My First Clutch Change

[CK34GT]

Hi guys,

Its time to change my first clutch on the R34.... i am in uncharted territory as i have minimal knowledge on clutches.

I have come down to two options, The Exedy HD and the Exedy HD Cushion Button Kit.

I see from the descriptions on the Exedy website that the Button kit is more suited for moderately tuned vehicles.

At the moment i am running Power FC, Apexi boost controller running approx 14psi, FMIC, 3.5" turbo back exhaust and Bosch fuel pump. Stock turbo.

I am not really planning any radical future mods but i would like to know which of the above two clutches are more suitable for me based on the posters here who have driven both perhaps.... keep in mind i dont take the car to the track but i do love to blow off some steam on the quiet streets from time to time.

Would appreciate any advice you guys can offer.

Cheers

CK

[The Dan]

HD in an R34 will support up to around 260-280rwkw without a problem.

Buying an off the shelf Exedy will cost you a fortune. There is a cheaper way and still using all Exedy parts

[CK34GT]

cheers, would going for the cushion button kit increase performance compared to the standard HD?

My last dyno came in at 230 RWKW or so.

what is this cheaper way ??

[The Dan]

cheers, would going for the cushion button kit increase performance compared to the standard HD?

My last dyno came in at 230 RWKW or so.

what is this cheaper way ??

No, no performance gain whatsoever.

[DVS JEZ]

cushion button is just more driver friendly

[MrStabby]

cushion button is just more driver friendly

The HD is an organic - so it will be more driver friendly than cushion button. I guess you meant that cushion button is friendlier than regular button??

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

i have an exedy HHHDB and its not driver freindly at all lol

[HEKT1K]

i have the same clutch as Hamish. you'd have to be into self-harm to put one in a car with stock turbo.

just the HD will be ample

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

i'd drive it on a stock turbo... i love it

[Galois]

The HD is an organic - so it will be more driver friendly than cushion button.

agreed. you really, really don't want to make your daily drive a pain in the ass

an btw, for stock turbo on an r34 gtt 14psi is dangerous for the ceramic turbine, and beyond the efficient range of power provided by the turbo. 12psi is agreed on as the maximum safe boost.

Edited September 8, 2010 by Galois

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

[Deano 1]

Don't get the cushion button, when u drive your car sprinted and snap gear changes droping the clutch between gears, the springs on the clutch get softer and softer and the clutch gets slopy. All the cushion dose it put less of a shock through the driveline when dumping gears....

[On Edge]

id say a heavy duty organic too for your power level if its just for street

[Galois]

The most important question for the OP is what type of driving do you do? Want to run very quick quarter miles, go a button clutch. If you want a nice driveable daily for light mods, go an organic.

Heavy duty refers to the clamping force of the pressure plate. You're running a pull clutch, as opposed to the push type clutch used in the gtst's. So for a daily drive what you'll want is an r33 gtr pressure plate (which is what exedy will give you) and an organic plate, apparently the Seco ones are better than the exedy ones for the same sorta price, don't really know how to confirm it.

If you want to run massively quick quarters or a track car get a button clutch, which will have either an aftermarket or altered r33 gtr pressure plate. It'll be heavier for normal driving but give you awesome clamping force, probably. Exceptions exist, eg: some people say you can't run under 10s with a single plate clutch, but Jim Berry super full montys have done that many times.

I'm due for a new clutch as well. I drive only on street and it's my daily car, and I drive a whole lotta kms, so an easy clutch is what I want. I'm getting an r33 gtr pressure plate from exedy (exedy is the replacement for nissan clutchwise, they're actually the same other than the branding) and deciding between exedy and seco clutch plates.

Either give Jim Berry a buzz or Andrew Sullivan from Kudos. Both know insane amounts, I have no idea which to buy from...

[The Dan]

The most important question for the OP is what type of driving do you do? Want to run very quick quarter miles, go a button clutch. If you want a nice driveable daily for light mods, go an organic.

Heavy duty refers to the clamping force of the pressure plate. You're running a pull clutch, as opposed to the push type clutch used in the gtst's. So for a daily drive what you'll want is an r33 gtr pressure plate (which is what exedy will give you) and an organic plate, apparently the Seco ones are better than the exedy ones for the same sorta price, don't really know how to confirm it.

If you want to run massively quick quarters or a track car get a button clutch, which will have either an aftermarket or altered r33 gtr pressure plate. It'll be heavier for normal driving but give you awesome clamping force, probably. Exceptions exist, eg: some people say you can't run under 10s with a single plate clutch, but Jim Berry super full montys have done that many times.

I'm due for a new clutch as well. I drive only on street and it's my daily car, and I drive a whole lotta kms, so an easy clutch is what I want. I'm getting an r33 gtr pressure plate from exedy (exedy is the replacement for nissan clutchwise, they're actually the same other than the branding) and deciding between exedy and seco clutch plates.

Either give Jim Berry a buzz or Andrew Sullivan from Kudos. Both know insane amounts, I have no idea which to buy from...

Not only that but the pull type 34 clutch is 250mm diameter as opposed to the 240mm 32 and 33 covers.

R33 GTR cover is not all that needs to be done. The pedal engagement point is shithouse when using a straight GTR cover, it needs to be modified to make it feel the way it should as the heights are different.

Why can't you run under 10's on a single plate clutch? We have them holding over 600hp at the wheels. Made by NPC of course. The only way you'd ever want a Jim Berry clutch is if you don't value your car/toes/legs as his second hand covers tend to explode when used in combination with slicks and over 450hp.

Seco wouldn't be the pick of the cover brands. Exedy covers are much better quality. We have had more ppl come back with problems when using the RPM and Seco covers than we ever do with Exedy ones (customer supplied seco and RPM covers that is - we refuse to use them)

[Galois]

Not only that but the pull type 34 clutch is 250mm diameter as opposed to the 240mm 32 and 33 covers.

R33 GTR cover is not all that needs to be done. The pedal engagement point is shithouse when using a straight GTR cover, it needs to be modified to make it feel the way it should as the heights are different.

Why can't you run under 10's on a single plate clutch? We have them holding over 600hp at the wheels. Made by NPC of course. The only way you'd ever want a Jim Berry clutch is if you don't value your car/toes/legs as his second hand covers tend to explode when used in combination with slicks and over 450hp.

Seco wouldn't be the pick of the cover brands. Exedy covers are much better quality. We have had more ppl come back with problems when using the RPM and Seco covers than we ever do with Exedy ones (customer supplied seco and RPM covers that is - we refuse to use them)

Still new to this mate, just quoting.

Is the cover the pressure plate? If so, how does it need to be modified? And how should it feel? My clutch at the moment picks up like 8cm above the carpet, when should it pick up?

How can we know the clutch size has been modified? And modified properly?

Cheers for the info

[The Dan]

Still new to this mate, just quoting.

Is the cover the pressure plate? If so, how does it need to be modified? And how should it feel? My clutch at the moment picks up like 8cm above the carpet, when should it pick up?

How can we know the clutch size has been modified? And modified properly?

Cheers for the info

Yes the cover is the pressure plate. The pressure plate is actually part of the clutch cover. It's the thick metal disc in the centre.

It should pick up just before the half way mark usually. It can be adjusted but when using the standard 33 GTR cover it tends to engage right on the floor even when at maximum adjustment. The height of the cover vs the pressure plate needs to be changed and you wouldn't know by looking at it. You would only know if you ask the person building the clutch to modify it.

Don't get me wrong, it WILL still drive but it just doesn't feel as good as it should unless you modify it

[ssxRicho]

I am not really planning any radical future mods but i would like to know which of the above two clutches are more suitable for me based on the posters here who have driven both perhaps.... keep in mind i dont take the car to the track but i do love to blow off some steam on the quiet streets from time to time.

doesn't that say it all? no track work, it is a daily and the OP is happy with the current power level.

HD organic...pedal will feel almost identical for stock as well.

btw i've got a 5 puk HD with less power at the wheels than the OP. but my car sees track non stop and over 12 months

later and 40 + track days the clutch is still going strong.

there is no way i would get this package for a daily car. it bites hard and requires a fair amount of throttle to get off the line,

which in the wet makes for some fun. but not daily. same in between gear changes.

although, there is the amusement factor when others goto drive it. hop...

oh btw Andy at Kudos has the kit for under $400 atm.

[BezerkR32]

agreed, this is definately the right clutch for your application. i have fit over two dozen of these to customer cars and a dozen cushion buttons, you must run an organic clutch plate for a street driven car.

the hd and hhd is just the clamping force of the pressure plate. Exedy claim that their hd has 20% more clamp than standard.

these arent a bad clutch for around that money. if you wanted a better clutch id go the nismo coppermix.

id say a heavy duty organic too for your power level if its just for street

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

The only way you'd ever want a Jim Berry clutch is if you don't value your car/toes/legs as his second hand covers tend to explode when used in combination with slicks and over 450hp.

lol.... i'd trust a jim berry clutch.... but NOT a JB second hand flywheel... get a new one and you should be right...

afaik all those failures (scary scary failures nonetheless) were from machined flywheels as JB does not xray them for stress fractures.

doesn't that say it all? no track work, it is a daily and the OP is happy with the current power level.

HD organic...pedal will feel almost identical for stock as well.

btw i've got a 5 puk HD with less power at the wheels than the OP. but my car sees track non stop and over 12 months

later and 40 + track days the clutch is still going strong.

there is no way i would get this package for a daily car. it bites hard and requires a fair amount of throttle to get off the line,

which in the wet makes for some fun. but not daily. same in between gear changes.

although, there is the amusement factor when others goto drive it. hop...

oh btw Andy at Kudos has the kit for under $400 atm.

lol... i haven't really let anyone else try my clutch yet.... should do it for a laugh