best clutch?

[jdmcg3]

^What do you recommend for a lightweight flywheel (or at least lighter than OEM) that is good quality but not outrageously expensive?

fidanza makes a great product and cheaper than ACT. i have the 8lbs fidanza.. but i am building for a race app.

http://www.chasebays.com/product/ho...fidanza-aluminum-flywheel--honda-h22h23f22f23

Ahh gotcha, that's cool lol. I only use my car for street use and for 'spirited driving' so I'd go with the Street version. I should have weighed my OEM before my swap, but it had to be at least 20-30 lbs.

Good info thanks!

f23 oem flywheels weigh 21.3 lbs. and can be safely lightened by 5lbs.

 

[akoutmos]

Does fidanza sell replacement friction discs for their flywheels? Never actually seen one for sale

 

[Bax]

^ the activation point is much narrower is what is means. In other words, the "harder" the clutch grabs, the more difficult it is to slip it everything else constant. So if u up the power of your motor, the easier it will be to slip the clutch since you have more power. The pressure plate also plays a large role in this. The pressure plate is what keeps the clutch stuck to the flywheel when the clutch peddle is released. When u press in the clutch peddle you are releasing the pressure off the pressure plate which no longer has the clutch stuck to the flywheel.

That was really short and sweet. If u don't understand let me know

Yes I understand. Thank you.

Does the stiffness of the clutch have anything to do with (disregard my lack of any technical terms I should be using... ) the sweet spot on the clutch where with no gas applied it will grab and pull you forward slowly? (on flat ground of course) Like does a stiffer clutch pull you a little more? or "stronger"?
I ask, because I drove my friend's R32 the other day. I know it's a completely different car, but I just noticed that his clutch was a lot stiffer than mine, and you hardly had to give it any gas when just trying to ease up in traffic, or get rolling. I'd just hit that sweet spot and it would start pulling on its own. Aside from my car where my clutch feels a lot softer and I have to give it a little gas just to roll a little bit. Would a stiffer clutch have anything to do with that part?

Once again, sorry if I'm missing some technical terms I should be using... I'm a noob at these manual transmissions.
Thanks.

 

[RedRyder]

^Tyler, have you tried driving your car with the A/C on yet? I have to give mine a bit more gas in that instance, lol.

 

[jdmcg3]

ive never driven a OEM honda clutch before (ever last honda ive driven has had the clutch swapped out) but i know in my accord with my stage clutch if i find the "sweet spot" i dont have to any gas to move forward. and my clutch is pretty stiff

 

[AFAccord]

...you hardly had to give it any gas when just trying to ease up in traffic, or get rolling. I'd just hit that sweet spot and it would start pulling on its own.

That is just the effect from having more torque at idle than the F23. (and probably a little more inertia from higher mass of the larger rotating assembly and maybe a heavy(ier) flywheel, or it could be as simple as having a higher idle too) That just means it takes more resistance to bog down the engine and kill it than is necessary in a smaller engine.

 

[akoutmos]

That sweet spot is known as the activation point. It's where the pressure plate is applying just enough pressure to the clutch so that power can start being transferred from the engine, through the clutch, to the transmission. Seeing as the car is not moving, and hence the transmission is not moving, the clutch need to go from a totally non-moving state, to the movement of the motor (what ever rpms you are at).

As soon as the car starts to move a bit, at that instant the clutch is being slipped so that it can "catch-up" with the flywheel.

If varies from car to car how much slip is acceptable and if u need the gas at all to move the car from a stand still. Engine size and power, clutch and pressure plate clamping force, weight of rotating assembly (pistons, rods, crank, flywheel) all play a role in this. That makes some cars easier to get off the line, and some cars harder depending on your experience behind the wheel of a manual.

Most OEM non-performance cars will have a fairly loose clutch so that the mistakes of the driver can be somewhat lessened and so that it won't be a harsh ride.

 

[AFAccord]

When most people describe a more heavy duty clutch, they are referring to two completely different things at once.

1. Pedal pressure
2. Clutch engagement

Akoutmos described clutch engagement and how that affects driveability. The aspect of pedal pressure varies greatly between manufactures and different models of clutches. Just because the pedal pressure on one clutch may be only slightly heavier than stock, it doesn't mean it has less clamping force than a clutch with tremendous pedal pressure. The design of the diaphragm (spring) that creates the force on the pressure plate has the greatest effect on pedal pressure. Some pressure plates use two stacked diaphragms to increase clamping load, but are designed with better leverage to ease the pedal pressure.

Therefore, pedal pressure is more often a side-effect of the design, rather than an indicator of strength. Some people want to feel a stiffer pedal, but only need the clamping force to hold 200ft/lb, while others may want a lighter pedal for heavy traffic in their daily driver making 400ft/lb. Different manufactures cater to these demands by their proprietary designs, and that way everyone can choose their own flavor.

When choosing a clutch, I suggest starting with manufacturers that have good reputations and good warranties (where applicable), then being realistic with your goals and needs to see what options are available. After that I would choose a clutch that satisfies my preferences (pedal pressure, durability, etc).

 

[akoutmos]

^ nice info. Another thing that i would be careful of, seeing as i have seen it a couple times, is getting a pressure plate that is far to stiff for the release fork. The release fork, being an OEM part is not meant for crazy amounts of pressure, so putting a pressure plate in there that is too stiff will have adverse affects. Like not being able to disengage the clutch, which means no in and out of gear.

 

[AFAccord]

That's true as well, though my experiences (twice now) have been that the head of the pivot bolt broke off before the release fork was bent. Regardless, it ends up in the same poor situation. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure that's the reason I hard-wired my clutch pedal release-switch, so I could start the car in... no, no... different story.