Having Tranny Problems! ACT heavy duty clutch

[Mike W]

ACT is still the way to go. The Fashion twin discs dont last any longer. Usually the twin and triple discs wear out much faster. Running this kind of power you can replace a $500 clutch once every year or two or a $1500 clutch every year or two. Spend that extra $1k on something else.

Mike W

[EvilAWD10]

i admit i had 40k on my act clutch. but with 500 hp setup it didnt last but a few thousand miles. ACT is a great bang for buck but like it was mentioned earlier i dont know if its the correct setup. even after taking out the clutch it still had life left just couldnt handle the power. im going to push over 400 tq on my 9 turbo so i wonder if it'll continue to hold up just fine. we'll see, i'll keep you guys updated

[Tech@ACT]

UPDATE: thanks for the input and seems like Massimo was right one of the springs was jacked and wouldnt allow the gears to go in. I'm not sure if id trust ACT as well. i've now gone back down to a stock 9 turbo on a ACT clutch since i got a decent deal on one.

Cash Money has a 35r pushing over 500 and is experiencing the same thing. I dont think the HDSS clutch is meant to handle that much power. mind you i never pushed it off a launch more like rolling starts

The HDSS is meant to handle 432 ft. lbs of torque at the wheels, but clutches like brakes and tires are wear items. They are not invincible from the laws of physics, user error, installation error, manufacturing error and the forces of nature  . The fact that the clutch was in the car for 40K tells me that it wasn't necessarily a defect that caused it to go and that is not to say that you are the cause either. A good set of tires for the Evo cost way more than $500 dollars and you'd be lucky to get 40K out of them during regular driving much less a few track days + daily driving. Somehow though we expect clutches to last an eternity and put up with track days, bad driving technique, bad launches, and too much heat and still last 100K?

[Massimo Power]

Ive had the 6puck non sprung in it for a while now since march and have put about 8 track days on it and is still holding strong.. the weak point with higher power is the full face street disk...

[Mike W]

We replace between 4 and 6 EVO clutches a week for maybe 4 years now... I see what lasts and and what dont. I have not seen ANY Spendy Fashion clutch outlast an ACT 3200 with a sprung hub street disc clutch. Their only down fall that has made them last only as long as the Spendy Fashion clutches is the sprung hub with high torque. The new ACT street disc with the unsprung hub fixes that problem. You just have to put up with the driveline gear backlash noise, the same as you would with a solid hub Spendy Fashion clutch.

Mike W

[Tech@ACT]

We replace between 4 and 6 EVO clutches a week for maybe 4 years now... I see what lasts and and what dont. I have not seen ANY Spendy Fashion clutch outlast an ACT 3200 with a sprung hub street disc clutch. Their only down fall that has made them last only as long as the Spendy Fashion clutches is the sprung hub with high torque. The new ACT street disc with the unsprung hub fixes that problem. You just have to put up with the driveline gear backlash noise, the same as you would with a solid hub Spendy Fashion clutch.

Mike W

Here is a picture of the disc that Mike is referring to. The Evo VIII, IX & X PN is 3000311 (disc only). The kit PN is MB7-HDSD and MB7-XTSD for the VIII & IX. For the X it's going to be ME1-HDSD and ME1-XTSD.

[EvilAWD10]

that looks sweet a great way to help solve this problem. are the 6 puck clutches also being replaced with the picture above?

[Tech@ACT]

that looks sweet a great way to help solve this problem. are the 6 puck clutches also being replaced with the picture above?

Well it will solve the problem of having the springs come out, but there are drawbacks to removing the springs as Mike mentioned, and that is increased gear noise along with the potential for reduced hub spline life because of the lack of springs. I'd also like to make clear that the sprung hub street disc is still sold and this was not designed to replace it.

As far as our puck style discs, we've always made and sold a solid hub 4 and 6 puck disc (for the last 14 years) and only started offering a sprung version in the last 3 years. Nothing is being replaced, it's just another option to choose from. The torque capacity will remain the same as the sprung street disc when combined with either our HD or XT pressure plate.

[Tech@ACT]

Here is a link to the press release I posted in the vendor announcement section http://www.socalevo.net/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=37&topic=66251.0.

[pjb00stin]

sorry to thread jack,but since your only changing out the disc,how long will the pressure plate last?

[Mike W]

Nobody knows. How dead is the pressure plate now? How hard are you going to beat on it?

Mik eW

[mrparks]

this is caused by one of 2 things. the straps are a common thing that go bad on act units. what i am discribing is the actual pressure plate and the cast peice which directly contacts the disc. those are most likely broken. another thing is the clearances on the pucks either shattered or is caught in the diaphram after breaking. very common when getting on and off the loud pedal, or sees hard street use.

rps performance clutches has fixed this problem.

look on here very soon as there release to there new evo units will be posted soon. 

for further information please visit the site   www.turboclutch.com

if you like you can call in and ask any questions that you might have and ill be more then willing to help you out on this problem .

parker

[Mike W]

RPS has nothing on ACT when it comes to EVO clutches. I know Rob, I respect Rob, he is a outside the box innovator. But EVOs own his clutches.

Mike W

[mrparks]

RPS has nothing on ACT when it comes to EVO clutches. I know Rob, I respect Rob, he is a outside the box innovator. But EVOs own his clutches.

Mike W

is quite obvious you havent seen the new clutches. ive been dealing with both companies for over 15 years, i know what works. act is a great company. but like most companies there are many flaws you cant see that i know of personally.

[gt40]

I would share a few things, having had 8 CLUTCHES so far.   My car has been in the 400-520 lbs of torque range since 2003.   

What I have owned:
stock 5k(ruined by tech at brainstorm)
RPS max 5 puck ceramic 7k
cusco carbon twin plate 9k
ats carbon triple plate 8k
carbon triple plate prototype 2k(not production or expected to last)
exedy twin plate 9.5k
act 3200 sprung hub 14k
new act SOLID hub 3200- STILL WORKING

In addition, I tested 3 prototype clutches for a manufacturer and the act 3200 was the longest lasting clutch I have had- 14000 miles before I ripped the springs apart.   The clutch had plenty of material and held fine up to that point.

ACT now has a solid hub 3200 that doesn't tear out the center hub rivets or springs that you see happen above 400 lbs of torque after a year. 

Save your money and just get a solid hub 3200. Avoid the overpriced and hard to drive lobster tail clutches.  Putting one of those in won't make it last any longer than the solid hub 3200 and will kill a significant amount of the joy of daily driving your car.

One last thing, having dealt with Dirk at ACT personally, I have to say they are totally standup as a company and manufacturer that impressed me with their commitment to actually build things that work.

[evofett]

I would share a few things, having had 8 and my car in the 400-520 lbs of torque range since 2003.   

What I have owned:
stock 5k(ruined by tech at brainstorm)
RPS max 5 puck ceramic 7k
cusco carbon twin plate 9k
ats carbon triple plate 8k
carbon triple plate prototype 2k(not production or expected to last)
exedy twin plate 9.5k
act 3200 sprung hub 14k
new act SOLID hub 3200- STILL WORKING

In addition, I tested 3 prototype clutches for a manufacturer and the act 3200 was the longest lasting clutch I have had- 14000 miles before I ripped the springs apart.   The clutch had plenty of material and held fine up to that point.

ACT now has a solid hub 3200 that doesn't tear out the center hub rivets or springs that you see happen above 400 lbs of torque after a year. 

Save your money and just get a solid hub 3200. Avoid the overpriced and hard to drive lobster tail clutches.  Putting one of those in won't make it last any longer than the solid hub 3200 and will kill a significant amount of the joy of daily driving your car.

One last thing, having dealt with Dirk at ACT personally, I have to say they are totally standup as a company and manufacturer that impressed me with their commitment to actually build things that work.

Nicely put!

[Mike W]

RPS has nothing on ACT when it comes to EVO clutches. I know Rob, I respect Rob, he is a outside the box innovator. But EVOs own his clutches.

Mike W

is quite obvious you havent seen the new clutches. ive been dealing with both companies for over 15 years, i know what works. act is a great company. but like most companies there are many flaws you cant see that i know of personally.

I got stuck with the short end on a few RPS clutches that had issues. Some were early ones, some later. The release bearing idea was nice but still pops out on people. The level of additional work required to pull one out is incredible. In my dealing with RPS on warranty issues I was not impressed. The delays and lack of concern for costs to the customer were lacking.

Maybe Rob is too far removed from that end of the business. We have seen issues with EVERY clutch manufacturer. What makes ACT stand out from all the others is how they deal with issues as they come up. The only company worse to deal with over the years than RPS for customer service has been Carbonetics.

I have no idea who you are. RPS may be the bee's knees for all kinds of other cars for all I know. Not on EVOs. You can get a hold of me at the shop if you want to introduce yourself and talk more.

Mike W

[Tech@ACT]

this is caused by one of 2 things. the straps are a common thing that go bad on act units. what i am discribing is the actual pressure plate and the cast peice which directly contacts the disc. those are most likely broken. another thing is the clearances on the pucks either shattered or is caught in the diaphram after breaking. very common when getting on and off the loud pedal, or sees hard street use.

rps performance clutches has fixed this problem.

look on here very soon as there release to there new evo units will be posted soon.

for further information please visit the site   www.turboclutch.com

if you like you can call in and ask any questions that you might have and ill be more then willing to help you out on this problem .

parker

Well, there are lots of things that break on Evo clutches, the straps that you refer to is not very common. Making blanket incorrect statements about our product line and what you think are the issues pertaining to a failure that you have not examined or seen is not the way to help RPS sell Evo clutches. As a company we sell our products based on proven performance, quality and service. Neither I nor Dirk need to go on to forums to bad mouth other companies to promote our products, I'm sorry that you feel the need to do so. 

It's also cool to come on here to sell/promote RPS but unlike most clutch manufacturers we are here and on other forums, local and national events etc. to offer support both before and after the sale that is unmatched by any other. As you alluded, every manufacturing operation has flaws, how you choose to deal with them says more about a company than any advertising or self promotion someone can come up with.

[mrparks]

daryl, its jason. i do apologize that i might have come off in the wrong way. im just protecting the people that i have experience with. i have no affiliation with either company just my personal experience.

i have used act and have had great sucess however i have my own share of problems as well. hondas-mitsus-and fords.

it is very typical of the straps breaking. ive personally broke about 5 of them with in a short period of time. which i had to repurchase another. especially evos. and in which some know it is a pita to work on and have a customer return the car for the same problem.

now i have had them move over to another unit which he is very happy with. take it like a grain of salt, its a hit and miss. but thats just my personal experience with clutches.

i think you guys are the best sc has to offer since you give so much support. but til a company can come up with a unit worth knowing peice of mind youll be able to beat up on it and not think about breakage, is worth every penny.
once again i apologize for the comments i left.

[Mike W]

Jason, It's Mike. I still have no idea who you are. You have a shop somewhere? Should I know you?

Who were you protecting in reply #31? I only see the slam on ACT. You say to call in and you will help figure it out. But then you say you have no afiliation with RPS?

This strap thing you got going on. We have installed literally hundreds of ACT built clutches. I have not seen a busted strap. We had a run of a few about two years ago that had a couple straps on upside down. Made a problem for release. ACT took care of me and the customers. Above and beyond the written warranty.

We have installed 4 RPS EVO clutches and had issues with every one of them. From the rocket science release bearings poping out to premature wear to the ring gears making horrible noises. I got no love from RPS.

think you guys are the best sc has to offer since you give so much support. but til a company can come up with a unit worth knowing peice of mind youll be able to beat up on it and not think about breakage, is worth every penny.

All I can say to that is - when the release bearing regarding the straps, where does it go as first it rears its head up and contacts the pressure plate, fingers, where do they go?

We have a streetable clutch that can take the abuse and hold the power. ACT made it. It is a 3200 lb pressure plate with a solid hub organic disc.

Mike W