Although I'm a bit late chiming in, I say run away from ACT. All of you who have act's are probably going to want to flame the hell out of me, but let me explain.

When I did my swap about two years ago, I installed an ACT 6-puck and their xtreme pressure plate. Yeah, it's a bad-*** clutch. No questions about it. Redline shifts were absolutely spectacular. No grinding, just fantastic engagement.

Normal driving sucked.

After 15k I decided to give up on the 6-puck. I swapped out to the organic disk and bought a new xtreme pressure plate (the PP was destroyed by the 6-puck My 6-puck experience.

The new disk was sweet. Nice smooth engagment and the ability to drive like I know what I'm doing.

Shortly after, I noticed that my tranny was noisy. Bad input shaft bearings. The 6-puck tore them right out. I rebuilt the tranny and everythign was fine. Not even a year later, I'm noticing that the tranny is getting nosiy again. WTF?

I came to realize that the xtreme pressure plate is still a bit harsh on the tranny. Even with an organic disk, it's a bit much. The heavy duty pressure plate may be a better idea for street use, but that's my opinion.

On the flip-side, clutchmasters advertises that their competitors like to use ridiculous pressure plates to maintain rock solid clutch engagment (hmmm...sound like someone I know...ACT). Rather than using obcene pressure, Clutchmasters has moved the fulcrim point of the fingers allowing more clamping force, but not increasing the effort that you have give.

Why is this better? When you have to brace yourself to push in the clutch, something has to push back right? It's the crank. You are causing undo stress on the thrust bearings on the crank. You can actually damage the engine with an overly agressive pressure plate!!!

I've talked to a few performance shops (IE they don't sell tail lights and light bulbs) and they like to sell Clutchmasters. Up to stage 4, the clutch feels like a stock clutch.

I'll never recommend an ACT again. Clutchmasters appears to be the way to go. I know a few poeple that will be installing them soon.

-Alex

 

Why has noone brought up Centerforce clutches. 80,000 miles ago I installed a centerforce dual friction clutch into my modded D16Z6. After tons of abuse and many, many visits to the track (low 15's) and street races, this thing still grabs like crazy. The thing that I like most about it is that it feels like the stock clutch. The car is still fun as hell to drive.

I drove a friends B16 in a 5th gen civic with an ACT six puck clutch and I hated it. It felt like I was driving a FF Mustang. (Those who have driven mustangs know exactly what I'm talking about) The clutch had a horrible feel and driving around town wasnt fun at all. The civic had lost all of its fun driving appeal.

After 28,000 miles, his tranny makes a weird loud whirring noise when the clutch is engaged (tranny input shaft bearing is gone), and it is starting to slip when he romps on the throttle.

These are the only 2 aftermarket clutches that I have had any experience with. I am collecting all the parts for my CRV-tec swap, and I will be getting another Centerforce dual friction clutch. I love this clutch.

Is there anyone else out there who has any experience with the centerforce dual friction, or any other centerforce clutches? If so I am very interested to find out how this clutch has treated other drivers.

 

Alright...this is has been very informative, yet somewhat biased. It seems that everyone is judging a certain brand by one experience and one pressure plate and disc type.
Ive noticed most people who complain about ACT were running the 6 puck with extreme pressure plate. Anyone out there running the heavy duty pressure plate with modified street disc or the organic disc?

 

No, but I have the extreme pressure plate with the street/strip disc

 

I am running the ACT heavy duty pressure plate with the organic disc...but I really don't have a basis of comparison as I installed the clutch when I did my swap. Engagement is smooth, and I don't find the pedal effort too much worse than the stock D-series that was in there before. Only about 2500 miles on it as of now, though...I don't drive the car much during the summer

 

My first Centerforce felt great for the longest time... until
the disc blew a spring. Metal just snapped and the spring popped out..end of Centerfore clutch.

ACT has a six spring disc for the H22

BTW, there are alot of people who have experience the same problem with Centerfore..... thats why you keep hearing 'Centerforce sucks'


[Modified by Mover, 10:58 PM 7/15/2002]

 

In response to the question about Heavy Duty Pressure plates, I drove one car with the HD PP and the organic disk. The pedal pressure was really light (compared to the extreme) and endagement was smooth. It seems to be a good setup. However, at it's price, I'd rather try the Clutchmaster's stage 1 or 2.

I haven't heard good things about centerforces...apparently, there is a thread somewhere out there explaining why it isn't a good clutch...

I'll be installing a clutchmasters stage I on my buddy's B16A hatch in a week or two. I'm really anxious to see how it runs.

-Alex

 

Decided to go with the Action clutches sold by ROCKET on this board.

 

I say go with stage three act it last longer and holds pretty good. It's holding fine in my car with ls tranny stage 6 is 2 harsh on the street. If you are not making over 500 hp stage 3 is the one to go with .clutch master sux big time it don't have the holding power in stage 3 even in stage 6 .My choice would be stage 3 act 2600 street strip.. when I get more power I'll go with stage 6 act ,but 4 now stage 3 works great.. But it's up 2 you which ever you like most....


B20t vtec 360hp@10psi pump gas .. more boost 2 come shooting for 400 hp @ wheels.

ELITE AUTOSPORT

 

I have a HD pressure plate and SS Disk. After 15000 miles the disk rattles in the tranny at idle. Other than that, its easy to drive and its much better than the GSR clutch for everything really. I think I may need to look at the clutch though with that chattery sound at idle. When the clutch is depressed, it goes away. Someone here said that could be a broken spring on the disk... hmm

BTW I have 160/122 at the wheels nothing thats making huge amounts of power.