clutch feel

slowpoke

Registered User
before i waste my time let me explain what my clutch does and my hopes to get rid of. its a spec stage 2. i have a blown out knee due to my military service. the clutch is hard as heck for me to operate, fun but hard. and when engaging a gear it goes from nothing to full engagement in a snap even when attempting to ease the clutch. the new clutch is the centerforce duel friction. will i experience better or worse with the centerforce??
 
before i waste my time let me explain what my clutch does and my hopes to get rid of. its a spec stage 2. i have a blown out knee due to my military service. the clutch is hard as heck for me to operate, fun but hard. and when engaging a gear it goes from nothing to full engagement in a snap even when attempting to ease the clutch. the new clutch is the centerforce duel friction. will i experience better or worse with the centerforce??

My Spec Stage II clutch was completely gone after 15,000 miles. That clutch was so hard to hold down, I always put the car in neutral at stoplights.

I switched to a Centerforce Dual Friction (got it from Summit). It's much easier to hold down. I think it's just a tad heavier than the stock clutches that came with these cars.

eddie
'90 5-speed SC
'97 LX sport
 
I haven't felt the spec stage 2, but the centerforce df is very very close to stock pedal "weight". Upon examining the pressure plate, you would see that the springs are also nearly (if not) identical. The spec stage 2 has either two or three pressure plate springs (can't remember which) stacked on top of each other, so just looking at the things can tell you that they should be stiffer.

My take on the difference in construction between the two:

the centerforce df has approx. the same clamping force as the stock clutch (because it uses the same size PP springs) - therefore it feels virtually the same as stock. Where it gets it's holding power is from the actually clutch disk design (material / arrangement of pads)

the spec stage two: the pressure plate springs are much stiffer, increasing the clamping force (and pedal "weight") - which is where it's holding power is largely from. The clutch material on the other hand...seems to be grabby, but wears quickly too (especially if installed incorrectly)

I have the centerforce in the ar now, but did snap a few pictures and I have the used (ABUSED) spec stage 2 in the garage...if anyone would like to see what I'm talking about or compare for themselves.:)
 
I have a centerforce D/F in mine with approx 700 miles on it. At first it was a little grabby now after 3-500 mile break in period it's much better. You can feel engagement about 1/4 pedal travel and full engagement about 1/2 way off the floor. Pedal pressure honestly cant tell the difference from the original. I couldn't be happier with the choice I made.
 
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