I talk all the time about the load factors that affect the clutch system on your street or race vehicle. One of those is ‘use of the vehicle’. Let’s dive a little deeper into why this is important when you make your clutch choice.
Use of vehicle may be something as simple as driving your car to car shows on the weekend or heading out to the local dairy pop for a quick snack. It also might mean that the same vehicle gets slicks bolted on it and heads to the race track five times a year. In the first case, the driveability of the car is most important. Funny thing is, it is still important in the second case, but we have to be mindful of the much higher load the clutch system will see at the race track.
A vehicle that will see higher loads at the track will have to be clutched adequately to hold against that load, so you are going to have to use a setup that may be a level or two higher than you would normally use for your weekend pleasure car. In some cases, this may mean a bit of compromise in the driveability you get for everyday street driving. Of course, the best solution to this situation is to use a dual-disc clutch system, where you can essentially have the best of both worlds, the smooth street engagement, and the higher torque load handling capabilities.
So what about that regular weekend car show cruiser? Assuming this car will only see some ‘spirited driving’ or an occasional stoplight blast, and otherwise is used for pleasure driving and shows, selecting a system that is right on your power level will be the best choice. Additionally, if this happened to be a restoration or vehicle that has skinny ‘factory style’ tires, the load on the clutch will be minimal since the tires will tend to spin before you overload the clutch. In this case, you may want something as simple as a Musclecar clutch set which provides the best street driving experience short of a stock replacement clutch set.
As always, we are here to help you make these critical decisions. Hit me up at [email protected], or use our convenient tech form for a detailed recommendation based on your vehicle’s specifications.