Twin Clutch Longevity
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,717
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From: O'Fallon IL
Twin Clutch Longevity
I would like to get some opinions on clutches, specifically the twins that are on the market today. I had a McLeod RXT installed about a little over year ago. My car is supercharged and makes probably about 650-675rwhp. I drag raced it and put maybe 20-25 passes on drag radials. Maybe 8k total soft miles on the street and the clutch is slipping. I change the clutch fluid before and after track outings and if no drag has been done then every 2 months max!
Is this normal for a clutch that is supposed to hold 1k hp and designed specifically for drag racing? Should I expect such a short longevity? Should that be the expectation? What clutch you have/had that has lasted quite a while while putting some serious power down?
I'm scared at this point of buying any clutch and go through the same. I am seriously considering removing the sc or stop drag racing if that'll help in having a clutch that would last considerably longer. I thought I over clutched when I bought the rxt but now not so much.
Is this normal for a clutch that is supposed to hold 1k hp and designed specifically for drag racing? Should I expect such a short longevity? Should that be the expectation? What clutch you have/had that has lasted quite a while while putting some serious power down?
I'm scared at this point of buying any clutch and go through the same. I am seriously considering removing the sc or stop drag racing if that'll help in having a clutch that would last considerably longer. I thought I over clutched when I bought the rxt but now not so much.
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
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From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
That isn't normal at all. For whatever reason Mcleod's seem hit or miss on Corvette's. Not sure if it's the torque tube and some sort of tolerances from that or what.. they seem to work fine on Camaro's.
Mantic 9000 or one of the monster LT1 based clutches should last a long long time, assuming you aren't just out to destroy it or something, which I'm sure you aren't
Hopefully Unreal sees this, I know his Mantic twin finally started slipping around 23psi of boost but has been fine for a long time (pretty sure longer than yours and at several hundred more HP)
Mantic 9000 or one of the monster LT1 based clutches should last a long long time, assuming you aren't just out to destroy it or something, which I'm sure you aren't
Hopefully Unreal sees this, I know his Mantic twin finally started slipping around 23psi of boost but has been fine for a long time (pretty sure longer than yours and at several hundred more HP)
Last edited by schpenxel; Oct 13, 2016 at 11:56 AM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,717
Likes: 28
From: O'Fallon IL
That isn't normal at all. For whatever reason Mcleod's seem hit or miss on Corvette's. Not sure if it's the torque tube and some sort of tolerances from that or what.. they seem to work fine on Camaro's.
Mantic 9000 or one of the monster LT1 based clutches should last a long long time, assuming you aren't just out to destroy it or something, which I'm sure you aren't
Hopefully Unreal sees this, I know his Mantic twin finally started slipping around 23psi of boost but has been fine for a long time (pretty sure longer than yours and at several hundred more HP)
Mantic 9000 or one of the monster LT1 based clutches should last a long long time, assuming you aren't just out to destroy it or something, which I'm sure you aren't
Hopefully Unreal sees this, I know his Mantic twin finally started slipping around 23psi of boost but has been fine for a long time (pretty sure longer than yours and at several hundred more HP)
We have lots of drag racers in this forum. Someone must have been in my situation before. Is the cure for a long lasting clutch an organic material with more surface area? Ceramic with less surface area but more capability to withstand the heat? I've read so many stories about clutches on the C6 regardless of brand that didn't last and some say they lasted so many miles but were never drag raced.
Is there a happy medium? Maybe the answer is no. Maybe the answer is no sticky tires, no drag racing or less power? Who knows...I'm just not impressed with what's out there considering the high costs.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,755
Likes: 190
From: Baton Rouge LA
St. Jude Donor '14, '16
I am not sure if a mantic is the solution. I know Unreal is putting some serious power through it but he doesn't drag race it. I am conviced that drag racing with sticky tires and the quick slip it requires to get rolling unless you want to scatter rear parts all over, puts a bigger strain in the clutch than those 1/2 or 1 mile racing regardless of power production. Another area is the relatively low gearing that we have. It doesn't really help torque multiplication and the clutch takes the grunt.
We have lots of drag racers in this forum. Someone must have been in my situation before. Is the cure for a long lasting clutch an organic material with more surface area? Ceramic with less surface area but more capability to withstand the heat? I've read so many stories about clutches on the C6 regardless of brand that didn't last and some say they lasted so many miles but were never drag raced.
Is there a happy medium? Maybe the answer is no. Maybe the answer is no sticky tires, no drag racing or less power? Who knows...I'm just not impressed with what's out there considering the high costs.
We have lots of drag racers in this forum. Someone must have been in my situation before. Is the cure for a long lasting clutch an organic material with more surface area? Ceramic with less surface area but more capability to withstand the heat? I've read so many stories about clutches on the C6 regardless of brand that didn't last and some say they lasted so many miles but were never drag raced.
Is there a happy medium? Maybe the answer is no. Maybe the answer is no sticky tires, no drag racing or less power? Who knows...I'm just not impressed with what's out there considering the high costs.
Seems like a tough situation and I'm curious as well.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,717
Likes: 28
From: O'Fallon IL
Try asking in the drag racing forum. Do you have a z51 car by chance? Maybe consider having the shorter z51 gears installed in the trans to help with the torque multiplication on the launch (but you will end up with a traction issue).
Seems like a tough situation and I'm curious as well.
Seems like a tough situation and I'm curious as well.
The best example I have seen is Joe's car. 470+ passes on the stock clutch with z51 trans and 4.10s.
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 24,035
Likes: 2,342
From: Gilbert AZ
Slips at WOT now at 23-24psi, turn power down doesn't slip.
I don't "drag race" at local drag track because of the tech rules but it does have a few hundred launches and ~100 1/2 mile passes.
But the answer is basically no, if you want to drag race a high HP corvette, I would plan on a clutch every 10k miles or so. Even talking to someone with a carbon triple they have rebuilt it every season.
My clutch is wierd, because I would 100% go through it in another vette. 700-900rwhp would be fine, but launching on a sticky track means clutchs take a beating.
I don't "drag race" at local drag track because of the tech rules but it does have a few hundred launches and ~100 1/2 mile passes.
But the answer is basically no, if you want to drag race a high HP corvette, I would plan on a clutch every 10k miles or so. Even talking to someone with a carbon triple they have rebuilt it every season.
My clutch is wierd, because I would 100% go through it in another vette. 700-900rwhp would be fine, but launching on a sticky track means clutchs take a beating.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,717
Likes: 28
From: O'Fallon IL
Slips at WOT now at 23-24psi, turn power down doesn't slip.
I don't "drag race" at local drag track because of the tech rules but it does have a few hundred launches and ~100 1/2 mile passes.
But the answer is basically no, if you want to drag race a high HP corvette, I would plan on a clutch every 10k miles or so. Even talking to someone with a carbon triple they have rebuilt it every season.
My clutch is wierd, because I would 100% go through it in another vette. 700-900rwhp would be fine, but launching on a sticky track means clutchs take a beating.
I don't "drag race" at local drag track because of the tech rules but it does have a few hundred launches and ~100 1/2 mile passes.
But the answer is basically no, if you want to drag race a high HP corvette, I would plan on a clutch every 10k miles or so. Even talking to someone with a carbon triple they have rebuilt it every season.
My clutch is wierd, because I would 100% go through it in another vette. 700-900rwhp would be fine, but launching on a sticky track means clutchs take a beating.
I like to think that maybe if I buy a mantic then it will last longer. I spoke with McLeod and they can refurbish the rxt and resurface the fw for less than $550 which isn't bad at all but considering that I feel lucky I got an rxt that worked the first time, I feel a second time won't be the same lol
I think you're right and I'm just expecting too much out of the clutch. If I dont remove the sc then I would have to stop drag racing with sticky tires, but what fun would that be?
The other option is remove the sc, sell it, install gears and have fun at the track. It would be slower but heck...a low 11s high 10 sec car is nothing to sneeze at.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,755
Likes: 190
From: Baton Rouge LA
St. Jude Donor '14, '16
If you go with the monster lt1-s clutch I believe you can just buy c7 clutches off the shelf on subsequent changes after you have their flywheel; but you don't want to be going through clutches such as you mentioned.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,717
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From: O'Fallon IL
Funny you mention the lt1-s as I had one on order but changed my mind and cancelled the order. I like to have room to grow and at the same time I couldnt trust myself not to drag race again. Plus organic clutches dont like heat at all.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,717
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From: O'Fallon IL
To be honest, I'm on the fence between going back to the rxt or getting me a mantic. I keep researching and I've found several folks whom their rxts didn't last not even 10k miles just like mine. That's completely unaccetable to me. I would understand if I had a car like yours that is pushing the limits of the clutch and If I was beating the **** out of it every weekend, but that wasn't nearly the case. It just helps the rxt is cheaper but at the expense of lost downtime, labor(doesnt apply to me) and continuous process
I contacted Doug already so I just really need to make my mind up.
Last edited by Pitufina; Oct 17, 2016 at 10:09 PM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
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From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
Yeah I wouldn't do a -s at that level either. I'd at least do -Sc or just do Mantic 9000. The second floater plate,friction plate and pressure plate came already assembled on mine with instructions all over it saying not to try to disassemble it, so I assume that's something you can't just swap.
Ah well, hopefully you get something in there that lasts a while. I know you've been frustrated by this for a while.
Ah well, hopefully you get something in there that lasts a while. I know you've been frustrated by this for a while.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,717
Likes: 28
From: O'Fallon IL
Yeah I wouldn't do a -s at that level either. I'd at least do -Sc or just do Mantic 9000. The second floater plate,friction plate and pressure plate came already assembled on mine with instructions all over it saying not to try to disassemble it, so I assume that's something you can't just swap.
Ah well, hopefully you get something in there that lasts a while. I know you've been frustrated by this for a while.
Ah well, hopefully you get something in there that lasts a while. I know you've been frustrated by this for a while.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,755
Likes: 190
From: Baton Rouge LA
St. Jude Donor '14, '16
Steve offered the lt1-s triple. He says the triple likes to be slipped and can take heat but I just can't see it. In my mind just because it has an additional plate while being organic doesnt change the fact that is very well known that organics fail under heat. I am almost sold on the mantic...almost.
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
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From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
Yeah, I'd probably do Mantic in that case
I have been happy with the -S twin but it's apples to oranges with how you'll use it vs. me
The triple -S used to rattle really bad (I had one)--I think they fixed that with some springs to stop the floater plates from rattling around though.
I have been happy with the -S twin but it's apples to oranges with how you'll use it vs. me
The triple -S used to rattle really bad (I had one)--I think they fixed that with some springs to stop the floater plates from rattling around though.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,717
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From: O'Fallon IL
I realized the mantic comes with a bleeder, slave and pilot bearing. I have a bleeder currently installed and brand new oem pilot bearing and slave sitting around. I guess I can sell that stuff.
Any good merrit to the bearing support being sold by monster and tilton?
Any good merrit to the bearing support being sold by monster and tilton?
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 24,035
Likes: 2,342
From: Gilbert AZ
I don't think the billet things are worth it. Never seen an issue with one besides on RXTs that don't disengage and melt them. A proper functioning clutch has zero issues with the OEM setup.
Honestly, I don't know what to do with my mantic twin. It drives great, takes a beating, doesn't slip, unless I turn the power up. If I had a 2nd vette I would just throw it in there. If a clutch wasn't such a big labor/big ordeal, I would send you this twin just to try.
Honestly, I don't know what to do with my mantic twin. It drives great, takes a beating, doesn't slip, unless I turn the power up. If I had a 2nd vette I would just throw it in there. If a clutch wasn't such a big labor/big ordeal, I would send you this twin just to try.
Last edited by Unreal; Oct 18, 2016 at 11:19 AM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,717
Likes: 28
From: O'Fallon IL
I don't think the billet things are worth it. Never seen with one besides on RXTs that don't disengage and melt them. A proper functioning clutch has zero issues with the OEM setup.
Honestly, I don't know what to do with my mantic twin. It, takes a beating, doesn't slip, unless I turn the power up. If I had a 2nd vette I would just throw it in there. If a clutch wasn't such a big labor/big ordeal, I would send you this twin just to try.
Honestly, I don't know what to do with my mantic twin. It, takes a beating, doesn't slip, unless I turn the power up. If I had a 2nd vette I would just throw it in there. If a clutch wasn't such a big labor/big ordeal, I would send you this twin just to try.
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 16,667
Likes: 1,209
From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
I have the US reps cell # if you want it, assuming he's still the rep. He lives like an hour from me. And owes me lunch now that I think about it
Last edited by schpenxel; Oct 18, 2016 at 01:24 PM.