Thoughts on ACT clutch combos
 

Well, its coming time to replace my clutch on the Turbo II. I am looking at running an ACT Maxx Xtreme ( i had weird names on products) pressure plate but with a ACT performance disk. I dont really want the puck clutch since i know what it does to flywheels but i prefer a heavy pressure plate.

Anyone have experience with ACT products?

I run a 6puk sprung hub disc

how do you like it? drive ability, wear on parts, etc?

how much power are you making/planning on making is the big question.

Yeah power/torque is what will ultimately decide what clutch to use. I'm running an ACT Heavy duty pressure plate with a sprung full face (street) disc. Engages like stock (minus a little heavier pedal) and holds great at 20psi on a GT3574. IIRC they rate it at roughly 315ft/lbs

I like their products FWIW. But my next clutch will probably be a twin plate ORC.

i dont intend to be making more than 300. but i like the heavier pedal / snappy engagement

The 6-puck is very streetable, especially after being broken in but theres always times you're going to rattle the shit out of the driveshaft with it. I believe it's rated at ~420lbs torque or so though, quite a bit more than the street disc.

Also: Consider the increased stress you will put on the clutch hydraulics if you go with a very aggressive pressure plate. You will encounter problems if the hydraulics are in anything but good condition. My personal choice would be a 6 puck sprung along with a not-so-aggressive pressure plate. To get the same clamping strength using a street-disc, you would need a heavier pressure plate.

I run the 6 puck unsprung and love it. Very streetable. So far so good. Held well with 500+rwhp and 6k rpm drops....

who has the best deals on ACT items?

I have the heavy duty pressure plate and modified street disc and love it. Im still on the stock turbo so Im not making much power but it is so much better than the centerforce crap that was in there. It has a very smooth engagement and almost feels like a stock clutch. One bad thing I had was I had to replace the slave cylinder after a couple thousand miles, probably was the original one with 90k miles.
When I was looking for the best price, I found this site and got it from there
http://www.importrp.com

on my 89 rx7 i got the 6 spoke sprung from racing beat and a stock pressure plate from the dealer

I saw another thread where someone found an incredible deal on an ACT clutch package from Amazon.com (believe it or not). It was like 100 bucks, where someone else was charging like 180.00

I'm using an ACT 6-puck sprung hub with a stock pressure plate and stock flywheel. Hopefully both will be replaced with better components in the spring. The clutch is a little grabby but perfectly streetable and feels way better than a stocker. This is on a 12A with only carb and exhaust, so it's not nearly as much power as your TII.

sadly the turbo II is long since gone, but the FB is going to need something good in time.

I used to be a staunch ACT clutch advocate when they first came out.
They still do perform well today.

A friend pointed out to me that ACT does not explicitly state where their parts are manufacturered.
If you poke around online, there are rumors that ACT gets their parts made in China - I cannot confirm that myself.
Now, if the parts are made in the USA, why would ACT not be proud of that fact?
That gets me really suspicious.

Does anyone know for a fact where ACT gets their parts made?

Something to think about...


-Ted

Does ACT still sell Exedy full faced organic discs in their kits? You know the ones made in Japan?

Ted,

I talked to Exedy rep couple of years ago about this and they said most are Exedy clutches shaved of their logo and painted yellow.

Not sure about current ones.

Before installing my ACT HD pressure plate and 6P sprung disc, I thought the pedal would be a lot stiffer than OE. Turns out it's not that much stiffer, and my Jeep's clutch pedal is still much much stiffer! Very impressed with how it performs!

If you are looking for an ACT or Exidy clutch, you might want to check with Billy and see if he can get them. Not sure what his status is in regards to clutches, but it might be worth checking on.

I didn't see any country of origin stamp on mine, but the previous clutch I put in was a made in China stock replacement and the build quality of the ACT is much better than the stock replacement I had.

its not to say that because its made in China, its crap either. It just that most companies who manufacture products there choose to have the crappy standards in their products. The companies just do what they are told really.

You guys should have been around 15-20 years ago when clutch discs were made in Korea. :)

For our cars, at least. I'd think a Deawoo part ought to be made in Korea. ;)

I got a good deal on a 6 puck-unsprung kit from ACT a while back and it definitely is a different clutch (supposedly supports 450lbs of torque). At the beginning it felt like an on/off switch...either engaged or not, no in between. It made taking off difficult for a week or so but as I got used to it.

TRAFFIC made me hate the clutch but when it grabbed under full boost i remembered it was all ok. Can't wait to feel it with the new turbo! It is a work out though. Oh, also, I need a new 2nd gear syncro...if that tells you anything (blame most of it on driver tho, lol).

I got sick of the HD disc in the REPU. REPUs already have a much shorter pedal travel than RX-7s, so add in the very grabby, very narrow friction point of an HD disc and it winds up feeling like a puck. Plus it shudders and doesn't like to be slipped from a start, and the extra weight of the vehicle, even when empty (forget when you're loaded down or trying to tow something) and you've got a recipe of loathsomeness. It doesn't even grab hard under load, like when I 'm boosting the Camden. It's gotta go.

I'm swapping in a stocker the first chance I get. If I remember I'll find this thread again and provide my opinion on whether it improved driveability and any downsides that may have popped up.

I drove an ACT 6 puck unsprung with what I believe was the HD pressure plate in a FB with a motor swap S4 13B. The first 5 times I went from a stop were weird, but then it just got easier and easier to drive. The setup I am going for on the TII will be a 6 puck sprung hub and heavier pressure plate. If I am feeling crazy I might just get the unsprung hub version.

I also believe this motor was rocking a lighter flywheel, but I have to confirm that though.

I recently picked up a new ACT 225mm full faced organic disc. Their "Performance Street Disc" part number 3000203. I plan to use it with a new Exedy RB street strip pressure plate, believing it to possess the same or similar grip to an ACT HD pressure plate so I am expecting to get their advertised 268ft/lbs of torque capacity or very near to it. I already had the p-plate lying around but needed a better street disc so after looking around a little I chose the ACT.

I thought long and hard about putting it in the REPU as a better clutch combo than its previous miserable setup but considered my budget and needing to get the REPU, the FB and the GLC running again. I'll go with another stock pressure plate in the REPU but this time a stock disc. I don't expect torque levels to be higher than maybe just maybe 140ft/lbs, which I'm sure the stock combination can handle. And if it slips, I'll deal with it then.

im curious what setup would be ideal for a lower power but higher operating rpm

A 215mm setup. The disc is a smaller diameter for less inertia and higher burst strength. Grips less than a 225mm setup, but works fine for lower power levels. For example the 225mm setup described above boasts 268ft/lbs of torque holding capacity. The 215mm version holds 232ft/lbs. Unfortunately ACT stopped making them but some distributors still have them on the shelf. The disc is part number 3000205 and the HD pressure plate is MZ-016. The Xtreme version is MZ-016X. Not sure what the complete kit part number is.

for the street FB i think im gonna be stuck with a 240mm since ill be backing it with an Rx8 transmission, but the rally FB might be utilizing an Rx4 bellhousing with a T-5 so i can use the 215mm clutches.

As far as the clutch itself goes, ill probably be getting myself a puck disc.