Hey Tremec owners......

[JTW]

What clutch did you choose to use with your TKO-500 or 600, and how do you like it? I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on a TKO-600 from CC5S and plan to replace the clutch disc & pressure plate rather than use my old one. Right now, I'm leaning towards a Centerforce DF, but Scott at CC5S also recommended the McLeod they sell. The Centerforce is cheaper and I've heard it has a lighter pedal feel, which would be nice if my wife wants to drive the car. I'll be using my stock GM 168T flywheel and bellhousing, so it will be an 11" 26-spline clutch or possibly the 12" that McLeod offers. This is going behind my 383 in a street car that will likely never see the strip.

So what clutch has everyone else used and how do you like it?

[skullboy]

I am still waiting for my tremec to get here.:mad: I will be running a similar setup so i look forward to answers as well.I was told centerforce dual fric by some but many others say that those have real bad chatter probs.:eek: Where did you get your 383?Skull

[JTW]

Skullboy, where did you order your Tremec from and how long have you been waiting?:confused: What's causing the delay? Like everything else, I've read good and bad things about the Centerforce DF clutch but most of it's been positive. Here's a thread you may want to read from another site: Clutch Recommendations.. (http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69777&highlight=Tremec+clutch)

My 383 is one of I've had for about 17 years, but I'm having it rebuilt with lots of new goodies (AFR 195 heads, SRP forged pistons, SCAT rods, Comp Hyd. roller cam & lifters, etc.)

[the FLYER]

CC5S is kinda affiliated with Mcleod, that's why the recommendation... Mcleod has an excellent clutch, as does CenterForce (i'm gonna use C/F)

:D

[JTW]

CC5S is kinda affiliated with Mcleod, that's why the recommendation...(i'm gonna use C/F)

That's true, but since they are very open about this affiliation I have no problem with it. I think they recommend McLeod because they believe in it. I'm only leaning toward C/F because of the price and because the DF supposedly has a much lighter pedal feel. I don't mind a heavy pedal, but it would be nicer for my wife. If I let her drive the Nova once in awhile I'll get less resistance about continuing to spend money on it! :D

Flyer, why did you choose the C/F?

[skullboy]

Hey JTW,I ordered from Keisler a bud down the street with a 70 ordered his from them and was happy,only he got his quicker:( .Hope it was a good choice.They seemed to answer questions well.I think its usual assembly time Im just impatiant.:rolleyes: was ordered on 2/24/06.Lots o peeps say go mcleod.Skull

[the FLYER]

in regards to the affiliation, i have no problems with it either, as was stated, they're very open about it... CC5S is a cool company in my eyes. always Very helpfull, regardless of who ya buy yer tranny from. i think the way they do business will only help them get bigger and better as time goes by...

as far as why i'm choosing the C/F... basically from research i've done and recommendations from the guys here at the Site.

i'll be getting the dual friction unit for my 64.




in the 80's i used ta sell a lot of McLeod clutches. great units... and they'd hook ya up with a great deal when it's time ta go through yer clutch again. they'd give an excellent price on rebuilding their own units. been a long time since i was in the "business" though, but i imagine McLeod's additude is still the same, i haven't heard anything to the contrary


best wishes :D

[JodysTransmissns]

I have used both clutches but, I enjoy my McLeod 12" clutch that fits on a 168 11" flywheel much better. The McLeod has a light pedal feel too, just like the C/F.

Has anyone ever seen a Centerforce clutch after the 18 weights and ring break away from the diaphram fingers? Not a pretty sight, they can break and cut thru any aluminum bellhousing.

We have also have had a lot of vibration issues with the C/F. Sometimes the weights do not center concentric everytime. To verify the weight vibration, we have cut the ring to remove the weights and the driveline vibration disappeared. This is not my opinion, just real world issues we have witnessed.

[JTW]

What Flyer said about McLeod helping you out when it's time to go through your clutch brings up another good point. One of the few complaints I heard about the C/F is that you can't just replace the clutch disc when it's wore out, you have to replace the pressure plate also. I don't know why or if this is absolutely certain, it's just what I've read. I'm not too concerned about that, since my car will be a weeked cruiser I will not likely wear out the clutch again in my lifetime.

[the FLYER]

i was not aware of any balance issues or other problems with the C/F, lotsa guys using them here in severe applications and they seem OK, Jody's experience is more than likely much much more than mine, as that's the business he's in... but when yer in the bus, ya see a lot of strange things i'm sure...

i guarantee ya, regardless of the clutch ya get... if ya TRY you can NUKE anything... trust me, I KNOW !! :eek: :rolleyes: :D :D :D

[69NovaSS]

i guarantee ya, regardless of the clutch ya get... if ya TRY you can NUKE anything... trust me, I KNOW !! :eek: :rolleyes: :D :D :D


Heck sometimes you dont even have to try....now lets see....5500rpm power shifts with my 455 Cutlass...hey whats that...no oil pressure:eek: ....darn it the car didnt have that funny tapping noise before:rolleyes:

Anything can be broke:)

[Dan_Lebherz]

I have a CF Dual Friction in my '96 Camaro. It is a very heavy duty unit. It leans toward chatter, probably due to the heavy springs on the hub that coincidently also make it able to hold up to slicks. Having a dual purpose machine is full of compromises, on both sides. When I got it, I also considered the LT4 Vette Clutch from SLP. They were on backorder, so I went with the CF. The guy at SLP told me every customer they ever had that went with the CF had a vibration. They were right. It is not too bad, but I'd rather not have the vibration.

[JTW]

The guy at SLP told me every customer they ever had that went with the CF had a vibration. They were right. It is not too bad, but I'd rather not have the vibration.

Hmmm...I think I'd rather not have a vibration too. After reading Jody & Dan's posts as well as re-reading a few posts on the Chevelle forum I think I'll make a different choice. I've read quite few posts today claiming the vibration is very common with the CF clutches. Vibrations and random noises are my biggest pet peeves about cars so I don't think I'll take the chance. The McLeod comes well recommended, but I think it's about $100 more so I was trying to avoid that. What do you guys think about a regular Zoom or Hayes clutch? I think I'm going to need a new flywheel too after visiting my engine builder today, but I'll ask about that in a seperate post. Thi$ i$ getting expen$ive.:(

[the FLYER]

i've been a little busy today myself, but after reading this myself... i may reconsider too... re$earch, re$earch, re$earch... $$$, $$$, $$$

yuppers, everytime i turn around my $$$ tree seems ta be wilting... :rolleyes: :D :D :D

[63chevytoo]

I use a C/F flywheel and clutch set-up. It was working great when I was trying to put the recommended miles on the Tremec and clutch. Until the oil got contaminated with gasoline and wiped the bottom end out.
Now I am building a 383
My question is...
When the clutch is adjusted and releases properly there is no freeplay in the clutch pedal. Is this how it is supposed to be?? Seems to me without some freeplay the throwout bearing is always riding on the pressure plate fingers.
Or is the freeplay just old school for a stock GM clutch?

Don

[the FLYER]

can ya get any adjustment on the rods to get you where ya need ta be ???

i'd think if ya can't adjust for pedal freeplay, you might need the adjustable ball for the bellhousing/clutchfork...

[JTW]

i may reconsider too... re$earch, re$earch, re$earch... $$$, $$$, $$$

I'm not sure if reading post after post after post at various car forums qualifies as research, especially since it oftens just leaves me more confused. From the posts in this thread I think I should steer clear of the Centerforce DF, but then I read another thread somewhere else and found these comments:

"I don't want to run one of the Centerforce DF 'cause they're just too easy to press in for my tastes."

"The Centerforce DF has great holding capability along with an easier pedal effort than would be needed for similar holding power..."

"Add my name to the satisfied Centerforce DF users. Mine has never given me any problems at all."

"Add me to the list of center force people! Went through 3 other ones in 2 years with the BB 67, untill I went to the DF center force and it's been in for 5 years without a problem."

"On my second McLeod and going to C/F DF. The shaking left leg in traffic sucks. The clutch was so stiff in the beginning that my clutch pedal actually snapped (under the dash assembly where it connects to brake) and had to be welded back together."

"I switched from the Hays street strip to the CF II and am quite happy."

"The Centerforce Dual Friction is the best clutch setup I have ever had. You won't go wrong by using one."

These comments are all from this thread (http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69777&highlight=Tremec+clutch) at the Chevelle forum. It's about a 3-yr. old thread, but I doubt the clutches have changed. So what does a person do? I have no doubt that any of these clutches will do the job and probably last a long time, but I would like to have a lighter pedal feel (like the Centerforce) without any vibration (also the Centerforce). :confused:

[the FLYER]

i think it's research. it's a lot of research. i say i'm going here today and going there tomorrow, but when i actually GO, that's what i'll be doing... i haven't bought my clutch yet, still need a "few" things... its taking a lot of time for me to do what i'm doing, so it seems that's almost all i do, is research. i research more than i buy parts, that's fer sure.

talk about confusion... i can't say been there done that... it's my permanent state of mind ;)


i spend all my time here... maybe i shouldn't, i dunno... i take a lot from these guys and hope i'm giving back in the ways i can. the info here always can be stated both ways too, so whether there or here, ya still have ta judge and decide. this is the first instance i've heard of this situation and i will now have to readdress my decision, but from the guys here who have stated their opinions, respected guys... i was leaning to the C/F... so now i research more... prolly just ta DO in the end whatever i do... buy a clutch ;)

keep us informed of yer adventures will ya ??? this has been very interesting... i think. :D



Johnny (inna clutch) ta getta clutch :rolleyes: :D :D :D

[63chevytoo]

Knowledge sharing is a powerful thing!!!!
Otherwise you would not know how to tie your own shoes.

Don

[chevynuts88]

I have a center force dual friction clutch also...no problems [vibrations] and a light pedal.Good when in bumper to bumper traffic!

[americangraffiti]

I used the Centerforce DF with a Hayes flywheel. Used a vintage cast Ansen bellhousing so I had to use an adjustable pivot.
Had to adjust clutch at about 300 miles (to get just a tad more freeplay) but have been pleased with it.....you'll love that 5th gear :D

[Dan_Lebherz]

On the question abut freeplay.
If you are using a stock mechanical linkage, I would think you would need to have some freeplay, otherwise, like you say, the throwout bearing would always be riding on the clutch fingers (they will wear) and either wearing on them, and/or reducing the maximum pressure the pressure plate is capable of providing. If you have adapted a hydraulic linkage, there is usually little to no adjustment and freeplay might be impossible to determine. If you have a mechanical linkage and no freeplay, I think you either need the adjustable clutchfork ball, a different throwout bearing (GM used at least 3 different lengths), or both.

I read some of the other posts about satisfaction with the CF DF clutches and want to make the following comments. I am not dissatisfied with the CF DF. In my case, I had a late model LT1 Camaro with 6 speed. At the time I replaced my clutch, there were not a whole lot of options for that car because they use a lift off type of design, rather than a push off design. I think this was changed with the LS1s. Anyway, I was attempting to solve a specific issue, which was that I needed something that would hold up to a low power engine and sticky tires. The CF DF does that. I can launch at 5,000 RPM and slip the clutch to get a decent 60' time without bogging the engine. On the other hand it has a stiffer pedal feel than stock, causes a slight vibration, and is more prone to chatter when driving in traffic. That is what I was referring to in my prior post about tradeoffs in a street/strip car.

Likewise, some of the other folks that posted on the Chevelle site indicated they were very happy with their Cf Df clutches. Well if you are making so much power that you've gone through 3 clutches and finally find something that holds up to your combination, you'll likely be estatic.

I guess your satisfaction level can depend on what problem you are trying to solve at the moment.

[68SSGrandpa]

I was the 3rd person in North America to install a Tremec TKO-600. A few test units probably before mine, but I have had mine in a street machine before Keisler or any dealer even had a unit to sell. I now have over 12,000 hard street miles on my set-up.
CF dual friction clutch, lakewood bell, CF Flywheel.
Turning 540 plus TQ and shifting at my rev chip 6,600, I can happily report no problems with the CF clutch.
I taked to Red, at McLeod and I am sure would have been equally happy with a McLeod, as both products are superoir engineered.

The imortant item on either is to make sure your bell run out is less than .005. The closer to zero the better, we initially had some issues until we re-dialed it in, and so have many others, this is ULTRA important.
I had a ST10 before the Tremec, and it didn't matter to it if the runout was double the recommended Tremec's.

If you have sloppy run-out you will shift hard, stick the clutch, and feel like you are having serious release bearing issues.

[JTW]

I was the 3rd person in North America to install a Tremec TKO-600. A few test units probably before mine, but I have had mine in a street machine before Keisler or any dealer even had a unit to sell. I now have over 12,000 hard street miles on my set-up.
CF dual friction clutch, lakewood bell, CF Flywheel.
Turning 540 plus TQ and shifting at my rev chip 6,600, I can happily report no problems with the CF clutch.
I taked to Red, at McLeod and I am sure would have been equally happy with a McLeod, as both products are superoir engineered.

The imortant item on either is to make sure your bell run out is less than .005. The closer to zero the better, we initially had some issues until we re-dialed it in, and so have many others, this is ULTRA important.
I had a ST10 before the Tremec, and it didn't matter to it if the runout was double the recommended Tremec's.

If you have sloppy run-out you will shift hard, stick the clutch, and feel like you are having serious release bearing issues.

Thanks Grandpa, that's probably the most valuable testimonial we could hope to see posted here. To hear you've run 12K miles with the TKO-600 and CF D/F clutch transmitting 540 lb-ft of torque speaks well for the combination.

From everything I've read about the Tremecs, your comments about the bellhousing alignment cannot be stressed enough. I understand this an even bigger issue with Lakewood scattershields than with stock GM bellhousings. Apparently the stock GM cast bellhousings are more likely to fall within the alignment tolerance without adjustment or offset dowel pins. I've read that ClassicChevy5Speed offers the McLeod scattershields that are guaranteed to be aligned within tolerance so that you don't need to worry about checking or adjusting the alignment. That might be reason enough to buy their scattershield.

[americangraffiti]

Thanks Grandpa, that's probably the most valuable testimonial we could hope to see posted here. To hear you've run 12K miles with the TKO-600 and CF D/F clutch transmitting 540 lb-ft of torque speaks well for the combination.

From everything I've read about the Tremecs, your comments about the bellhousing alignment cannot be stressed enough. I understand this an even bigger issue with Lakewood scattershields than with stock GM bellhousings. Apparently the stock GM cast bellhousings are more likely to fall within the alignment tolerance without adjustment or offset dowel pins. I've read that ClassicChevy5Speed offers the McLeod scattershields that are guaranteed to be aligned within tolerance so that you don't need to worry about checking or adjusting the alignment. That might be reason enough to buy their scattershield.
I used a vintage Ansen cast bellhousing.......had installation pretty much complete before the dial in issue came up.
Well Ansen must've done some good engineering work back in the day as I haven't had any problems to date.........got almost 400 miles on the tranny.
Folks at Keilser said if I were to have any issues concerning the dial in they would show up quickly.
Just got back from a 30 minute ride and that 5th gear is awesome.

[JTW]

Just wanted say thanks to everyone for their input. I made a decision today and ordered a 12" McLeod diaphagm-style clutch, along with the TKO-600 kit from ClassicChevy5Speed. My credit card is now smoldering as a result. :eek:

[JodysTransmissns]

Just wanted say thanks to everyone for their input. I made a decision today and ordered a 12" McLeod diaphagm-style clutch, along with the TKO-600 kit from ClassicChevy5Speed. My credit card is now smoldering as a result. :eek:

Woohoo!.......You will love both!

[JTW]

Woohoo!.......You will love both!

Yeah, I can't hardly wait! I decided to just go with the regular organic 100-series McLeod clutch disc instead of their dual friction material performance disc. Since this is a street car that won't see slicks I figured this would be plenty. Which 12" disc do you run, and how do you use it (street, strip, or both)?

[jeffmort]

A little late to reply but better late than never.
Techincally, we have no affiliation with McLeod. We simply have a good working relationship with them and we believe in their products. I am persoanlly at their facility at leats twice per week and see them actaully building clucthes, etc. in house. I know the guys that build them and I have confidence in them.
With that said their are other good clutch companies out there. If I were to personally use a clutch other than McLeod I would go with Luk - good value and a good clutch.