Hi all,
I've been doing a ton of reading here on NAM and a few other places on what clutch to install but I'm coming up with mostly negative reviews on every clutch with the exception of a few. Those are the OS Gliken and JMTC kit.
TLDR:
I'd love to get a better understanding of what clutch options are most suitable for a daily driver and occasional weekend warrior. The caveat is that it must be driveable in heavy traffic.

My specific case:
As the title suggests, I have an R56 2010 MCS with 72k miles. She's been slightly modified and considering that I've torn her down extensively to do the clutch replacement, I'm intent on a few more mods while I'm at it. So far these are the power relevant mods of whats been done and what I WILL be doing this round.

Mods: K&N CAI, Custom ram air from the "scoop," noise maker delete, intake resonator delete and replacement with this, Helix intercooler, 2nd cat and resonator delete, Forge CRV replacement, engine stabilizer inserts, and lightened wheels (~16lbs)
Maintenance: Clutch/Flywheel/Throwout Bearing/Fork/Fork Pin, Transmission input seal, Drive axel seals, Rear main seal, dual baffled oil catch cans (1 on the pcv and 1 off the turbo,) clutch slave and master cylinders, and Mishimoto coolant hoses.

In addition, these are mods that I plan to do in the next 6 to 12 months.
Catback exhaust, water/meth injection, Manic ECU tune with switching (before and after dyno,) intake tubing upgrades, various suspension/ handling improvements. I've also been debating doing either a highflow or catless downpipe but not sure yet.

With all of that in mind I'm having a hard time selecting a clutch kit that might fit my use case best. I previously had a Spec stage 2 installed with the OEM DMF (came with the car, so not my choice.) I've had no problems with it up until it failed of course. I would like to upgrade to a slightly lightened single mass flywheel for both the performance and maintenance benefits over dual mass. However, being that I live in Atlanta, traffic always sucks, I'll need something that isn't horrible for commuting. A sprung clutch disk coupled with the SMF seems like the obvious solution but I've read nothing but bad reviews or experiences about any kit that seems to offer a sprung solution. So far I've looked at Clutchmasters, Spec, JMTC, and OS Gliken. JMTC and OS don't seem to offer sprung clutches but I've read bad things about Spec and Clutchmasters. I'd like to go with a stage 2 to account for the next round of upgrades and don't want to have issues with ON/OFF in traffic. Way has the CM kits listed so they can't be that bad right?
Any thoughts or good experiences anyone could offer on the subject?

 

I had a lightened single mass flywheel put in my sons modded cooper s, it is much more responsive but easier to stall and the trans rattles when idling in neutral hot. One other concern if you use your cruise control the engine tends to hunt a little, I think the flywheel was a 14 pound street model, hes away for a couple of weeks and he has the make model etc. hope this helps

 

I would stay away from a lightened single mass fly-wheel for a daily driver. Its not necessary and the downside appears to outweigh the upside. The rattle at idle will make your mini sound like a diesel tractor and the intraffic ability for stalling would be a turn-off for me, I would just stick to what is the best clutch that you can install with the original mechanism. You might want to speak some of the Mini specialists that better direct you for a clutch.. Wayworks, MiniMania, etc.

 

When you go from a dual to single you will have a different feel but the early 2007-2010 MINIs like my R56 with factory OEM original clutch was so hard that when I got the 2012 JCW it felt so much better, when you go to to the single mass if you get the steel it will not have as much chatter as the aluminum. OS giken and JMTC are good and so are the others, if you want the best looking and quality those would be my picks. I really did not like the hard stock clutch of the older gen 2 MINIs, MINI changed the part number and the new oem clutches do feel better but that dual mass is so heavy. They just changed the force on the pressure plate is my guess.

 

I don't want anything that light for the chatter reason and instability in traffic. I weighed the stock flywheel in at 27lbs 10oz. (36lbs 4oz with pressure plate, disk, etc.) I was hoping to go to something in the range of 21ish (30/32lbs all up) but certainly not 14. I know that 14lb flywheels are marketed as street models but I would consider them track only mods. As E34M5 said, cruise control and the idle rattle would be less than ideal.
I was thinking something like this.
Certainly NOT this.

These recommend sprung clutches but as referenced here, by Way, not recommended. However this was in 2012. It seems as if there was a manufacturing defect in the early models and should have been corrected by now. But no definitive confirmation of that.


Update: 04/20/18

Update for anyone that may stumble here with the same question. I spoke with Way last week and discussed what I wanted the car to be capable of and how best to prepare for that. I eventually settled on the CM FX 250 with the steel flywheel. (a few pounds lighter than stock but not crazy.) Its coming in (hopefully ) this coming Monday and I'll be installing it then. We both agreed that the OSG was just too aggressive for a daily here in ATL (as I'm sure it is for other places as well.) I'll continue to update as I move forward with this and have some actual drive time on the CM. This project is taking forever so hopefully I'll have some info by next week.

 

I stumbled on the thread and I'm glad I did. I do 5-6 track days a year with my 2007 R56 and have been since it was new. After the original clutch went south, I wanted to upgrade and at the time the OS Giken single mass was the only option. Biggest mistake I made in my 11 years with the MINI. Even though I don't drive a lot of miles, it made daily driving a chattering chore.

My throw out bearing just started screeching and as long as that work needs to be done, I'm having them pull out the Giken.

I trust Way 100%. When you said "steel flywheel" is that by CM? Or OEM? Also, is your plan to do autocross or track days?

Installed yet? Any more updates?

 

Update for you eltron, seems the lighter flywheel/clutch was not the total cause of my cruise control woes, recently had RPM tune stage 3 uploaded and it has cured this problem! Still have some gear clatter when sitting idling in neutral but it is not a big deal, hope this helps! If you are thinking a bout a tune get RPM Power it is fantastic

 

sub'd for details:

I would like a clutch heavy enough to launch with, and dont think the dual-mass FW will be up to the task.. looks like single mass steel wheel is better suited option for what i need.

*my OEM has ~12k miles on it now.. and getting soft already (low pedal engagement). Last replacement, master, slave, dual-mass FW and new clutch went in; just prior to stage2 flash and mods.

 

Very interested to hear the result you had. I'm needing a clutch very soon and would love to have a response ASAP. Thanks so much

 

Now that you've driven the new clutch for awhile, any new insights?