Anybody Ever Hurt A Spec Clutch?

Boosted92LX

It's only an inch or two. What's the big deal?
15 Year Member
Dec 19, 2010
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I finally got her lined out, and found the first weak link, I think....?

I spent the evening wiring in permanently my Mallory Hyfire box that solved my spark blow problem I've been fiddling with for a month.. and went to drive the poo out of the car. Loaded my other linebacker size buddy up and drove it hard.(the car, not my buddy..)After coming up on a stop rather quickly and finding the limits of the new 4 wheel discs, I used the ol clutch and down shift trick. Made a u turn to head back to my buddy's place and after a sweet rolling burnout the Spec stage 2 kevlar clutch began slipping. Terribly. Now.. I've had this clutch in the car for about 3 years, but it's only seen 1000 miles or so. I'm thinking crap, what brand clutch am I buying to replace this one, as I make the 20 mile trip home, easing along. As I get a mile or so from the house, I decided to trounce it a little more because, what the heck, it's already fried right?... The clutch hooked up fine and acted like it was never hurt. Even chattered less from takeoff. I've used center force a lot, but this is my first spec. Anyone ever experience this behavior from a kevlar clutch before? I gotta admit, I'm a bit baffled.

Thoughts? Previous experiences?
 
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I killed one after 2 years, it was a stage 2. i think mine was from 2nd gear burnouts with drag radials.....on the street. I had a little practice launch spot way out in the sticks. I would do a 2nd gear burnout without water, and I fried it one day trying to do one. inlet it cool off and actually made 2 more trips to the track on it, but the last trip it was slipping bad. I actually got a new best time that night, lol.

I probably had 5k miles on it, 50 track passes, and a lot of street abuse. When I pulled it, there was plenty of material left, just glazed over.

Joe
 
I killed one after 2 years, it was a stage 2. i think mine was from 2nd gear burnouts with drag radials.....on the street. I had a little practice launch spot way out in the sticks. I would do a 2nd gear burnout without water, and I fried it one day trying to do one. inlet it cool off and actually made 2 more trips to the track on it, but the last trip it was slipping bad. I actually got a new best time that night, lol.

I probably had 5k miles on it, 50 track passes, and a lot of street abuse. When I pulled it, there was plenty of material left, just glazed over.

Joe

Thanks, Joe. That gives me a little insight. I've never had a clutch "heal up" after damage and wasn't quite sure what to make of it.. Your story sounds almost like what happened with mine, save for the finale. Sounds like I need to upgrade. After one real nasty burnout I'm surprised this one slipped so soon. What did you replace it with? Anyone have recommendations? Dual disc or single?
 
Jeeze man, you need to frame that car and hang it on the wall so it won't break anymore, hahaha.

On a serious note, could it have been something else in the driveline outside of the clutch causing it, like the cable or pedal getting stuck somehow? Could oil have impregnated it at some point in the past? Just tossing out possibilities.
 
I've had nothing but great luck with Spec clutches. It's now the only clutch I'll run personally. We've used a 2+ for years in a n2o 2v car that yanks the wheels when you launch . We went with a 3+ only because we broke the input shaft and it proceeded to destroy the disc (It was holding just fine before the shaft broke). We upgraded to 26 spline so we needed the 3+. When I swap out my auto for a manual I'll put in a spec clutch.

And yes, the 3+ is a bit grabby but it holds up to some amazing abuse. (I broke a stock axle in my mach 1 with a 2+ and drag radials)
 
Jeeze man, you need to frame that car and hang it on the wall so it won't break anymore, hahaha.

On a serious note, could it have been something else in the driveline outside of the clutch causing it, like the cable or pedal getting stuck somehow? Could oil have impregnated it at some point in the past? Just tossing out possibilities.

Ha.. because turbo.:O_o:

I wondered about that. Turbo header melted my last cable, and the replacement got insulation on it. Oddly, I noticed the pedal feeling notchy before the clutch fried... I guess I need a MM cable.. along with a clutch.

This is going to be a $100k car by the time it's lined out..
 
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Ah, I thought you had the MM cable already. My engagement point moves around, hence the need for the MM cable. Wont matter, after the cruise this weekend, the car is coming apart and will be a jackstand queen for a while.
 
Ah, I thought you had the MM cable already. My engagement point moves around, hence the need for the MM cable. Wont matter, after the cruise this weekend, the car is coming apart and will be a jackstand queen for a while.

Joining the club, eh?

FYI, you'll never break my record..
 
I ended up swapping from a standard T5 to a g force and needed a 26 spline clutch. I used a mcleod dual friction disk and king cobra pp, based on what Tony at Astro told me to use. I now run a ram, again based on tony's recommendation.

Joe
 
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I ended up swapping from a standard T5 to a g force and needed a 26 spline clutch. I used a mcleod dual friction disk and king cobra pp, based on what Tony at Astro told me to use. I now run a ram, again based on tony's recommendation.

Joe

Thanks Joe.
 
Ah, I thought you had the MM cable already.

Check this out.. I have a Ford Racing cable. Got on MM's website.. Their "performance cable" is Ford oem, as "They've found it to be the best available"... So the $100,000 question, are Ford oem and Ford Racing the same, or are the Ford Racing cables outsourced Chinese crap like some of their other stuff?