We realize the year is 2022, and manual transmissions are becoming harder to come by, however they still dominate the motorsports communities and enthusiasts alike. The traditional “pick a gear when you want it” full control is something that can never truly be replaced by DSG or paddle shifters. With the manual trans comes a problem when you start to add power, as the OEM clutch is only designed to handle a certain amount of stress and torque. First let’s begin with a quick overview of how a clutch works.

South Bend Clutch - Stage 3 Daily Clutch Kit

Simply, the clutch is what connects the engine to the drivetrain, and is what converts the engine power into turning your wheels. In a manual vehicle, this connection needs to be disconnected to allow you to change gears. When the clutch pedal is pushed it separates the clutch and disconnects the engine from the transmission. When the clutch pedal is slowly released, the components of the clutch are slowly brought together to engage and begin turning the transmission and wheels, this occurs when the friction disk and flywheel make contact. The main job of the friction disk is to, as it states, handle the friction.

The friction disk and flywheel work hand and hand to begin spinning the transmission to match the engine rotation speed, until finally they match and you are able to fully engage the clutch. This is much easier when changing gears on the highway since all the components are already moving, and why it takes more effort to get the car rolling as more needs to happen to match rotational speeds.

Believe it or not the culprit to causing stress on the clutch is less your horsepower and more your torque. Your car may perform fine with an OEM clutch and tune, as long as it is a lower torque tune. Higher torque means a much more powerful “launch” off the line, and as discussed, is when the most stress is applied to the clutch.

ACT HD/Perf Street Sprung Clutch Ki

This is where upgrading your clutch becomes important. With more power and torque, comes more friction and heat that the clutch is exposed to when getting going or changing gears. Using higher grade materials like metal and ceramic components, an upgraded clutch is able to convert the friction to power more efficiently without as much wear and tear. This produces quicker launches, better gear changes under power, and better heat management throughout the process.

On top of the increased component friction, we need more pressure on the flywheel and friction disk to make sure they press together as needed. If there is not enough pressure between these components then they create clutch slipping. This happens more and more over time with any clutch as the materials in the friction disk start to fade, but the more that can be avoided the better as it can drastically reduce the components lifespan. This is also why you have heard that upgraded clutches make a heavier clutch pedal, because it needs more of your help to relieve that pressure on the friction plates as the clamping power is much stronger.

Lastly, all of these upgraded parts come with a lighter overall unit weight. Traditionally clutches are a very heavy component due to the job they have converting power, as the clutch needs to stop spinning to change gears then return to the ~2000RPMs the engine is requesting so it can deliver the power. A heavier OEM Flywheel means that it will take more friction or a longer time to get up to rotational speed, and a longer time to slow down enough to change gears safely. Using higher grade materials keeps the weight of these components down making it easier for the parts to get up to speed more efficiently.

South Bend Clutch - Stage 4 Extreme Clutch Kit

If you are driving a stock car, your clutch is still important but upgrading may not be necessary. However the more power you are adding, the more important this component is to making sure that power is delivered to the ground. Over time you could be cutting your OEM clutches lifespan in half and increasing the chance of an unexpected failure at any time. At a point it is necessary to upgrade and will absolutely result in more efficient and powerful launches, as well as cleaner gear changing under power, resulting in better times and performance overall. Your clutch is just one more thing that could be limiting the gains you believe your car to have, and a vital tool to get the most out of your mods.

Check out the clutches we have to offer, and give us a call if you are looking for something else. We will price match and help find whatever you need!