I'm planning out the rest of my rebuild and looking for feedback from people using ACT clutches. I've been warned by a friend about ACT HD pressure plates breaking clutch forks. I spent some time on google reading. I spent some time on rx7club reading.

It seems like the pivot ball is what breaks on FC's. I also found this link about FD's
http://www.fdnewbieimports.com/Backup/product.php?n=43

Unfortunately I've never driven on an ACT, don't know anyone who has. Before I make a decision I'd like to hear as much as possible. I'd love to hear from people using them.

 

ACT is more or less the 7club approved clutch kit. I bought a Centerforce DF and not a single person I spoke to had anything good to say about it.

 

ACT has a "heavy duty" and an "xtreme" pressure plate. stay away from the "xtreme" and you're fine. I have had the heavy duty pressure plate with 4 puck unsprung, 6 puck unsprung, 6 puck sprung, and performance street disc. I've never had any problem with pivot *****. A heavy duty pressure plate + performance street disc is all you need. Hell a stock clutch will hold up fine on a stock turbo, you may just want to stick with that because it will last the longest.

 

Never had a problem with the HD series clutch kits from ACT. I don't think I've ever heard of an FC breaking the clutch fork on there car, but I have seen pics of people breaking there pivot ball. I don't know if it was with the HD kits or the Extreme kits. If you swap out the pivot ball with a new factory unit you shoudn't see any problems.

Consider swapping the slave/master cylinders and line also. I've had all fail on me at one point. Its been a few years since I've had to touch any of the clutch components since replacing everything.

 

Thanks for the feedback

I've read about RX people having problems with Centerforce and it does seem like everyone approves of ACT.

an HD is what I'm considering and I admit that it might be a little overkill. I definitely do not need the xtreme. The car is mostly stock, though I'm pressing the end capabilities of the stock turbo at 12psi boost.

My problem is that I have no experience using anything other than an Exedy OE clutch. While the engine is out and I need a new clutch anyway I'm wanting to experiment.

 

I was thinking just that. If I get an HD pressure plate I'll put new pivot ball on.

I rebuilt the hydraulics on my father's vert for him. It wasn't too bad, biggest PITA was bolting the master to the firewall. Upside down under the dash does not do a bad back any favors!!

 

act exteme will bend clutch forks, but the HD is fine. not too stiff at all

 

I've been using my ACT HD pp w/ performance street disc for around 12,000miles now. No issues yet, and I drive my car hard. I replaced the trans about 4k miles ago, everything looked fine.

 

I read all the bad stuff about Centerforce DF but bought one anyway.

I am driving a Centerforce Dual Friction. Nice clutch, nice pedal feel. Firmer than OEM, but only slightly. I bought it lightly used. The previous owner had installed it on a 200+Hp bridgeport set-up but had used a 3 puck sprung disk instead of the Dual Friction plate. The friction plate was pretty much brand new when I installed it and there were no hot spots on the pressure plate.

I have about 10K miles on the clutch now with my S5 N/A vert with no issues. I have not thrashed it as I do not drive the car too hard these days. Right now for my use there is no reason to avoid the CF DF.

 

I realized that I didn't really make my point clearly. My point was not about the CF clutch, but about bad reviews on the site. You are getting the good information regarding the ACT from actual owners of the product, not the posters that have 'heard bad things.'

Good Luck!

 

I feel the same way about my CF DF in my non turbo. That being said, it doesn't feel like anything special. I'm trying the ACT street / strip with the HD PP right now so I can compare the two.

 

What kind of miles can I expect to get out of an HD compared to an Exedy OE?

 

I have the ACT HD and 6 puck sprung on my car - my truck still has the heavier clutch pedal.

I am a happy customer.

 

^ What flywheel do you run with that, and how is it in stop and go traffic?

 

ACT Streetlite 12lbs, it's very sensitive at first, but feels like normal once you get used to it.

 

i am running the Extreme pressure plate with street disc for almost 4 years now.. no problems at all!

i really love it! it just takes anything i throw at it without any issues

 

Ah ok. I've got the Prolite and I'm wondering if that in combo with a sprung 6puck might be too much for stop and go traffic.

 

Not to be overly practical...but I'm assuming a 6 puck disk won't get as many miles out of it as a typical full clutch disk? Following that same train of thought a 4 puck will get even less miles?

I'm going on the assumption that less friction/contact area of the puck disks means those areas see more wear when compared to a full disc which can spread that friction/contact across more area.

I've never driven on a 6 or 4 puck clutch, but from what I've read they don't seem like they're what I'd want for my purposes. I want my car to be able to be daily driven. Though I'm not so worried about the driveability of the car in stop and go. I've been driving on manual transmissions all my life and I'm sure I'd adjust to the change. What I don't want is to put in a clutch that isn't going to get some good miles out of it. I'm not really setup to simply drop my transmission on a whim.

 

Well puck clutches aren't able to be slipped as much so they may last longer. I've never heard a comparison between clutches with regard to durability and life.

 

^ interesting, so on a puck clutch can you hold yourself on a hill at a stop or engine brake? I'm gonna assume it's alot more touchy?