I have a stock 1986 T/A. The clutch the person put in it before me is complete garbage. What clutch would you recommend I replace it with. I''m looking for a cross between affordability/performance but mainly quality? I tried looking online, and they all seem to have their good and bad points. I just want to be able to drive the car. Maybe a little hard at sometimes, but mostly normal driving. Any help would be appreciated.

Dave

 

Clutches are pretty much all the same... for example, I don't know of A SINGLE pressure plate that doesn't come from Valeo.

99% of all new-clutch problems are traceable to installation. The other 1%, were simply installed wrong. I guess you can figure out where I'm telling you to focus.

What does it do that's so inadequate, for a LG4 car? It's pretty tough for a clutch not to be able to hold onto one of those, they musta REALLY fornicated something putting it in.

 

I bought the car in 99 and the clutch had been replaced less than a year before. The car always never seemed to want to hook up, it was almost like this New clutch was always slipping a little. Well coming from the GM show and racing my buddy in a 92 Camaro (backroads and highway)and when I got home the clutch sliped something fierce. I know what you may be thinking, but know how to drive a clutch properly. That could have been the installation as I found two bolts I was able to replace that were left in the ash tray. I only put 7,000 miles on the car since 99. Just don't want to waste my time putting in a crappy clutch.

 

Do a search, topic has been covered.

Not many have tried multiple brands, so most will just suggest what they have.

Ram, zoom, centerforce, any of the big brands should be fine.

Make sure you get the flywheel surfaced, and adjust the clutch properly.

A clutch that never held well behind a mild engine, was either not adjusted right, or the flywheel surface was contaminated.

 

That's what I'm sayin...

Improperly installed parts YOU CAN SEE, tend to indicate the possibility that parts you CAN'T see were also not done right.

I'd almost be willing to bet you could tear the car down and find all the mistakes and correct them, and if the existing clutch isn't destroyed from the heat yet, make it work perfect.

 

If I'm going to rip it apart it is going to get new parts and the flywheel machined. There was also a service bulletin about the fly wheel bolts my mechanic gave me. I hate doing stuff twice.

 

Uh yeah, a flywheel that's not will pretty much guarantees the clutch will fail with any spirited driving at all.

I'm not a "clutch guy" because when people overload with "OMG, I better get a stage 3 4 5 12!," I roll my eyes a bit. So, aside from that,

Get new GM or ARP pressure plate and flywheel bolts. They're cheap enough and decent peace of mine.

Machine the flywheel to be flat. In other words, have the machinist put a straight edge and make sure after it's turned, the surface has no concave shape to it. My parts guy in Mesa pays attention to this.

If the old flywheel is too thin to be machined, do the above for the new flywheel too. They're not perfect. I've had concave flywheels from GM and multiple aftermarket companies.

Before putting things in, brakleen the pressure plate and flywheel surfaces. Don't get anything on them before installation.

Check the ballstud and fork for wear at that pivot point. Ballstuds can be worn which keeps clutch release from working smoothly.

Get a new quality bronze pilot bushing. If a magnet sticks to it, it's junk. Or, get a new roller bearing. Measure the hell out of things and tap the new bearing in just enough that it won't prevent the trans. from seating. Any further can keep the pilot of the input from fully contacting the rollers which is a bad thing.

That doesn't address the transmission itself or the clutch. But you have a good mindset on things.