Carolina Stage 2 Clutch-Anyone used it?

[Hammer]

I'm installing an aluminum flywheel and a sprung hub clutch. I'll be using a new Valeo pressure plate, to bearing and pilot bearing.

Tom at Carolina Clutch has offered the Stage 2 disc for $150 shipped.

Anybody used these? Tell me you experience if so.

Thanks

[WB9MCW]

I WENT WITH THIS STAGE 3 KIT AND THE ALUM FLYWHEEL AND BOLT KIT >>> http://www.carolinaclutch.com/ShowItem/108823.aspx

I really like my Fidanza and the Stage 3 race clutch.

http://www.fidanza.com/

But the syncro rattle is there for sure with out the DM stock flywheel.

[Scrrem]

Originally Posted by Hammer

I'm installing an aluminum flywheel and a sprung hub clutch. I'll be using a new Valeo pressure plate, to bearing and pilot bearing.

Tom at Carolina Clutch has offered the Stage 2 disc for $150 shipped.

Anybody used these? Tell me you experience if so.

Thanks

John,
I'm looking to do the same with my Z and was looking at the stage 2 kit. Maybe Bryan can answer, what's the major performance difference between stage 2 and 3? I don't have any performance modes (yet), so not sure I need stage 3. Also, if you go with an aluminum fw, should you have it balanced to cut down on the rattle?

Thanks
Rich

[Hammer]

In car #458, I did not balance the flywheel. The only thing I noticed was increased vibration through the car from using the stock LT5 clutch disc. This time I am using the spung hub disc and that should make up a little for the loss of the dual mass flywheel...or so I've heard.

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by Hammer

In car #458, I did not balance the flywheel. The only thing I noticed was increased vibration through the car from using the stock LT5 clutch disc. This time I am using teh spung hub disc and that should make up a little for the loss of the dual mass flywheel...or so I've heard.

So....you sold #458 red/black and bought #473 red/black after you sold #458......or you had them both at one time and both were 1991s? I see 29K miles on #473.

How many miles were on #458 when you sold it?

What did you have modified on #458?

What do you have modified on #473?

I see #458 had some minor issues .....was there any major issues on #458?

And lastly to put this on topic I assume flywheels are always balanced wth cluch pack (pressure plate and disc) installed? Especially important with aluminum flywheel with less rotating mass as compared to the pressure plate and disc attached.

[XfireZ51]

Originally Posted by Hammer

In car #458, I did not balance the flywheel. The only thing I noticed was increased vibration through the car from using the stock LT5 clutch disc. This time I am using teh spung hub disc and that should make up a little for the loss of the dual mass flywheel...or so I've heard.

When I installed the Fidanza, I first checked with Marc H. on the balancing issue. This is the second Fidanza I have used with the first being on my 84. Marc has never found the need to balance one. He told me to install as is. The rattling is not from the FW being imbalanced but from the motor pulse and the "square cut" teeth on the ZF gearing. GM installed the DM FW for the purpose of absorbing that vibration. The SM FW doesn't absorb the vibration and therefore allows the teeth to rattle.
A sprung hub clutch is designed to absorb some of the vibration. It won't do as good a job as a DM FW but with judicious tuning and the right lubricant you can get it to be pretty good and minimize the intrusive noise. When mine rattles its usually when the motor has been run a bit hard and only at idle. I get no rattle at cruise.

[Hammer]

Originally Posted by Dynomite

So....you sold #458 red/black and bought #473 red/black after you sold #458......or you had them both at one time and both were 1991s? I see 29K miles on #473.

I had both cars at the same time. #473 had 25k on it when I bought it here locally in Caldwell. It was a mess but a "diamond in the rough".

How many miles were on #458 when you sold it?

#458 had 72k on it. Sold it to mgbrv8 here on the Registry. I believe it now has around 83k. Dave and his Dad drove it over 10,000 miles on a trip through the east and back to his home in McAllen, Texas.

What did you have modified on #458?

Open Air Cleaner Lid and K&N Filter
Haibeck chip (removed and replace with stock chip)
Watson 1 7/8 Headers (removed and replaced with stock exhaust)
Flowmaster Cat Back Exhaust
Aluminum Flywheel
Autozone stock replacement clutch
Hurst Short Throw Shifter
Best ET of 12.539 @ 113 MPH with a 1.92 60 ft time and the clutch slipping a bit.
Never ran it but one time after the new clutch was replaced. I tried and broke a 1/2 shaft u-joint on the first pass at the starting line. I replaced all the 1/2 shaft u-joints and decided not to run it again as it was now for sale.

What do you have modified on #473?

Open Air Cleaner Lid and K&N Filter
Haibeck chip (removed from #458)
Watson 1 7/8 Headers (removed from #458)
Flowmaster Cat Back Exhaust (got it from Flyin Ryan and sandblasted/painted before install)
Items I am adding soon:
Fidanza Aluminum Flywheel
Carolina Clutch Disk -I have a stock clutch so just need the sprung hub disk
Hurst Short Throw Shifter
Viper 4:10 Gears

I see #458 had some minor issues .....was there any major issues on #458?

#458 was purchased and proceeded to be taken on a 10,000 mile trip. Issues on the trip were the heater blower motor, the drivers window switch quit working, the cigarette lighter did not work. After Dave got home, it appears one of the flywheel bolts came out and damaged the throwout bearing. Several others were loose too. That's why I'm doing the install on the flywheel and clutch this time.

And lastly to put this on topic I assume flywheels are always balanced wth cluch pack (pressure plate and disc) installed? Especially important with aluminum flywheel with less rotating mass as compared to the pressure plate and disc attached.

I am not balancing the assembly, it appeared to work good last time.

[phrogs]

I never balanced my fidanza flywheel just bolt and go!

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by Hammer

#458
Aluminum Flywheel
Autozone stock replacement clutch

#473
Fidanza Aluminum Flywheel
Carolina Clutch Disk -I have a stock clutch so just need the sprung hub disk.

I am not balancing the assembly, it appeared to work good last time.

In car #458, I did not balance the flywheel. The only thing I noticed was increased vibration through the car from using the stock LT5 clutch disc

So...this vibration was not imbalance but rather slippage?

I am thinking on stock the pressure plate, disc and flywheel are balanced. So....if you remove the pressure plate and install it again not as it was when you removed it (rotated it this time) you might get vibration. That is my experience anyway

[Hammer]

Originally Posted by Dynomite

In car #458, I did not balance the flywheel. The only thing I noticed was increased vibration through the car from using the stock LT5 clutch disc

So...this vibration was not imbalance but rather slippage?

I am thinking on stock the pressure plate, disc and flywheel are balanced. So....if you remove the pressure plate and install it again not as it was when you removed it (rotated it this time) you might get vibration. That is my experience anyway

The vibration, I believe was from the direct link between the motor and the transmission, created from using the stock clutch without the dual mass flywheel. The stock clutch has no springs and the aluminum flywheel has no damping.