Hey guys. So, have clutch manufacturers decreased the surface area on the discs dramatically in the past decade? This is what I'm used to:



I sent a Luk clutch back to Summit b/c it seemed like a play toy rather than a quality clutch. Everywhere now the discs look like this, with like 50% less surface area. Gee, I wonder which will last longer, slip less? This seems to be the norm now:



I bought a RAM clutch, thinking it was quality, and it is the latter type. Is that good enough?

 

I'm sure the chinesium throwout bearing made from recycled pie plates will make up for it.

 

Surely, recycled pie plates is too high praise. I thought they were made of chewing gum wrappers reformed to the highest standards. Capitalism shooting itself to get that ever elusive 3% higher profit margin.

 

It don't even look the same diameter. And I don't think its anywhere as good.

 

At least Ram has a good rep. I replaced a new Luk clutch with a Ram, and it's been perfect. When I built the engine I installed a new Luk OEM quality clutch. It immediately started slipping during acceleration at highway speeds. Instead of buying from Summit or other online place, I asked my buddy that owns a NAPA store to order a Mcleod clutch. I even gave him the part number, and he got me a Ram heavy duty clutch for a 351M. My engine is a 400. I was a little irritated with him. The only difference between clutches is 11" vs 12". I've got an American Powertrain flywheel that's drilled for both bolt patterns. Anyway, I gambled and installed the clutch. the motor is probably in the 400 ft lb / 300 HP range, and I haven't felt the clutch slip yet.

 

Here is the problem: I bought this clutch from Summit after I was laughing due to the poor quality of the Luk clutch I returned.



It looks good, right? However it sat for about a year in the box, then when I opened it it looked, the disc was like this:



I'm going to call Summit and see what they say.

 

I say this time and time again....NAPA is not your friend (nor is Autozone, Checkers, O'Reillys, or any of the other corporate owned parts houses).

Unless you need a part right NOW take your time and source a quality part, yes it will cost more, yes it will take longer, but i's worth it in the end.

 

F-250, you're saying it looks cheap? Could be. I know when I looked at the clutch disc on my Ram, I too wasn't impressed. It's different from yours, has 8 coil springs. The friction surfaces didn't look like what I've seen for years. But after talking to a few people that know more than I do, I accepted it. I'm glad it did.

Flatbedfordguy, you're right! Parts stores suck. The NAPA I deal with is usually the exception though. Everyone in there knows vehicles. They've owned and run the place since I was a kid. On this occasion, he couldn't find what I asked for and took the liberty of getting something different. Even though it worked out well, I told him don't do that for me again. This NAPA is most helpful finding non-standard items, or piecing together a project. The other parts stores are near useless unless you're buying something off the aisles. Autozone, Oriely's, and Advance have pissed me off on many occasions. I've ordered things, went to pick it up and it was wrong. Ask the gooftard behind the counter for a part on a 1979 truck and they go into brain vapor lock. Tell them you need a 1/2" npt / 3/8" fuel nipple, they ask for the make, model, and year of vehicle....and then finally admit they have no ideal what this part is, or what category to look in on the computer. Oh, I could rant all night on this.