AA C38 97 M3: Clutch Question

[thedizzle]

So I'm building up my buddy's 97 M3 that has a C38 Blower on it and is getting a 3.46 rearend with 40% lockup. It currently has the stock clutch and flywheel which we want to upgrade. Understeer.com has a good price on a 8.5lbs Flywheel and UUC Performance Organic Clutch for under $1k. The car will be driven on the street and the occasional AutoX and HPDE. Any other suggestions for a LTW Flywheel/Clutch combo for around 1k that will handle how the car will be driven?

Thanks

[SilentKIL]

My setup is a JB Racing Lightweight flywheel with Clutchmasters Stage 4 ceramic clutch....

Works well for me. And I have the same setup assuming your buddy is running stage 1.

[Captain]

So I'm building up my buddy's 97 M3 that has a C38 Blower on it and is getting a 3.46 rearend with 40% lockup. It currently has the stock clutch and flywheel which we want to upgrade. Understeer.com has a good price on a 8.5lbs Flywheel and UUC Performance Organic Clutch for under $1k. The car will be driven on the street and the occasional AutoX and HPDE. Any other suggestions for a LTW Flywheel/Clutch combo for around 1k that will handle how the car will be driven?

Thanks

Southbend clutch stage 2-3 ($450-$550 shipped) with an F1 steel ltw flywheel. (ebay/gripforce.com $260 shipped)

Nothing but great reviews out there for both products individually. I just installed my SB stage 3 and F1 ltw fly, and so far i am loving everything about it, and i have been keeping it under 3500rpms. I can tell the difference the flywheel makes already without even being able to push it. So far i do not hear any chatter, and most people do not with this flywheel.
Clutch is great and engages very smoothly accept the, what should be "temporary" shudder i get when getting into 1st and reverse. This is something that will go away after the clutch is broken in, or at least that is what i have been reading.

That is my suggestion as i do not want any extra noise or chatter from my car, and every UUC or JB racing ltw fly i have come across will chatter. Although, i can only imagine what a flywheel (UUC 8.5lb) half the weight of my F1 ltw flyweel feels like...the increased acceleration must feel just as good as a diff upgrade or even better!

I am very happy with the performance increase i have noticed so far, and i haven't even let her rip yet.

[thedizzle]

My setup is a JB Racing Lightweight flywheel with Clutchmasters Stage 4 ceramic clutch....

Works well for me. And I have the same setup assuming your buddy is running stage 1.

Yeah we looked at that kit, but the disc alone is close to 900. I can get a Feramic Clutch from Brecus for around 850 so that doesn't make much sense since we're trying to stick around the 1000-1100 dollar figure.

He is Stage 1 but plans on going Stage 2 at some point (probably not for another year).


Southbend clutch stage 2-3 ($450-$550 shipped) with an F1 steel ltw flywheel. (ebay/gripforce.com $260 shipped)

Nothing but great reviews out there for both products individually. I just installed my SB stage 3 and F1 ltw fly, and so far i am loving everything about it, and i have been keeping it under 3500rpms. I can tell the difference the flywheel makes already without even being able to push it. So far i do not hear any chatter, and most people do not with this flywheel.
Clutch is great and engages very smoothly accept the, what should be "temporary" shudder i get when getting into 1st and reverse. This is something that will go away after the clutch is broken in, or at least that is what i have been reading.

That is my suggestion as i do not want any extra noise or chatter from my car, and every UUC or JB racing ltw fly i have come across will chatter. Although, i can only imagine what a flywheel (UUC 8.5lb) half the weight of my F1 ltw flyweel feels like...the increased acceleration must feel just as good as a diff upgrade or even better!

I am very happy with the performance increase i have noticed so far, and i haven't even let her rip yet.

Never even heard of that Flywheel, thank you! I will go check it out. He doesn't really want a 8.5 flywheel or even the JB Racing 10lb one because of the chatter (my 13lbs flywheel chatters like crazy in my M5) but he was willing to deal with it so again thank you for another option.

[Captain]

Yeah we looked at that kit, but the disc alone is close to 900. I can get a Feramic Clutch from Brecus for around 850 so that doesn't make much sense since we're trying to stick around the 1000-1100 dollar figure.

He is Stage 1 but plans on going Stage 2 at some point (probably not for another year).



Never even heard of that Flywheel, thank you! I will go check it out. He doesn't really want a 8.5 flywheel or even the JB Racing 10lb one because of the chatter (my 13lbs flywheel chatters like crazy in my M5) but he was willing to deal with it so again thank you for another option.

It is the only one on the market i have found that most people report hearing no additional noise. The person that did get additional noise got a lot of it because he did not use a sprung hub clutch design.

If you type in "e36 m3 F1 flywheel review" you will see there are a good amount of people that have been using them for years and years. The most tried and tested are around 20,000 miles with over 500whp, and someone that i think has been using one for more miles than that.

[berti00]

i have a fidanza light fly wheel and will be using the southband stage 3

[thedizzle]

Where are you guys getting your SouthBend Clutches from?

[DriftFC]

Im running an FX300 and AASCO 11lb flywheel on my c30 powered 325is and I love it. I daily the car every now and then and track it almost every weekend.

[Captain]

Where are you guys getting your SouthBend Clutches from?

JordanMD88 he is a supporting vendor here and a dealer/distributor of southbend. It seems he also creates his own clutch packages and "stages."

The stage 3 i purchased from him is a hybrid between southbend stage 2 and stage 3 clutch kits, supposedly holding 500ft/lbs. He offers other variations of a stage 3, but if you want to look at southbend kits as they come, go check out ultrarev.com, tho i'm sure Jordan's Southbend frankenclutch kits hold more power p/dollar than what is offered at ultrarev.com.

[JordanMD88]

Where are you guys getting your SouthBend Clutches from?

I am a South Bend distributor for BMW clutches, Send me a PM if you have any questions :wave

[bmdubbayoo]

i'm running the F1 stage 3 clutch kit (16lb flywheel and copper ceramic 6 puck sprung disc) for $475 and good for over 450hp...i've been running it with no issues for over a year now...

my current setup is the AA stage 2 C38 supercharger kit...probably around 375whp...this kit puts the power to the ground well...plenty of good reviews if you seach this forum...

http://gripforce.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_12_140_203&products_id=212

[thedizzle]

i'm running the F1 stage 3 clutch kit (16lb flywheel and copper ceramic 6 puck sprung disc) for $475 and good for over 450hp...i've been running it with no issues for over a year now...

my current setup is the AA stage 2 C38 supercharger kit...probably around 375whp...this kit puts the power to the ground well...plenty of good reviews if you seach this forum...

http://gripforce.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_12_140_203&products_id=212

That's the route he is going to try and then go SouthBend if the clutch itself fails. $~500 for a LTW Flywheel and clutch kit is a steal. I had no idea these kits existed or I would have done one in my M3 :buttrock

[Captain]

Now i kind of forget, but there was a good reason i went with the Southbend clutch kit over the F1 clutch kit.

Heard all great reviews for the flywheel, but mixed reviews on the clutch kit they provide.

First off, do not use the F1 throw out bearing. There have been failures with this clutch just as there have been many success stories, but i do not want to take the chance and be one of the failures. I dont think it engages as smoothly as a southbend, and people get a noticeable difference in peddle feel with the F1...as in not oem feel. I would definitely read up on the actual clutche reviews from F1, not the flywheel reviews. F1 Flywheel all positive, F1 clutches not so much...

just do the research before you pull the trigger, and you might opt away from the F1 clutch. I did, but i think i was always leaning towards southbend because of the massive amount of positive reviews from people on this forum.

[Snakery]

Now i kind of forget, but there was a good reason i went with the Southbend clutch kit over the F1 clutch kit.

Heard all great reviews for the flywheel, but mixed reviews on the clutch kit they provide.

First off, do not use the F1 throw out bearing. There have been failures with this clutch just as there have been many success stories..


I'll throw out there. I used the F1 throw out bearing not knowing that had a bad reputation.

I have 260hp NA motor, solid Mounts. Stage II Grip FOrce Clutch.

I have put 30k Miles, 3 track days, 5 autocrosses in one year with no issues.

[Captain]

Seems their clutch kits are hit or miss. Good to see they hold up.

And i have to take back what i said about the chatter. I just realized i do have some chatter when the AC is on, but i cannot hear it when in the car even with radio all they way down and couldn't hear it with my head out the window :stickoutt I could only really hear it when i was at the drive through ATM and the sound was bouncing off the atm since i was so close to it, but other than that i never hear it, but there is chatter. I'll try a more exact UUC fluid mix...i went with RP synchromax and the redline d4 atf, as opposed to th reccomended RL 75w140ns and RL d4 atf.

[bmdubbayoo]

i'm using the throw-out bearing that was provided as well and have not had any issues...auto-x monthly, several HPDEs within the last year, as well as hard spirited daily driving...

captain, how can you give feedback on a kit that you haven't used or experienced?

[Jordan1]

We went with the F1 clutch kit and should be in the car This weekend . Well report about it later :)

[thedizzle]

We went with the F1 clutch kit and should be in the car This weekend . Well report about it later :)

Going to be a month or more until an update as you need headwork :D As soon as I have the clutch in the car and some time on it, we will report in.