Hi. The clutch in my TH sports is finally giving up the ghost after 125000km. I've hated the clutch since new (why can't Mitsubishi build a clutch with some feel :roll: ), so am not really interested in buying a genuine replacement one.

I spoke to Jim Berry from Brisbane Race Clutches (supplies Rigoli and MRT with their clutches), and he can build me a custom one for $700, including machining the flywheel. This would be a heavier than standard clutch, although none of this brass puck nonsense (it's a daily driver, and I've got better things to do than battle with a puck clutch in traffic).

Has anyone else replaced their clutch with something upmarket? Are there any off the shelf clutches available at a reasonable price?

Hi;

Well, when u machine the flywheel to make it lighter, you have to understand that the flywheel will be structually weaker and also since it's thinner, it will warp easier too, did he tell you that?

Another thing is, for 700 is that the clutch or the whole assembly? Having a stronger clutch will also mean u need a stronger pressure plate otherwise u might see the pressure plate going out in six months..

If you are not a hardcore driver, why not just spend 400 bucks on a standard magna Daikin clutch or something..

If you are like me, you'll need a heavy duty pressure plate and lightened flywheel, 5 button clutch or something.

Hope it helps
CHEERS :D

Sorry, my bad. I meant resurface the flywheel, not lighten it. (This is always good practice when putting in a new clutch). I'm against lightening standard flywheels - not worth the risk for the benefits, and as I said, it's a daily driver, not an all out racer. I'm well aware of the dangeers of machining standard flywheels.

The price included a new disc and heavier pressure plate, built to suit my needs. (street duty, with the odd club track day thrown in for fun)

As I said, if the relacement Magna clutches are anything like the OEM one, I don't want a bar of it. I'd rather something with a bit more feel.

Yeah I'm getting one of the RPW custom units through Aussie Magna (Thanks Blake! You're a champ!).

It's getting installed on tuesday. I'll let you know how it goes

I just thought id post of picture of Killbillys new clutch that we had made.

This is a top quality unit, and when it comes to TE on models its no more expensive than a stock Mitsubishi Clutch, definatly worth looking at when it comes time to replacing the stocker.

not worth the risk for the benefits

Yeah, and I have a sneaking suspicion you'd loose a little torque, not much though. That's what I've heard.

[quote=This is a top quality unit, and when it comes to TE on models its no more expensive than a stock Mitsubishi Clutch, definatly worth looking at when it comes time to replacing the stocker.[/quote]

bugga, if only i looked around! :( only had my clutch replaced a couple of months ago but just gotta a stocky put back in. dont do it!

fully regretting, sean. :cry:

i got a new clucth and lightend flywheel...... seemed grouse until the diff gave up

bugga, if only i looked around! :( only had my clutch replaced a couple of months ago but just gotta a stocky put back in. dont do it!

fully regretting, sean. :cry:

Why's that?

I just went a stock mitsubishi clutch at the end of last year, this is be4 i knew about RPW or anything go fast like that. The stock one seems to have good bite, the friction point is high in the peddle, and bites very well for my uses. (Uses include destruction of all commodore V6's and falcon 6's)

There really isn't anything wrong with the stock mitsubishi clutch, this is just for people who want more of a bite to their clutch.

beware of upgrading clutchs... as some have hinted towards earlier, if you upgrade your clutch, you automatically move the weak point of the drive train!!! and as far as parts go the clutch is the cheapest part to replace!!!

other than that.. its a top idea!

There really isn't anything wrong with the stock mitsubishi clutch, this is just for people who want more of a bite to their clutch.

Must be some variance in quality then. As I said in my original post, the feel of my clutch has been terrible since day one (compared to the Nissans, Fords and Subarus I've owned). The clutch starts to bite very close to the floor, but doesn't completely engage till the very top of the stroke. This also applied the TR i owned prior, and the only other manual Magna (TH) I've driven.

When I mentioned this to Jim, he said that commonly, OEM manufacturers use a friction material that is "springy" to give that effect. It makes it easier for morons to drive the car.

I'm not necessarily after a huge increase in performance, and I don't go around doing burnouts or drag racing (That's what track days in the WRX are for 8) ) I just want a clutch with a bit more feel than the terrible stock unit.

[Why's that?[/quote]

hmmmm.....well i guess there's nothing wrong with th way th clutch works but i didnt think it was really that cheap and i thought that if i couldve got something that mayb was a bit stronger and performed better than it would have been a better option.

however, after reading a couple of th posts and thinking about it there really isn't anything wrong with it and i guess i would rather have a clutch thats going to break before something else which could be more expensive.

beware of upgrading clutchs... as some have hinted towards earlier, if you upgrade your clutch, you automatically move the weak point of the drive train!!! and as far as parts go the clutch is the cheapest part to replace!!!

other than that.. its a top idea!


True to the point...

Changing just the clutch alone makes all the other components weaker, flywheel, plates and the whole drivetrain....

But isn't the flywheel the cheapest to replace? :D 8) I dunno... :D

[quote:c93e091944="dingo"]beware of upgrading clutchs... as some have hinted towards earlier, if you upgrade your clutch, you automatically move the weak point of the drive train!!! and as far as parts go the clutch is the cheapest part to replace!!!

other than that.. its a top idea!


True to the point...

Changing just the clutch alone makes all the other components weaker, flywheel, plates and the whole drivetrain....

But isn't the flywheel the cheapest to replace? :D 8) I dunno... :D[/quote:c93e091944]

yeah, i'm not entirely sure of which bit is the cheapest in the magnas, but in my old VL 'dore, it was the clutch that was the cheapest (maybe cause labour costs were cheap).... i was advised by many knowledgeable type people that the clutch should be the weakest point... maybe the fly wheel is cheaper to fix in the magnas, not sure of labour to get to each... ask dave@RPW, hoi dave! you listening?

Got my car back today!

HOLY SHIT!

The clutch is SO grippy.

A bit wierd to get used to at first, but I'm getting the hang of it.

The friction point is really quick to come up and man it BITES! I LOVE it. Will take a little while to get used to..but I can tell there is a shitload of difference between my old one and this one.

I love it! Highly recommended.

Oh when u floor it, my old clutch slipped into 2nd and would sometimes give a chirpy (usually it'd just slip) now it chips all the time when flooring it..lol

Will have to put some money aside for tyres ;) lol

Great to hear killbilly.

Just some general information here on clutches, flywheels and drivetrains to cleaer up some misconceptions and rumours (Not that anyone here is saying the wrong things on purpose but merely misinformed).

Firstly some background information.

The early 80's and 90's brass button clutches had a terrible reputation for being massive loads and not being driveable on the road which left many people instead going to heavier cover plates and standard organic clutch discs but on an aggressive driver this simply chewed up the organic clutch disc and made you grow a left leg twice the thickness of your right.

What we use now is the newer design semi ceramic paddle clutch discs - note the photo that it is actually a 6 or 8 paddle clutch disc. The more paddles the more driveable it is on the street - my drag car runs a 3 paddle and is insane.

What we recomend is we use a STANDARD WEIGHT cover plate with a Semi Ceramic paddle clutch which means you have increased the clutch strength by 50% with no extra pedal pressure.

From there if you want stronger clutches etc then we go to a 25% stronger cover plate which then begins to lose driveability and reduces accordingly as you go heavier from there.

I can honestly say that on my TT magna with the same setup and a 30% heavier cover plate that it is still perfectly driveable on the street with only a sligthtly heavier pedal pressure but only because it is turbocharged.

For the late model magna's with the stock clutches beign so expensive in the $900.00 + from mitsubishi, our standard performance clutch becomes very worthwhile.

Now with regards to flywheels - the lightening of it if done properly does not create any weaknesses but on the late model magna units there is nothing there to really ligthen to be honest - I know i looked at my magna flywheel.

The stronger clutch will stress the drivetrain more but beleive me it is more than strong enough to cope with it thegearboxes are indestructible and the cv and shafts are plenty strong enough.

David Thomas
www.rpw.com.au

definately good to get that cleared up! thanks dave =D>

there you have it people, upgrade clutches to your hearts content! :D

yes thankyou dave, if i manage to destroy this clutch as well (which is prob likely the way i drive :lol: , i cant help it! :roll: ) then i will def consider one of yours.

If anyone does get the clutch I got (Custom Semi Ceramic Paddle Wheels) be prepared to learn how to drive the car all over again.

The clutch feel is completely different. Definitely for the better..but it's just less forgiving than the original one. But I find this better because you have a more exact idea of the friction point and you can tell that it's gripping like a mutherf*cker and it'll handle high kW no problems ;)