reza

I hate to say that subject. But I have to.
I put in new ACT 6 puck clutch in October 2003. Along with ACT Extreme Pressure Plate and SR motorsports flywheel.

Now that POS clutch is a done. They are gone. Almost leaving me stranded at Thunderhill.

Why they go out so fast?

This is all I did.
less than 1000 miles regular driving, to from track or autocross, and few friends house/workplace.
2 autocross days, about 10 launches total.
1 drift day(2 weeks ago) at thunderhill, not even 1 whole day, just 2 session, about 50 clutch kick, then it happened, I can't shift. Thanks to Ivan who help me gets in unstuck.

ACT is stupid POS! They even mention that the clutch don't need break in at all, since its all metal clutch, all it needs to break in is hard launches. WTF! Stupid POS Clutch, now I have autocross tommorow, but can't go.

For comparison, my stock clutch survives the following:
Never replaced since I own the car, 2001.
20K+ miles driving, here to LA, to work, to track, everywhere.
2 years autocross season = more than 20 events.
4 drift days more than 1000 clutch kicks combined.
2 race track events.

Now I want to know anyone else experince on this clutch. Don't critize me for saying what I just said on ACT clutch. It's a fact. No discussion.

rfreeman27

iTrader: (5)

And are you sure that its the clutches fault?

Mabye a faulty slave cylandar and clutch fork?

reza

Nope...everything else looks good. Why would the cylinder and the fork is wrong. What is does is only pull the pressure plate away from clutch.

I think the 6-puck could not take drift's clutch kick. I am not suppose to do it, because its an abuse to a lot of the parts, but hey its my car. hahaha

skunks

your 6puck clutch should beable to easily i take that type of abuse. actually i would hardly call it abuse as your tires spin (unless your car is sevearly underpowered for a fd). i would have to agree with rfreeman27.

BTW: if it is the clutch, id scream bloody murder at act to get a new one! i would be super pissed if that's all it could take.

keep us posted on what it is

reza

The clutch padding on the flywheel side is gone all the way to the metal disc, and now I gotta buy new friction plate on the flywheel too. But I am poor now, so I am just gonna stick the stock clutch back in.
The pressure plate side still has some materials.

I am not gonna trust ACT anymore. Gonna get some japanese stuff next time. No more american pos.

I will take photos when I got it out tommorow.
Anyone know where to rent transmission jack?

t-von

iTrader: (8)

Maybe it was just a faulty clutch to start with. If so that really doesn't mean all ACT 6 pucks are bad.

RX7SpiritR

iTrader: (1)

try exedy! Real nice clutches, I have a nice one in my car and its great! Good quality import clutch!

jspecracer7

Yep...ACT = garbage.

clayne

ACT is not garbage. If they sold garbage they would no longer be in business.

Something else is amiss here.

jspecracer7

I have yet to see ANY ACT clutch last longer than 2 1/2 years with a car that has over 400+ rwhp and close to 100 Launches off the redlight....Daily driven.

I would NEVER EVER EVER consider ACT, exedy, or Clutchmasters clutches top of the line that's for sure.

clayne

What clutch lasts for over 2.5 years w/ 400 rwhp (presuming someone is driving the car as it should be)?

You burn twice as bright, you're going to burn half as long. To approach incredible longevity at the same levels of power requires a very high cost.

mazdaspeed00

iTrader: (6)

driver..... i had an exedy 6 puck and i could not imagine myself wearing that thing out.

rfreeman27

iTrader: (5)

Not all of us can afford/find triple plates

vosko

iTrader: (4)

umm i broke 3 ACT's... lemme think

all were ACT extreme plates

first was a 4 puck. i killed it launching in 2nd gear because i broke first gear

second iron disk. if you can break an iron disk you are my freaking hero. i tried didn't put a dent in it. burnouts, donuts drifting. squeeked alot though

third six puck again. drove it for around 3k miles very hard drifting, burnouts the norm for me. tons of drag launches. came out almost new and is now on a friends car

maybe you got unlucky? the only ones that broke were my fault. eg 2nd gear burnout

twin/triple plates are GREAT but they do cost $1k-$2k with conversion... hmmm that is alot of ACT clutch disks

ReodDai

Could just be me but my idea of a clutch breaking is when there are no pieces over and inch long left.

GsrSol

All my friends and I have used ACT for many years and never had a problem. I would say you're one of the few to get a faulty clutch from them.

I've had my street/strip in since Sept. 01', it's been in 3 different motors, through TONS of drag racing, and plenty of hard driving. No signs of any slipping and still holds good enough to get 3rd gear scratches with my tires.

villision

My friend has a 6 puck...loves..shifts hard though you know when it is engaged!

Ty

reza

I like how it was with 6puck, but I don't like to find out its reliability this way. Almost got stuck at Thunderhill.
My motor is at around stock level 250hp at the wheel. All I have on motor is k&n filter, downpipe, hf cat, and 10psi boost.

Anyway, here is the clutch, it worn down to the metal thing that hold the pads. But you can see that on the pressure plate side, the padding is still pretty thick.

So most likely according to my friend, the clutch stuck to the pressure plate side on one of my clutch kicking activities.

worn out ACT 6 puck clutch <1000 miles


Zoom in 6 puck, you can see the pressure plate side is thick, like new.


Scored Flywheel.


My old stock disk getting back in.


Replacing the clutch for Sunday autocross.

clayne

Well clutch kicking is in no possible way a normal use of the clutch.

I wouldn't expect any clutch with serious holding power to like repetitive slamming engagment/disengagement over a short time-span.

reza

Why the stock on holds up better than ACT.
Isn't the purpose of having upgraded clutch is to have better performance and reliability?
Maybe ACT is just performance with shitty lifespan. You know like race rubber.

artguy

ive had my act for almost four years of hard driving. i would buy act again in a second. my car has close to 400rwhp...my street strip clutch has been wonderful.


j

clayne

No, maybe ACT and the majority of other clutches out there were not designed for abuseful actions like clutch kicking.

Marcel Burkett

I also have finished three ACT's , all extremes. They are ok but NOT for the street and NOT for use with a lightened flywheel. The added revs required with a light weight flywheel accelerates the wear on the components, those clutches aren't ment to be slipped like in a street aplication that too wears out the disc and pressure plate.

reza

So...its a more of a fragile clutch...hahahaha....worse than a pos. Anyway, I am not slipping them by holding it halfway. I know that will wear it out. What I did is kick the clutch, so it release and grab immediately, thus upsetting the rear traction.

Below is what ACT website said, so it is all marketting word to sell the fragile stupid clutch.

"Copper Ceramic Race Discs (Xtreme Discs)
RACE READY! Attack the track with the ACT Xtreme Race Disc. Shifting is quick and sure due to the lightweight rigid design. ACT Xtreme Race Discs are available in 4 or 6-pad solid hub design, these pads (pucks, buttons) are highly durable and resistant to heat. Why use an ACT Xtreme Race Disc? The copper ceramic material holds approximately 28% more torque than an organic lining. ACT Copper Ceramic Xtreme Race Discs engage fairly harsh and are not normally recommended for street use."

clayne

Dude, the clutch is not a POS.

I don't even OWN the damn thing, and I can tell you that.

No where in the history of automotive racing has the use of "release and grab immediately, thus upsetting the rear traction" been a necessity. This is purely an InitialD-drifterX learned procedure. In fact it's entirely AGAINST smooth "racing."

So why the hell should ACT design their clutch around constant extreme abuse (we're not even talking drag launches here) when they're designing the product around known performance driving practices - i.e. road racing, auto-x, and drag racing. None of those utilize constant repeated use of quickly disengaging and engaging the clutch, letting the pplate slam it back against the flywheel. Do you really think this is healthy for any clutch - especially an extremely high-grip one?

It may not be best for your application, but constantly spouting "ACT clutch is POS" because it doesn't hold up to artificial and intended driveline shock is ******* ignorant.

When the repeated driveline abuse puts you into extreme gear slop and trashed diff. territory, is it going to be "stock OEM driveline suck dude!" ?