Review: Nismo Twin Plate Coppermix Clutch Kit

[scathing]

It's been a couple of months for me to get used to it, so I'll finally post a review of the Nismo twin plate Coppermix clutch kit I had installed. I also had the Nismo braided clutch line installed while I was at it, which is a separate part.

Firstly, this is a full kit. Aside from the clutch, it also comes with a its own flywheel. I've been told that the friction discs on a twin plate are a different size compared to the single, hence the bespoke flywheel.

As for the ease of installation and completeness of the kit, I've got no idea. Pro Concept did the install and they said that, like all Nismo items, everything just fits like OEM.

Driving impression:

The first thing I noticed when I got into the car is how much lighter my clutch pedal was. I think my pedal was heavier than most other 350Zs I've driven. Prior to this I had a stock clutch with a JUN flywheel (which shouldn't have made a difference). After getting used to the heft of the old pedal, this one felt really weak, like I was driving a little hatchback.

The other, of course, is how much grippier the clutch is. The initial bite as you reach friction point is a lot harder, and the pedal angle between having a bit of slip and full grip is narrower. As such, I stalled the car a fair amount at first.

Compared to the stock clutch, it is nowhere near as immediately streetable. Nismo designed the Coppermix to be more streetable than your average sports/racing clutch (it was initially engineered for the Z-Tune) so they wanted something that would handle high loads while still being considered OEM quality. Compared to the other heavy duty twin plates I've driven, it is a lot better. Compared to stock, it feels more temperamental.

It's been around 5,000km since I had it fitted and I can't say I've had any drivability issues with it in the last few months. I don't stall the car anymore, and I can still slip the clutch well enough for hill starts without having to concentrate on it. Part of it is probably the material bedding in. It's probably more because it's different to what I'm used to that I noticed it - I know a lot of people complain about Z33/V35 clutches when they get out of econoboxes.

The only other ongoing "usability" factor is the chatter. If you load it up at low RPM, this thing is really loud. I thought my JUN flywheel was loud, but this thing is significantly noisier. If you get on the throttle from around 1700RPM in a higher gear, it'll chatter up until around 2200RPM. It's not a major issue as I'm already kind of used to it with the JUN, but if you wanted something dead quiet then keep the engine out of that rev band (unfortunately it's 60km/hr or so in 6th), or look elsewhere.

Value:

The Coppermix has a rating of 600ps. Since I don't intend on going FI and if/when my engine needs a rebuild I will stick to a stroker kit and not resleeve the block, I'd say that this clutch is overkill for me.

The thing is, my prior setup wasn't actually on the way out. It wasn't slipping at all, even after 130,000km, which means the Nissan OEM components were coping with the power levels I'm making. I only replaced it since the gearbox had come out and I thought I'd pre-empt replacing a worn clutch later.

I could have gotten a JWT single clutch kit for less than half the cost of the Nismo, and still seen a performance increase over stock. Some sites advertise a Nismo Coppermix single plate, which after the twin plate around I'd highly recommend from a drivability perspective, except Nismo doesn't have any and have no ETA on when stocks will replenish.

Basically, if you're a street driven NA and sticking with bolt-ons then I don't think it's worth it.

If I had a FI car that was still being daily driven, however, this thing would be the duck's guts. It's more expensive than a metal surfaced twin plate and heavier than a carbon clutch, but it's more drivable than the former and requires less babying than the latter.

[BLISTC]

i had this clutch on the S15 and i loved it.

i didnt get the chatter because being a 2ltr 4cyl, you needed to keep the revs up around 3000rpm for just normal crusing [well thats how i drive it anyway, with the vq its different i cruise around 1800rpm]

it was so grabby, i remeber clutch kicking and putting 20psi and 250kw through the rear wheels and it was ALL going to the rear wheels... no clutch slipping awesome power delivery it was a great piece of kit.

when i first tried to drive it, it felt so weird, and yes i too stalled it once or twice on the way home. i got used to it very quickly and then it felt great and 2nd nature.

the clutch pedal yes is super soft, almost unbelievable that it is a twin plate clutch.

-mark

[scathing]

I'll have to revise the chatter RPM as being from 1100-1600RPM, after driving it again today and noticing.

Basically, you'll only really hear it if you're slowing down because you thought you had to stop, but then the situation changed but you're too lazy to change gear.

[Nosure]

very nice clutch. but its really a bit noisey on low rpm.

[pure_methamphetamachine]

I've been using one for 3 years. It only clatters in neutral with the foot off the clutch. Push the clutch in and it is silent. I love the clutch. Easy as hell to drive on, as easy as my factory one. People say they're good for 600ps, but mine is nearly 700 AT THE WHEELS. I do 7000rpm launches spooling 1.6 bar in neitral (cheers launch control with anti lag) and it is fine. It is only if I hold it at that for 4 seconds then release it it sometimes overheats.

It has never given me problems on the circuit.

Personally, I would recommend one of these to any and everybody unless you wanted a PURE drag clutch. They are so easy to drive on. Most people do not realise they are driving a twin when they drive mine.

P.

[FlyingEL]

What is the cost involved? The clutch and installation?

[BLISTC]

What is the cost involved? The clutch and installation?

i imagine somewhere around the $3000 mark with todays exchange rate

[rtune]

mine is on an r34 so things might be different.. but, I find the chatter is only at idle in neutral.

Sometimes you can silence it by prodding the clutch pedal then releasing so it grabs at a different

point of the circumference.

One thing I wanted to ask was do you find the nature of the grab point v different when the clutch

is cold and when fully hot? not just warmed up, but heat-soaked hot. With mine, in that state,

the clutch gets sticky and provokes driveline judder if you try to slip it a bit eg traveling at walking

pace in heavy traffic..

[scathing]

i imagine somewhere around the $3000 mark with todays exchange rate

More than that, I would estimate.

I got mine at a discount through Pro Concept (who sourced it from an official Aussie distributor), and installed it cost me about $3K back when the Aussie dollar wasn't poo.

You could privately import one from Nengun or something for a bit less, but when I looked the difference was a couple of hundred bucks.

[BLISTC]

I got mine at discount through pro concept, due to the fact one of their customers ordered a full nismo gearbox and came with the clutch, and he didnt need the clutch! talk about good timing. ended up paying 1.8k for the clutch + labour to install it. that was for the s15 about 1 year ago now. damn i wish i could get one at that price again. id jump at it.

[rowstar]

just had my nismo single coppermix put into my s15.

first impression was DAMN is it noisy!! Is this thing installed properly?haha

I get vibration noise all round until i get over 4000rpm. 1st and 2nd are ok actually, but worst would be 50kmh in 4th, 80kmh in 5th and 100kmh in 6th. funny enough they are my cruising speeds. makes whole cabin vibrate. chatters a bit when slowing down also.

but seems very grippy, i have only put 80km on it so far, so been taking it very easy.

it's just a little stiffer than stock on clutch in. pretty good i reckon.

I just have to put up with it, spent a lot on it.... didn't quite expect all that noise though.

[BLISTC]

just drive at higher revs mate

my friend had a single coppermix and he only got noise when he was accelrating from low revs

in an s15 i always used to cruise around 3000rpm but it shouldnt chatter around those revs