30Kmi Stock Clutch (Not for the faint of heart)

[v8eater]

Yesterday I popped in the Centerforce/Fidanza/Viper Master-Slave kit that I bought from Boomer along with the GenX. Starting with that I have to say WOW! What was wrong with the guys @ Dodge when they put all that plastic crap in! This stuff was basically ready to fit with a couple of spacers and good-to-go! The pedal feel is amazing. I don't feel like I'm leg-pressing a Yugo anymore!:rock: I had a bit of trouble because of my ghetto-ass transmission jack (see picture) and my ghetto-ass conical alignment tool. But it all went together without a hitch. I haven't had a car this easy to work on since my old '74 AMC J10.

But most of that has been said by the many, so, moving on...

Here's what a stock clutch looks like after a little over 30,000 miles of considerably abusive driving. There wasn't a square inch of the surface that didn't have a burn spot somwhere. Mind you, this clutch never slipped on me and would only squeal when pushed considerably hard. I never had chattering problems or any smoke works. I frequently did (do) quick burnouts to please the teenies who just won't SHUT UP!!!:motz: And I don't take credit for the first 5000 miles on the truck.

Anyway, check out the pics....in TERROR!!!!HAHAhaaaaaa....*cough*

 

[Sharpimage]

crap that looks bad! my clutch wasn't near that bad but it did slip quite a bit so...
Glad to see you got the centerforce.. why did you choose to go with the fidanza?

 

[v8eater]

...why did you choose to go with the fidanza?

Besides the current controversy, I feel as though the lighter flywheel fits my driving style better.

I've downsized flywheels on nearly everything I've driven, some as much as 50% (Dad's 240Z). I'm not an 'off-the-line' type of driver, so I think it will survive my flavor of torture.

 

[amtrucker22]

Looks like you had fun with that clutch!

 

[Kevan]

I like the Flintstone jack.

Is this your daily driver, or just a weekend fling vehicle?
I'm debating between the chromoly and the aluminum flywheels.

 

[ChrisAZ]

Dodge did something right for that clutch to have lasted that long even though it looks like it's been through a friggin war.

 

[Hamrhead]

For comparison sakes, pics of your new clutch in another 30K please!




I gotta say, I'm loving the feel of the clutch in my Viper after 2,000+ miles. No slippage, no problems. I assume they're basically the same. Though I guess I don't have the plastic parts you spoke of.

 

[1qksrt]

I,ll be going with a Cryo,d factory replacement flywheel,CenterForce setup.
As you stated,I feel it will better suit my driving style (agressive)!!:burnout:
14,000 on my stocker now,probably will look like yours!!
I,m stll not decided on a shifter assy?:dontknow: I hope I,ll be as happy with mine as you are with yours!!:rock:

 

[Prof]

Just installed my second Centerforce clutch. Got 18k on the first one, it had the Fidanza lightweight flywheel. I have replaced the Fidanza with a replacement from Dodge. I also replaced the throwout bearing .

One of the initial impressions I have (only a couple of hundred miles of city driving on the new clutch) is that the new heavier flywheel seems to smooth out the lower rpm starts, the additional weight and new throwout bearing seems to have really made the "herky jerky" low rpm starts much smoother, when the engine is cold.

I am in hopes that I will be able to come off the line smoother at both low rpm and much higher rpm...we will see in a couple of weeks.

 

[Silverback]

Please take a good look at the heat check cracks.

Now give serious consideration to some form of scatter shield or blanket when you do a clutch replacement, if you drive your truck hard.

The cast aluminum bellhousing will not do anything if you scatter one of these thing.

 

[moparracing]

that clutch was way beyond shot..........

 

[mauiSRT/10]

Your clutch lasted ten times longer than mine!!!! LOL I'd say you got your monies worth!!!

patrick

 

[v8eater]

Is this your daily driver, or just a weekend fling vehicle?

Daily driver. Typically 60+ miles per day. 1 burn per week...:burnout:

I gotta say, I'm loving the feel of the clutch in my Viper after 2,000+ miles. No slippage, no problems. I assume they're basically the same. Though I guess I don't have the plastic parts you spoke of.

The upgrade kit is the true Viper parts. You got stock what I just bought, i.e. the good stuff. It just took a couple of spacers to make it fit. Some dufus engineer at Dodge decided to put totally revamped plastic parts on the truck.

Please take a good look at the heat check cracks...

I take back what I said about engineers... wait... no I don't...

You ain't kidding though. I don't think I was able to capture the worst of them. I was showing it to my wife and dragging my fingernail through it. There were some major catches to be found. Even girly-girl realized that was a bad thing. One good red-line run and we're talking projectile city...

 

[Venom Power]

My stock clutch lasted 32,000 miles and I only smelled it burning twice when I mistakenly let it slip a coupel times towards the end of it's occupation in #1900. That looks like you had yourself quite the clutch bar-b-que working. Glad to see you went with the new set up. That new clutch will do you a lot better. I am loving CF the same.