It's a big job. You almost need to drop the engine to do it (In fact many shops do that because it's almost easier)

I'd say $850-1000 is a decent price. Anything below $850 is a great deal, anything much over $1000 and you're starting to get into the area where they're overcharging.

 

The only thing swapping out the clutch will do is move the engagement point (Or make that point smaller). I've got an FX400 (Clutchmasters Stage 4 clutch) and it's basically an on/off switch.

The flywheel is what really makes driving in traffic more of a pain, because it makes the revs raise and drop much quicker. With a lightened flywheel rather than just giving it some gas and letting the clutch out slowly you almost have to pulsate the throttle to keep the revs up so it doesn't stall.

It takes practice and it's certainly more of a handful in traffic and on the street when you're doing a lot of starts and stops but I don't find it overly burdensome or intrusive. The lightened flywheel makes it much easier to revmatch downshift, and the car is a lot more lively because of it.

 

21k miles is pretty low milage for a clutch. I swapped mine out at 30k and it had plenty of life left. I track my car regularly, and the car had over 230 whp.

Kevlar clutches are great once broken in, but they're very unforgiving of abuse until you get them broken in. One mess up and the clutch glazes over and it's pretty much ruined. Organic clutches are more forgiving in that respect, and are generally fine for most people unless they're pushing high torque and need something that can take higher RPM launches.

 

I honestly dont have an explanation for the short life. Could it be that it is a problem with the flywheel? I know that the 05-06 mini's have an issue with them glazing the dual mass flywheel. I mean, my car chatters quite a bit when I am just sitting there in neutral (which I would think isnt connected with glazing). I know that MINI is replacing flywheels that chatter like that under the premise that they have become glazed before they were supposed to have worn out.

Generally speaking I like to think I baby the thing. I suppose there is the occasional abusive start or shift in there, but after reading about how many people have abused there clutches and are still sticking at 40k miles or something I dont see how the occasional accidental over revved, slow engagement is going to kill it that quickly.


Rustyboy, what would you define as abusing the clutch? This being in regaurds to breaking in a kevlar clutch and everyday driving with an organic clutch.

 

I was thinking more that if you mess up with a Kevlar clutch during the breakin (400-600 miles) it will never be how it should be.

Just baby it for the first 1000 miles and you'll be fine. No hard launches, no crazy shifting, just smooth, controlled, low throttle shifts. Aka, drive like a grandma, .

 

Alright, that is good to here.

Since we are on the topic of kevlar cluctches is there a signifigant difference between the madness stage 2 "kevlar" clutch and the clutchmaster carbon-kevlar fx200? This aside from the fact that I think the madness one is segmented.

 

So taking a look at this thread seems to me the odds on favorite is the Clutch Master FX300 and the lightweight flywheel?
Is 3 weeks long enough to break in this combo before a BMW DE day at Barber Motorsports Park?

 

Bump for a good question.

 

it's launches. About 500 miles of city driving should do it. If you only drive freeway, it will take a lot longer.....

Matt

 

is your car at home or still at global? also consider the fx200. it all depends on your future hp plans.

 

Nah, I have the car with me. It's not even slipping yet. Was just making a clicking sound until I pressed the clutch in. I hope it makes it thru the Dragon.
Yes may plans as of now is try and do the BMW Track weekend in late May at Barber Motorpsorts Park, then put the Clutch Master fly wheel and either the FX200 or the FX300 in week after. HP will prolly stay the same, I will not MOD alot more. DINAN Stage 6 at 209 is about as far as I am going to go.

 

stephen at stephens garage had to replace a bad throw out bearing n an S. dont know what the exact symptoms were but the clutch was still okay. he replaced since he had it all out though.