My SPEC clutch gave up....

**SOMSS** · 05-21-2006, 09:04 AM

... the ghost Thursday. It went from slipping badly to a metal on metal screatching sound, so now it's parked awaiting the arrival of my LS7 clutch kit I ordered last Tuesday.

**preston1980** · 05-21-2006, 09:54 AM

what kind of spec did u have? 3 or 4 or 3+ or what.
How long did it last u?

how much horsepower do u have?

**SOMSS** · 05-21-2006, 06:41 PM

I had a SPEC Stage II and about 425 hp at the crank. It lasted me only about 15,000 miles. Not enough to cause a stock clutch to slip let alone a stage II clutch.

**preston1980** · 05-22-2006, 03:16 AM

the reason I ask is, I recently put in a spec 3+ clutch with an aluminum flywheel in my 99 t/a. I have 2 thousand miles on it and so far I love it. It was hard to break in, it took 1500 miles, but now I am loving it.

I only have 350 horses or so, so I am thinking Im ok with it.

It sure would suck if it sliped at 15k miles, I would be pissed, I spent a grand on everything total: (slave and master cylinder, clutch disk, lightweight pressur plate, aluminum flywheel, and tranny mount) not including labor

**Zboner** · 05-22-2006, 04:53 AM

i have not heard really anything good about SPEC

**BIG D's SS** · 05-22-2006, 05:00 AM

I think it is like anything else there is good and bad. I have a complete Spec 3 plus with flywheel and and new hadraulics to go in mine just whenever I decide to put it in. Did you have a new flywheel or have your stock one turn when you put the Spec 2 in? I know that is a requirment and did you have the shim in there? Just want a little more info on the situation.

**SOMSS** · 05-27-2006, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by BIG D's SS

I think it is like anything else there is good and bad. I have a complete Spec 3 plus with flywheel and and new hadraulics to go in mine just whenever I decide to put it in. Did you have a new flywheel or have your stock one turn when you put the Spec 2 in? I know that is a requirment and did you have the shim in there? Just want a little more info on the situation.

I put in a SPEC steel flywheel and the shim with the clutch and pressure plate. I will have picts of the old flywheel, clutch and pressure plate as soon as I'm finished installing the LS7 clutch.

**INMY01TA** · 05-27-2006, 11:55 AM

Spec clutches are pieces of crap! This is old news.

**Hurley711** · 05-27-2006, 12:32 PM

LS7/LS2 combo here and so far so good.....380+ to the wheels

**bbodyguy** · 05-28-2006, 05:59 AM

After doing quite a bit of research, it seems all the clutch houses use the same pressure plates for the different brands. I don't know how many different actuall manufactures of these there are, but I bet I would not need the all the fingers on one hand to keep track.
I am in a slightly different boat, I have an LT1, but use an internal slave, so I have hung out here an a few other places ocasionally to gain any knowledge that I could.
At the most, clutch houses will change the spring fulcrum point to adjust the leverage of the pressure plate. From what I gather, most of them just give them a spiffy paint job. Take a close look at the pressure plates available from someone like Hays, who has a great web site showing lots of different PP's, and compare. Same hat, same spring, etc.
So that leaves the "easy" part, the disc to come up with something else to market. Your down to configuration choices basically. It is truely a tough compromise, streetability vs. holding power. Organic on the low end, Iron on the extreme end.
Just my observation, but NO ONE that I have seen has it all. High power, excellent street, and MORE than say, 50K miles, most have much less before failure. If you have high power, race, love to play, etc, you are gonna pay. I am in the middle of a tranny drop right now with a mutt setup. But having a mutt setup has forced me to spend HOURS on the internet reading up on everything I can find.
Just my observation, worth what you paid for it, etc. But I really think there is no holy grail yet.

**SOMSS** · 05-28-2006, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by INMY01TA

Spec clutches are pieces of crap! This is old news.

Thank you for your extremely insightfull opinion. Yes I do aggree SPEC clutches are not good daily driver clutches.

Moving on now, I have just finished the install of the LS7 clutch kit and it is a beautifull thing. The holding power of a Stage III clutch with OEM diveability.

**INMY01TA** · 05-28-2006, 09:04 AM

They're not good for anything. A guy in our club (EFA) had one blow up on him years ago and NO ONE around here has ever used one since. There are lots of threads like this one posted on Tech proving nothing much has changed. READ THIS. http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showth...highlight=spec

**SOMSS** · 05-28-2006, 09:09 AM

I know all about the exploding clutches, I sell lots of SPEC clutches and mine is the first I've ever had a failure with. Just look at the picts of this clutch after only 10K miles of daily driving!

**SicWs6** · 06-01-2006, 07:35 PM

where can you purchase the ls7 clutch and flywheel?

seriousblack · 06-02-2006, 07:18 AM

I just ordered a spec stage III + clutch. I'm curious how's yours holding up? Are you racing often? Powershifting? I had a RAM Powergrip Rated @ 600Hp-It started slipping a few days ago after I started powershifting the car. I have an 02 SS Dynoed 387 Rwhp. ..........Thanks

seriousblack · 06-02-2006, 07:28 AM

OH GREAT!

I just ordered a Spec III+ Thinking it was better than the RAM Powergrip 600hp clutch that just took a shit on me! Why do you say that? whats not good about them?

seriousblack · 06-02-2006, 07:31 AM

Wahts up with the LS7 Clutches? Are they better than the aftermarket products from Spec, Ram, Zoom etc? Please educate me..........Thanks

**Soltakr** · 06-02-2006, 01:20 PM

I have spec 2 with 150 shot wet kit and it's holding up so far. I'd say about 10,000 mile on it so maybe I'm do for a grant finally. They do chatter from time to time. I sell a lot of different clutchs for C5/C6 corvettes mainly. The Exedy clutch are just awesome but the price is very high about $1,400 -$1,800. In my opinion and the techs at my shop, we are leaning towards the Luk Gold edition clutch. Holds good with very smooth pedal pressure for daily driving. Its the same one the Lingenfeter uses for there twin turbo cars. Look it up, maybe it can help.

Just my 2 cents, drive safe eveyone

**preston1980** · 06-04-2006, 09:29 AM

All I know is: My spec 3+ is working great for now, I power shift it hard and it takes it every time. No slipping at all. NO vibrations. scratch 3rd every time. Rev it to 6 grand and drop it, it works perfect.

The spec 3+ has a metallic clutch disk, which ingages hard, yet still wears good. It is very aggresive.
As far as chatter goes, you just have to learn how the clutch works, once your used to it, no chatter, if someone else drives your car, chatters alot

I think the drill mod really helps clutches last longer. It stops the alot of the slipping on engagement. Probally not good on your tranny gears, but I hear the 6 speeds are pretty tough.

So spec gets my vote.

**SOMSS** · 06-06-2006, 08:47 AM

I also sell alot of clutches for LSx engines and have found that virtually all the aftermarket clutches (except for the LUK Pro Gold) are hit or miss. Some work great, some just don't last. LUK is the OEM manufacturer of the LS7 clutch and seems to be the only "aftermarket" clutch that works consistantly well. This of course is just my 2¢.