ACT just released a new Monoloc Wedge Collar for the FD pressure plates.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Khzcg...9K5VunkAzVy_zo



Monoloc is a direct replacement and upgrade to the two-piece wedge collar in pull-type clutches for the Mazda RX-7. Its one-piece construction eliminates the collar snap ring from bending or popping out of place, which typically leads to clutch failure or severe pressure plate damage.

“The problem usually occurs during racing or ‘enthusiastic driving,’” Dirk Starksen, ACT president and lead engineer on the Monoloc project, said, “The snap ring of the
wedge collar sometimes pops out of place and doesn’t seat back into the release bearing. This causes the snap ring to bend and the clutch to stop working.”

Monoloc fixes these issues. The spring tension of the segmented retaining ring has been carefully calculated and tested for optimal performance. The one-piece wedge
collar provides uniform loading on the bearing and pressure plate to assure proper alignment, regardless of driver influence or vehicle modifications. In addition, Monoloc’s hardened, Chromoly steel construction will provide years of service.

 

beautiful

 

That's sweet! I have had problems with stock collars that get damaged or bent during re-assembly, especially when you have a motor and trans that just don't want to mate up with each other.

I hope they sell it separately and not only with a new clutch. It looks like it would work on any clutch setup.

Dale

 

Is this a common problem with the 7 clutch? mine came with a masters stage 4 clutch in it but i am yet to drive it so no idea what its going to be like.

 

They are available separately and will be come standard in the new series of HD and XT pressure plates.

Scroll to the bottom ACT HD Clutch Kit (93+RX-7)

 

$75? Not too shabby!

I think a lot of this is from the Evos, they are VERY hard on clutches since they're all wheel drive. I don't think this is a must-have for an FD, but it might be a nice thing to put in there if you're doing a clutch job or you have a bad locking collar.

Typically the only problems I've seen on the FD are on initial install, either the collar wants to come out or the T/O bearing won't lock into place. Once it's all seated and happy I haven't heard of failures or problems.

But, chime in if you've seen different!

Dale

 

We have had cars come into the shop that were pulling the TO bearing out of the wedge collar on SPEC clutches but never any on the ACT. I would not say that anyone needs to pull their trans just to install this piece, unless they are having an issue.

I started the thread just to let people know the new part exists. We were just informed by ACT today.

 

Is there any trick to get the monoloc collar to engage the release bearing? No matter what i tried i could not get it to engage and ended up engaging it by forcing the pressure plate by itself (disconnected from the flywheel) onto the monoloc collar. This of course required bolting the pressure plate to the flywheel through the access panel in the bell housing. What a flipping pain!

 

I have never had any problems getting the throw out bearing to engage. I even use the Monolocs in the Exedy twin disc clutches.

 

Found pulling the clutch fork back, at the push-rod end made it quite painless.