After an admittedly half hearted search I decided to just start a new thread(I hope we don't use up all the paper) I'm Currently puting to gether the components for my next expenditure....I mean adventure(a 36 chevy pickup), I have a small journal 327, and a rebuilt muncie m21 with 26 spline input shaft. The flywheel with the motor is for a 10.5 inch clutch. The motor will just be a balanced stocker with the 350hp 327 cam, and 3x2's. I mosty want to use the vehicle for cummuting, cruzing, boneville trips ect, however would like to be able to hit the drags for some occasional bracket racing, hoping to run somewhere in the low 12's. I need to buy a clutch before I can get the rotating assy balanced, I'd like to get the right clutch setup the first time. I don't want to get anyone hurt with an exploded clutch, Is there a strong clutch that doesn't take a ton of peddal effort? Should I be ditching the stock flywheel(is it dangerous)? How about blowproof bell housing vs stock bell with a scattershield? I'd take any input. oh and Cost is an object, so I'm looking for the good anough for what I'm doing responce. Thanks Rottenleonard
aw come on....if ever there was a place with people running their manual trans hot rods on the street and strip, this has to be it, and I Know there are people with oppinions here. lets hear them.
will the 10.5" clutch be trouble? should the flywheel be changed to accomidate a larger clutch? or have people had good luck with the 10.5" clutch holding up?
I'm sure it'll hold up... Just get your old flywheel re-faced after it's been checked for stress cracks.. I've got one in my garage that has cracks on the clutch plate surface.... It was a grenade waiting to explode
I used to run a Tubbed '70 Nova on the street (SBC and a T10). I ran an 11" clutch and was told by a trans guy (son of family friend) to purchase a LUK clutch kit ... comes with clutch, pressure plate, and release bearing. The key is this ... all parts are NEW not rebuilt. Never had a problem with the clutch.
Well am I just paranoid? If I had the flywheel magged, and ran say a new centerforce clutch, figuring that the motor if the all planets aligned might make 350hp, and turn 6500rpm max would a blow proof bell housing be necissary? I noticed that the sfi bell housings aren't required until you go somthing like 10.99 or faster.
I have had excelant luck with Centerforce Dual Friction clutches. I run a 10.5 clutch and have run low 12's in a 2900 pound car with no problems. The pedal pressuer isnt bad at all, and it grabs good enough to pull the front tires of the ground at the dragstrip. As far as the scatter shield, I wouldnt build a car without one, If i have any intention onr driving it hard. you dont have to be racing to have a clutch or flywheel explode. A clutch explosion can total a car, and worse yet mame, or kill you. A scatter shield is cheap insurance when you think about it.
We always run hays 10.5 Diaphragm and flywheel always felt new flywheel was cheap insurance, street driving and lots of drag racing with drag radials.
Spend the extra money and buy the Centerforce unit. I run one in my Nova with 450 hp and is very strong.
The old L88 10.5" clutch works great. Low pedal pressure but grabs like stink. I used one in my old street race '68 Corvette. If not, use the Centerforce dual friction. Low pressure, perfect for cruising with an occasional run on the strip. I used a McCleoud street and strip in my Biscayne and regretted it. The pedal pressure was terrible. As said before, get a scattered shield.for insurance.
A McCleod or Hays 10.5 inch diaphragm type street clutch would work fine for what you are doing. Hays sells everything in one kit. Don't dismiss the idea of an aluminum flywheel. They are easier on driveline parts, rpm accelerates faster, and they stay together.
Call Ram Clutches.Tell them what you have,this is no place to go cheap.Think about it.What good is that carb,cam,intake,headers etc...you get my point,if ya don't get it to the ground.Scattershield is a must! Billet flywheel buy it once and be done.Ram will tell what will work best with your h.p.,car,gears etc.listen to them thats what they do....jmho R~R
I run a RAM Powergrip pressure plate & sintered iron disk. 18 months of racing - NO chatter even on street. 100% trouble free. Wheelstands verify she hooks up hard - 425hp SBC - 2700lb car. About $290.00 from JEG's Went through 2 Centerforce before switching to RAM my 2 cents
P.S. Steel Flywheel 53lb ~ Lakewood Bellhousing ~ Novak Hyd. setup ~ M22 4 spd ~ Ford 9" w/5.00 / 35 spl. axles Hope we all helped.
I'm a big fan of Spec clutches. I had a stage 2 in my OT mustang, it was an 11.50 car on the hit with drag radials. MANY track and street passes on that clutch, and it never let me down.
Well sounds like the 10.5 clutch is a winner, I didn't like the idea of adding more rotating mas farther from the center of the crankshaft anyways. I don't really plan on doing anything real stupid in it, I'm thinking 6500 rpm max and set the rev limiter at 7000, I would imagine that there were many kids back in the day running that hard with their stock camaros and chevelles. I think I'll get the center force dual friction and this Lakewood bell housing http://www.summitracing.com/parts/LAK-15000/ as for the m21 vs. m22 this trans is a close ratio but the gears are helical(sp?) cut not square, it does have the 26 spline input though...... so what is it? Thats another thing on the list, when I rebuilt it the case was a little rough where the counter shaft thrust bearings ride, I see you can buy a beefier case for not much money so I think I will gut it and change the case too. I really appreciate the input, It seems like I waste a lot of money buying stuff twice, I'm sure I'm the only one that does that!! I have a 9inch and plan on setting up a race third member with something like 4.56 gears, with a setup like this how would you recomend launching it?
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