Well, after modding my car, the clutch has decided to start to go south on me...It has a stock 215mm right now...I have installed the following Mods...

Streetported 68*
Dellotro Intake
Weber 48 DCOE-SP
RB Header
Custom Exhaust

I drive the car daily, and I will be using it for both Drag Racing and Auto-X Occaisionally...

I have heard good things about the Ferodo offerings that MazdaTrix sells (Street/Strip Heavy Duty)

I myself have had good luck with Centerforce in other applications...What do you guys think?

Increased Pedal pressure is not that big of a deal...

Thanks for your replies...

 

I have a stock GSL-SE (~135hp,~135ft-lbs) and have had a Centerforce II clutch for the last two years. This clutch is rated at 40% more holding power than stock, and the pedal feel is about the same as stock. The Centerforce clutch disc that came with it is wearing out, and I plan on replacing it with an organic (non-metallic), sprung hub, full-face, solid marcel clutch disc. With a Turbo throwout bearing (Mazda part # F853-16-510).

I wonder if a Centerforce II clutch would have enough holding power for your engine, though..

 

i have a centerforce dual friction. the pedal is pretty heavy (especially compared to my late model civic heh), but it grabs like a ****. i love it.

 

since you said you plan on drag racing the car, it's a matter of what you're more willing to sacrifice.

if you prefer letting the clutch go, since it's also your daily driver, the centerforce dual friction might be better.

if you prefer letting your rear end go, then the RB or Mazdatrix race clutch will do fine (i've used the disc, not the plate) but it's rough on your rear end, u-joints, and i would also imagine your tranny - but it won't slip!

on the other hand the centerforce dual friction unit is great for street and racing, but if you race HARD (menaing, often and with a vengeance), then it will get shredded - my brother had one in his car and it got destroyed.

just out of curiosity ... why are you limiting yourself to only centerforce or mazdatrix/RB?

 

So if the clutches that grip more are hard on the drive train, what about someone like me who only drives on the street, and is happy with the stock clutch?

When I need to replace it, should I buy the Mazda part, or should I go with another brand of a stock-like part like maybe the centerforce I?

 

i have had a c.f. dual fucktion on my 81 now for 50k. i have inspected it when i had the out about 6 mts back... its about 1/2 gone. the pedal is much harder than the stock 1... i get complants all the time. im not for or against the clutch... in the 50k i have had it slip 2 times and i figure both my fualt. #1 anbout 480 "breakin miles" on the and clutch and i luanch HARD sliped a little but then grabed. #2 about a year ago im driving from Denver to ATL. with all kinda crap in my car and im in traffic going up hill and slipping the clutch a good bit. got a hole shot and took it 2nd gear slipped bad...let of and got back on... no prob.

 

im using now the stock one but i gonna use a ram clutch after i turbocharge it.

 

Just a word of caution - I drove a friend's FC on the autocross course yesterday; he's got an ACT 6-puck clutch. And while it was amazingly grippy and clamped down in an instant, it was impossible to 'creep' by slipping the clutch. In fact, it was very difficult to start off in 1st gear without taking off hard. The clutch was like an on-off switch, no in between. Very quick engagement. Anyways, just a recommendation to know what to expect when upgrading to a serious clutch, and to recognize that you might have to alter your driving habits a bit. I'm sure the ones you're talking about aren't as hardcore as the one I tried, but man, this thing was seriously different than what I'm used to.

 

well, it's totally up to you. i don't know what the Centerforce stage I clutches go for these days, but i'm guessing they can't be THAT much more expensive than the stock clutch. they are very streetable, and once they're broken in, they're pretty easy on your drivetrain (however, mine used to burn tires in 2nd and 3rd even though i wasn't trying to ... so go figure)

but as a general rule of thumb, as long as the clutch does have a hard metal surface and it DOES have springs in the hub, it won't tear your drivetrain to shreds unless YOU make it do so)

 

ooops!!!! that was supposed to read: "as long as the clutch disc DOES NOT have a hard metal surface"

my bad ...

 

For any street-driven rex, I'd avoid the "puck"-type clutch discs.. the engagement is very abrupt and harsh. Also, per Felix's RX-7 website, metallic clutch discs cause extreme wear to the flywheel.. and flywheels ain't cheap. That's why I'm staying with a full-face, organic, sprung-hub, solid marcel clutch disc. ("Marcel" is the lining of the clutch disc, I think, and comes in two types - solid marcel and springy marcel. I think the stock clutch disc is "solid.") Hey.. solid, man.

I'd like to try a springy marcel if I can find one (properly rivetted).

Anyway, regarding the original post - what kind of HP are you runnin'?.. I think that determines the "holding power" of the clutch you need.

 

My Horsepower Estimate is about 180...Per Rick and Jim...But once it is dialed in, 200 should be easy...Weber is monster rich still...

Thanks for all the feedback guys...

BTW, the stock disk is 'springy' marcel...That is why the solid is quite an upgrade...