


Now the Text and Cartek I have considered and have heard good results about. Cartek building such fast cars would be my guess to trust in a reliable stout clutch. Just wish there were a few around GA I could sit in to test out the pedal feel.

With the X and the Z; whats the differences b/t the two?

I completely understand chatter and although would hate to be that noisey guy at the light I can live with alittle noise if I have to.

 

Difference between X and Z is the engagement feel. X is a little softer because it uses organic material on one side and semi-metalic on the other. Z-grip uses semi-metalic on both sides.

 

can anyone fill in the blanks

Stock clutch weight= ?
C6Z stock clutch weight= ?
Stock flywheel weight= ?
Fidanza flywheel= 13lbs

 

thanks for the clarification.

 

Ben - thanks for the offer, that's real nice of you! Unfortunately I'll be earning the funds for the clutch this weekend...but just for the offer, I'll buy the first cold ones at Carlisle if you'll be there!

I'm sure Spin will jump in when he get a chance. He knows the weights...I remember him telling me once that the weight of the Fidanza and Z06 clutch is about the same as any normal C5 clutch you would put in a C6...wish I could remember more, sorry.

 

What day and time are you guys heading to Bear mountain?

 

This Sunday.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=2095285

 

That's a deal! I'll be there.

 

My clutch operates fine, but one hardcore blast through the gears, & the pedal starts to stick, a few it's on the floor & won't shift, only for a few secs then it will cool off enough to shift. When I drive normally never a problem, no slipping ever normal or hard. I have read Rangers tips. I have done the change & flush over & over w/ Valvoline Synpower Dot 3 & 4 ABS brakefluid which won't last a few, three at most hardcore blasts & pedal starts to stick. In 30 secs clutch cools all's good. I have a friend w/ a mildly modded C6Z roughly 485rwhp & his does it too, but he get a lot more mileage out of a drain of just the resevoir or flush.

Vehicle: '05 Z51 6MN w/ stock drivetrain, BFG KDW2s, motor 450+rwhp

Questions:

Are you guys having similiar problems?

What about after replacing the clutch?

What is replacing the clutch going to do about burning the fluid since my buddy's Z06 does the same thing?

I am looking for a technical answer on how a "heavy duty/racing whatever you want to call it clutch is going to change the rapid degeneration of the fluid causing the problem?

I am very interested in the input of your experiences.

Thanks in advance, Mike V.

 

YES! Coming SOON to a torque tube near you!

Chuck CoW

 

Very good guess, a stout yet still very streetable clutch no doubt.