Need A New Clutch?

[Suj]

Just got off the phone with Jim.....wow he really does love a good chat!

Top bloke though, really seems to know what he is talking about.

Ordered a modified R33 GT-R clutch for my 34 GT-T with 3300lbs clamping pressure, whatever that means haha.

Will see how it goes once I get it.

[pavel]

Ended up ordering Full Monte carbonic clutch with 4000lbs pressure plate for my r33 despite recent negative comments, getting it put it on Thursday - cant wait to drive it!

Few pics...

[Betz]

same kit as mine Pavel, I hope you get what you were after with it.

I spoke to Jim today aswel, he is a good bloke and we have a bit in common, I am a fitter and turner by trade so we spent a bit of time on the phone exchanging stories

heh

Jim came back to me with contamination as the issue, looks like its not a warranty issue on his end as the unit (apart from welding itself together) is fine, my tuner disagrees on the contamination and is at a loss as to why such a speced unit spun on me and failed but that is another story and to be honest I am not into making this a witch hunt, I just didnt get a good result. :|

Hell if it is somthing to do with my driving maybe one of them could tell me ??! (I told them what I have done to it and what happened, niether seemed concerned that I gave it a few launches)

I dont think I will put this clutch back in my car, my power goals might get put on hold for a bit and I'll go for HD stockie organic.

Hope what I have said doesnt put anyone off Jim's clutches, maybe my unit wasnt a good match for my situation but thats what a forum is for I spose, sharing information.

cheers guys

Edited September 23, 2008 by Betz

[pavel]

Hi Betz, can you explain a bit more about contamination issue? Dont really understand how its related to clutch faliure.

[Betz]

any oil, grease or silicon in the clutch housing, and old clutch powder. I'd have to check the invoice but I'm pretty sure the mechanic charged me a cleandown fee. Jim supplies seals as part of the kit to try and ensure a clean enviroment for his clutches, fair enough I spose.

I was specified a fitment criteria and my tuner was asked to use no oil or grease (tuner asked me I sad fit as requested by Jim)

[pavel]

Got the clutch installed today, feels heaps different to the exedy heavy duty one that i had. Its pretty much on or off but bites like crazy, i love it! Just have to get used to it now, stalled it few times in traffic already

[Abo Bob]

Yeah you do that a little at first. It does wear in a little making it less like a light switch. Do a few big launches, you know, for science.

[Betz]

Okies,

Have my car back with the clutch back in it.

Jim gave me the confidence to put it back in, my tuner was happy enough after all factors relating to my problem were rationalised.

My situation came down to glycol contamination (thats as close as we could narrow it down to after the car's history was thrashed out)

It feels different, not sure if Jim tweaked it at all but it might just feel different because I have been on other wheels for the last few weeks.

I'll keep you all posted if I have any probs in 5000klm time

[toddlls]

I have questions, with regard to flywheel-

does a manufacturer rated car 180km/h have a flywheel that is designed to handle 100%+ increases in power & driving styles/activities that were never intended for the vehicle to be used for?

If not then should aftermarket flywheels be purchased at the time of clutch replacement?

Should the power requirement to be handled be vastly over estimated at the time of order?

I have been bitten by the mods bug (more kw than 1st intended) and already the clutch I had planned for has had to be changed- luckily my clutch has just started slipping so now I got to replace it. More mods on the way too lol

How light is too light for a flywheel- car daily drive, weekend warrior & drift days becoming regular occurrences. (Driver also does not mind wheels slipping )

[Bumblebee]

car speed has nothing to do with flywheel speed... its connected to the motor so whether ur doing 9000rpm in 1st gear doing 60km/h or 9000rpm @ 400km/h the flywheel is still going to be going the same speed

so yes a flywheel will be fine with more power.

as for clutches.. i have a jim berry full monty clutch with a 5000lb pressure plate on my gtr.. feels like stock

enough for 800kw

[toddlls]

car speed has nothing to do with flywheel speed... its connected to the motor so whether ur doing 9000rpm in 1st gear doing 60km/h or 9000rpm @ 400km/h the flywheel is still going to be going the same speed

so yes a flywheel will be fine with more power.

as for clutches.. i have a jim berry full monty clutch with a 5000lb pressure plate on my gtr.. feels like stock

enough for 800kw

Sweet. I think its important people know the ins & out of upgrades and this particular 1 is going to have to be done right first time- dont want to have to pull the box out again

With regard to rotational speeds I would have thought the response to this would be obvious, 9 grand is 9 grand regardless, what i was getting at is why do lightened flywheels get such a bagging.

Machined lightening of a flywheel is inheritantly dangerous due to metal fatigue/degredation of years of driving & subsequent abuse. Similarly reusing a 1990's pressure plate that has been resprung, sure new spring fingers but what about being non anti burst(as nissan pressure plates were back then)

Providing Jim has all the relevant info required as to use and manner of operation he will build a suitable clutch for whom ever asks him too

My daily has become a part time track car now too.

My uses for my vehicle are becoming more & more motorsport orientated with regard to smooth transitional track driving although be it fast it has 2b smooth.

Then we get doing everthing wrong for the drift days- clutch kicks etc, very hard on equipment stuff.

& finally Drags. Main objective there is all about goin fast in a straight line with a hard-core off the line type of use & fast shift gear changes

So then my point is to really think about what it is you want to do with your car first, if your goal is 200rwkw then go for a clutch that will handle twice that.

Replace your flywheel with something suited to the final picture also

By a new pressure plate with motorsport in mind.

If stock standard gear was meant to be applied to what we on here use it for then Nissan would have designed these cars with 500 at the wheels and supplied it with its own race service team for upkeep & maintenance

Instead it hasn't and this is why we see fly's & pressure plates try to say hello to the crowd thru the top of the bonnet or thru the side of the gearbox into the cabin.

someting to think about at least

[omy-33]

i could smell my clutch from the scc08 up mt mee.

so it's time 2 save the bikkies up an get a jim berry

[shanef]

Another interesting clutch to look at is this new street clutch from NPC. Newly designed it's rated to hold 1000hp at the tyres. This particular one is going in a 26/30 gt4508 powered gtr.

[SLY-25T]

quick question, im gettin a new clutch installed as we speak and its a clutch sourced by my mechanic. sadly couldnt get the Jim Berry as i dont have enough time to do so. now my mechanic has explained that the new clutch is built by the company that originally made the Nissan clutches :s cant remember the name but its a centrivical (spelling) race spec clutch. he said something about a weighting system that pulls the clutch tighter as the RPM increases. unsure if thats wat centrivical is but it sounds good. ill post up the name and results when i get the car back. but until then, has anyone heard of this type of clutch?

[bigslick]

centrifugal

[shanef]

another nice clutch is a rebuilt and converted clutch by Direct CLutch in albion. they got me out of trouble with rebuilding an excedy twin which i dropped off yesterday and picked up this morning, legends

[Drift Motorsport]

auss13, Centreforce make a clutch that has weights that move in / out of the diaphram fingers. Its a bit of a wank in my view. It makes sense from an engineering standpoint, however the realistic benefits of a clutch would be slim to none in terms of performance gain.

Pics:

I've used Jim Berry clutches and I think that they are the best single you can get for the money. Once you start talking twin and other multiplate clutches - its a different ball game all together.

Contamination would ruin any clutch, regardless of the cost. Make sure that the installer does the good job - otherwise its money down the drain.

The benefit of a Jim Berry Clutch is that he can re-puck the clutches quite cheaply compared to the outright unit.

[R.3.2.G.T.R]

im looking at getting a nismo clutch rebuilt shortly, either by NPC or Jim Berry, much of a muchness??

[shanef]

im looking at getting a nismo clutch rebuilt shortly, either by NPC or Jim Berry, much of a muchness??

i'd look at using direct clutch aswell

[dori34]

hi fellas, i need a clutch to hold around 230-250rwkw on a r34 gt (na+ t conversion). what would you's recommend before i get jim berry a ring. i know for sure i wont be needing a full monty one.