5.5th gens what clutches are you guys running??
5.5th gens what clutches are you guys running??
only aftermarket clutches i see are clutchmaster??? what clutches are you running? my clutch showing sign of slipping. 135k miles on original clutch
Get the stock 350z clutch. Its about the same price as just replacing with the stock one. It has better grabbing force than the stock one but the pedal feels much better. Search 350z clutch and you'll find a bit more info. IIRC Derrick was chirping third at the drag strip with drag radials with this clutch and fidanza flywheel.
Spec stage 2 is not all that great, I have 3 freinds with it and all 3 of them have the same problems.......chatter up the ***, and the grab isnt all that great its a very strange clutch, however I hear the 2+ is ALOT better and the stage 3 is good also.
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Get the stock 350z clutch. Its about the same price as just replacing with the stock one. It has better grabbing force than the stock one but the pedal feels much better. Search 350z clutch and you'll find a bit more info. IIRC Derrick was chirping third at the drag strip with drag radials with this clutch and fidanza flywheel.
no slipping as of yet.
so from me searching the internet, cant find many options for 5.5gens. Only thing that i came up with is clutch masters. 350z clutch is not a option. too many things to change and upgrade. realistically i need it to hold about 320whp.
full bolt on. dynoed 235whp untunned. next week going back to tune and a 75shot. So what do you guys recommend. I searched on the org and i even donated to search. lol cant seem to find anything about clutch on 5.5 gens.
full bolt on. dynoed 235whp untunned. next week going back to tune and a 75shot. So what do you guys recommend. I searched on the org and i even donated to search. lol cant seem to find anything about clutch on 5.5 gens.
how long did you have it??? also about how much power are you putting down???
Too many variables to say for sure. Its capable of it because lotsa people have found out stock is really strong. But since your learning to drive stick, I'm not saying your a bad driver but there is a learning curve that abuses the clutch more than a experienced driver would create. Also you probably don't know who prevously owned the car and what kind of a driver they were. If it has a lot of city mileage on it, it stands to reason the clutch would show more signs or wear resulting in a need for a replacement sooner than a highway car. Like I said, the stock clutch should do fine with those mods, but don't necesarily be surprised if it doesn't.
Stock clutch, 92K miles. I'm not slipping or anything, but I think I want to upgrade. I'll try just upgrading the flywheel first, see what kind of response I get.
I'm having a hard time finding reviews and info on 5.5 gen clutches as well. Surely, there are some guys out there who've changed their clutches, even though they didn't NEED to, Sooner. Plus, I'm the second owner of my car, and there's no telling how the car was driven the first 72K miles...
There's a group deal on SPEC stage 1 and Exedy clutches, Fidanza flywheels, and some other items from Justin M. Check it out in the Group Deals section.
I'm having a hard time finding reviews and info on 5.5 gen clutches as well. Surely, there are some guys out there who've changed their clutches, even though they didn't NEED to, Sooner. Plus, I'm the second owner of my car, and there's no telling how the car was driven the first 72K miles...
There's a group deal on SPEC stage 1 and Exedy clutches, Fidanza flywheels, and some other items from Justin M. Check it out in the Group Deals section.
OK, here we go again.
There have been a lot of threads on this issue.
Stock 350Z clutch (2006 and up) is the same as Exedy stage 1 but about half the cost. It handles the exact same power. Call Dave B. He knows all about it.
The 350Z clutch is all you should need in a Maxima. You don't need a heavy racing clutch in a Maxima (I had one). The tires will start spinning before the clutch starts to loose grip anyway. Even with drag radials and LSD. No matter how much power you're making you can't prevent that in our cars without heavy modification and real drag slicks. For a street and sometimes track car the 350Z set up is perfect.
Any sprung disk like the 350Z or most aftermarket street clutches can cause some chatter with the stock dual mass flywheel. There are people running the 350Z clutch with the stock flywheel with no problems though.
I've tried several different setups and the Fidanza with the 350Z clutch is very sweet. It has plenty of grip and a great pedal feel. Much better pedal feel than stock. The flywheel frees up power through the entire power band. I've had it at the track many times and, like I said, traction is always the biggest issue. Not the clutch. That's with drag radials and LSD too.
Merlin, light flywheels don't loose power anywhere. Spinning a lighter weight around a shaft takes LESS energy. If you don't believe me then try this. Jack up the rear of your car and spin the tire by hand. Next, pick up your kids bicycle and spin the tire by hand. I think you'll see it takes less energy to spin the lighter bicycle wheel.
Please don't talk about the stored kinetic energy in the heavier flywheel giving more power to the wheels on the launch etiher. That can apply to a fully set up rear drive drag car with big slicks and lots of traction. Our cars don't need any more power than they already have on launch to spin the tires.
The Fidanza is a great product for our cars that delivers a noticeable gain with no real tradeoff. The only people I've heard downing them are the ones who don't have one.
I've had the Fidanza in and out of my car a few times for various reasons. I always feel the loss with the stock unit.
Anyway, I would save the money by using the 350Z clutch and put it towards the Fidanza. You'll be happy driving it and it won't let you down at the track.
Stock 350Z clutch (2006 and up) is the same as Exedy stage 1 but about half the cost. It handles the exact same power. Call Dave B. He knows all about it.
The 350Z clutch is all you should need in a Maxima. You don't need a heavy racing clutch in a Maxima (I had one). The tires will start spinning before the clutch starts to loose grip anyway. Even with drag radials and LSD. No matter how much power you're making you can't prevent that in our cars without heavy modification and real drag slicks. For a street and sometimes track car the 350Z set up is perfect.
Any sprung disk like the 350Z or most aftermarket street clutches can cause some chatter with the stock dual mass flywheel. There are people running the 350Z clutch with the stock flywheel with no problems though.
I've tried several different setups and the Fidanza with the 350Z clutch is very sweet. It has plenty of grip and a great pedal feel. Much better pedal feel than stock. The flywheel frees up power through the entire power band. I've had it at the track many times and, like I said, traction is always the biggest issue. Not the clutch. That's with drag radials and LSD too.
Merlin, light flywheels don't loose power anywhere. Spinning a lighter weight around a shaft takes LESS energy. If you don't believe me then try this. Jack up the rear of your car and spin the tire by hand. Next, pick up your kids bicycle and spin the tire by hand. I think you'll see it takes less energy to spin the lighter bicycle wheel.
Please don't talk about the stored kinetic energy in the heavier flywheel giving more power to the wheels on the launch etiher. That can apply to a fully set up rear drive drag car with big slicks and lots of traction. Our cars don't need any more power than they already have on launch to spin the tires.
The Fidanza is a great product for our cars that delivers a noticeable gain with no real tradeoff. The only people I've heard downing them are the ones who don't have one.
I've had the Fidanza in and out of my car a few times for various reasons. I always feel the loss with the stock unit.
Anyway, I would save the money by using the 350Z clutch and put it towards the Fidanza. You'll be happy driving it and it won't let you down at the track.
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,572
From: Middleboro/Carver, Ma
^Thanks for the good info, excellent post.
Couldn't have said it better myself
I've tried several different setups and the Fidanza with the 350Z clutch is very sweet. It has plenty of grip and a great pedal feel. Much better pedal feel than stock. The flywheel frees up power through the entire power band. I've had it at the track many times and, like I said, traction is always the biggest issue. Not the clutch. That's with drag radials and LSD too.
Merlin, light flywheels don't loose power anywhere. Spinning a lighter weight around a shaft takes LESS energy. If you don't believe me then try this. Jack up the rear of your car and spin the tire by hand. Next, pick up your kids bicycle and spin the tire by hand. I think you'll see it takes less energy to spin the lighter bicycle wheel.
Please don't talk about the stored kinetic energy in the heavier flywheel giving more power to the wheels on the launch etiher. That can apply to a fully set up rear drive drag car with big slicks and lots of traction. Our cars don't need any more power than they already have on launch to spin the tires.
The Fidanza is a great product for our cars that delivers a noticeable gain with no real tradeoff. The only people I've heard downing them are the ones who don't have one.
I've had the Fidanza in and out of my car a few times for various reasons. I always feel the loss with the stock unit.
Anyway, I would save the money by using the 350Z clutch and put it towards the Fidanza. You'll be happy driving it and it won't let you down at the track.
Merlin, light flywheels don't loose power anywhere. Spinning a lighter weight around a shaft takes LESS energy. If you don't believe me then try this. Jack up the rear of your car and spin the tire by hand. Next, pick up your kids bicycle and spin the tire by hand. I think you'll see it takes less energy to spin the lighter bicycle wheel.
Please don't talk about the stored kinetic energy in the heavier flywheel giving more power to the wheels on the launch etiher. That can apply to a fully set up rear drive drag car with big slicks and lots of traction. Our cars don't need any more power than they already have on launch to spin the tires.
The Fidanza is a great product for our cars that delivers a noticeable gain with no real tradeoff. The only people I've heard downing them are the ones who don't have one.
I've had the Fidanza in and out of my car a few times for various reasons. I always feel the loss with the stock unit.
Anyway, I would save the money by using the 350Z clutch and put it towards the Fidanza. You'll be happy driving it and it won't let you down at the track.
Couldn't have said it better myself
"In the quest for faster cars, many enthusiasts will have their flywheels lightened. Why? Because a lighter flywheel increases the rate of torque applied to the drive wheels. How? It increases the efficiency of the drivetrain by reducing inertia. This is important as it will accelerate you car faster than the identical engine with a heavier flywheel. Also, if you are going to lighten a flywheel, it's much more effective to remove weight from the outer edges than the interior. This is due to the "leveraging" effect that mass has from the center of rotation. Like an ice skater spinning with their arms out, and as they bring them in they spin faster - same energy, faster rotational speed.
The downside of this is that taking off from a dead start is more difficult, because there's less energy at the clutch (energy=(1/2) mass x velocity-squared (.5 x m x v^2)). Decrease the mass, increase the speed (revs). Underdrive pulleys and lighter wheels help acceleration using this same principle - no more torque at the crank, but delivered to the wheels faster. Lighter wheels have the same effect, but to a smaller degree."
"Are there any downsides to a lightweight flywheel?
While the performance characteristics of a lightweight flywheel seem to be the perfect solution, there are compromises:
a. Low end performance is affected. This usually means that higher revs are necessary for smooth starts due to the reduced rotational mass. For drag racers, this can be a BIG issue.
b. Possible missfire check engine light."
I stated you lose low end power, I should have stated, you lose power from a launch, and don't technically lose it...
The simple fact is, you are correct we do not need the power, because our tires will spin, but the simple fact is... I was correct, and we do not need to misinform the uninformed about information. A lightened flywheel will effect ANY car, it is simple physics...
You speak from the perspective of a Maxima, but on any level, the things people learn on these forums are taken into their daily lives, and someday, people may own faster and more powerful cars, and the information that they learned here, if corrupt can be the difference in perfection, and that much less...
I do not like to be misinformed on ANY level, whether relevant to my car or not... I imagine others do not either.
This is not a theory, this is a simple fact, a lightened flywheel WILL effect a cars launch.
I have a Fidanza Lightened Flywheel, and am not saying they are not the best flywheel (imo) to get, but the statement is correct, that you do lose power from a launch to sacrifice for top end power. Believe me or not, but the equation is there for any disbelievers.
btw, its Merlyn, I have not been in elementary / middle school in a while, don't need the name being Misspelled. and yes, my name is Merlyn
The downside of this is that taking off from a dead start is more difficult, because there's less energy at the clutch (energy=(1/2) mass x velocity-squared (.5 x m x v^2)). Decrease the mass, increase the speed (revs). Underdrive pulleys and lighter wheels help acceleration using this same principle - no more torque at the crank, but delivered to the wheels faster. Lighter wheels have the same effect, but to a smaller degree."
"Are there any downsides to a lightweight flywheel?
While the performance characteristics of a lightweight flywheel seem to be the perfect solution, there are compromises:
a. Low end performance is affected. This usually means that higher revs are necessary for smooth starts due to the reduced rotational mass. For drag racers, this can be a BIG issue.
b. Possible missfire check engine light."
I stated you lose low end power, I should have stated, you lose power from a launch, and don't technically lose it...
The simple fact is, you are correct we do not need the power, because our tires will spin, but the simple fact is... I was correct, and we do not need to misinform the uninformed about information. A lightened flywheel will effect ANY car, it is simple physics...
You speak from the perspective of a Maxima, but on any level, the things people learn on these forums are taken into their daily lives, and someday, people may own faster and more powerful cars, and the information that they learned here, if corrupt can be the difference in perfection, and that much less...
I do not like to be misinformed on ANY level, whether relevant to my car or not... I imagine others do not either.
This is not a theory, this is a simple fact, a lightened flywheel WILL effect a cars launch.
I have a Fidanza Lightened Flywheel, and am not saying they are not the best flywheel (imo) to get, but the statement is correct, that you do lose power from a launch to sacrifice for top end power. Believe me or not, but the equation is there for any disbelievers.
btw, its Merlyn, I have not been in elementary / middle school in a while, don't need the name being Misspelled. and yes, my name is Merlyn
To say I'm misinforming anyone is crazy. What I said was accurate for a Maxima. There is no loss of "performance" from a light flywheel on our cars. We're talking about what happens in reality not theory. There is a slight loss of AVAILABLE power until the clutch is fully engaged but it doesn't translate to a loss of "performance" by any stretch.
You say we're sacrificing power on the launch. The reality is we're only using a small amount of the AVAILABLE power on launch anyway. Therefore, there is no actual "sacrifice" as you say. Giving up a small portion of something you can't use anyway isn't a sacrifice by any definition. Anyone who tries to launch a Maxima with everything it has will see no acceleration at all. Just clouds of smoke.
Changing the flywheel weight too much can make any car hard to launch. The Fidanza only reduces the rotating mass by around 30% which isn't that drastic.
Your definition of "misinforming" may be a bit off. Let me give you a classic example of misinformation.
"Fidanza Flywheels are a personal choice, and if you have the lightened one, I doubt you even know what the lightened one does aside from give you back some HP you lost at the flywheel, but in the end, actually causes you to l lose some low end power because of the effort it takes to spin a light piece around a shaft, and aside from that...
BTW, anyone who gets that bent over the misspelling of their name does have the mentality of a gradeschooler. Please get over yourself and do your research before posting instead of waiting till somebody calls you on it to look something up really quick which still isn't right.
First off let me appologize to the readers of this thread for the misinformation being thrown about.
The rear wheels of our Maximas do not turn an axle when they spin. They rotate on bearings in a hub. That hub is mounted to a fixed spindle that does not spin. Exactly like a bicycle wheel. Next time you're paying someone to work on your car you might want to ask them about that. Kind of scary how someone who claims to be building up a turbo car to race doesn't understand the bacics of how their car is put together.
You stated that since I misspelled your name that I couldn't possibly put down a good argument. What are we supposed to think about your ability to present an argument when you're telling everyone their rear wheels spin an axle. You've done nothing but put out bad information that has nothing to do with the original question which was about a street car.
I would sugest you figure out the basics before arguing something more advanced like the effect of a lighter flywheel.
I will agree in theory and on paper that a light flywheel affects the launch. In reality though, on our cars, it only changes the way the driver launches the car. You just give it a little more power (trust me, there's plenty there) and the car will launch the same. Until you can launch at full throttle and not break the tires loose you don't need a heavier flywhee (on a drag car, not a street car).
There is also no need to use foul language on the forum. I understand it's a classic behavior for someone loosing an argument but that's no excuse.
The rear wheels of our Maximas do not turn an axle when they spin. They rotate on bearings in a hub. That hub is mounted to a fixed spindle that does not spin. Exactly like a bicycle wheel. Next time you're paying someone to work on your car you might want to ask them about that. Kind of scary how someone who claims to be building up a turbo car to race doesn't understand the bacics of how their car is put together.
You stated that since I misspelled your name that I couldn't possibly put down a good argument. What are we supposed to think about your ability to present an argument when you're telling everyone their rear wheels spin an axle. You've done nothing but put out bad information that has nothing to do with the original question which was about a street car.
I would sugest you figure out the basics before arguing something more advanced like the effect of a lighter flywheel.
I will agree in theory and on paper that a light flywheel affects the launch. In reality though, on our cars, it only changes the way the driver launches the car. You just give it a little more power (trust me, there's plenty there) and the car will launch the same. Until you can launch at full throttle and not break the tires loose you don't need a heavier flywhee (on a drag car, not a street car).
There is also no need to use foul language on the forum. I understand it's a classic behavior for someone loosing an argument but that's no excuse.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,898
From: Philadelphia, PA
ok, before this thread gets locked, can anybody tell me which bolt to turn to adjust the clutch on a 5.5 gen 6 speed? either that or point me in the direction of a howto please.. mine is sitting up too high and i have to press it down too far.. i wanna lessen the amount of distance the clutch has to travel to the floor
Wow, so now I'm a criminal. This just keeps getting better and better.
I'm still waiting for an explaination of how someone who makes statements like "it takes more energy to rotate a lighter weight around a shaft" and "Turning the rear wheels of out cars turns an axle" has any right to say I can't present an argument because I misspelled your name. You were probably so busy coming up with the clever "slander" responce that you forgot. You should be thanking me for misspelling your name. I sure wouldn't want my name associated with anything you've been saying.
You don't even know how the wheels are attached to your car yet you will repeat over and over again that I'm wrong. You make no sence at all. You keep talking about theory but I don't think you've ever turned a wrench. Next you're going to tell me that high performance blinker fluid affects our gas mileage. In theory, of course.
I'm still waiting for an explaination of how someone who makes statements like "it takes more energy to rotate a lighter weight around a shaft" and "Turning the rear wheels of out cars turns an axle" has any right to say I can't present an argument because I misspelled your name. You were probably so busy coming up with the clever "slander" responce that you forgot. You should be thanking me for misspelling your name. I sure wouldn't want my name associated with anything you've been saying.
You don't even know how the wheels are attached to your car yet you will repeat over and over again that I'm wrong. You make no sence at all. You keep talking about theory but I don't think you've ever turned a wrench. Next you're going to tell me that high performance blinker fluid affects our gas mileage. In theory, of course.
ok, before this thread gets locked, can anybody tell me which bolt to turn to adjust the clutch on a 5.5 gen 6 speed? either that or point me in the direction of a howto please.. mine is sitting up too high and i have to press it down too far.. i wanna lessen the amount of distance the clutch has to travel to the floor
You may also have to adjust the cruise control on/off switch. That switch stops the pedal in its upward swing. You can use that to lower where the pedal rests as long as there is still a little play in it. If you lower the pedal so much that it no longet touches the switch your cruise wont work. Just lower the switch. It's the same idea of loostening a nut and threading it down.
The kill switch that keeps the car from starting without the clutch being pressed is also down there. It's adjustable too. Just make sure it still comes into play when you depress the pedal.
Just be sure to turn the shaft in small incriments. 1/2 a turn to a turn at the most and remember your last adjustment. Small adjustments make a big difference.
Also, be careful playing with this. You can adjust it too much and have it where the clutch never fully disengages and causes problems.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,898
From: Philadelphia, PA
It's a little more complicated than just turning a bolt but it can be done. It's been a while since I've done this. If you look behind your clutch pedal you'll see a shaft going from the pedal assembly into the firewall. It has ridges on it. That goes to the Clutch master. It has a nut in on (14mm I think). If you loosten that nut you'll be able to twist that shaft. It's threaded through a U shaped bracket attached to the pedal assembly. Twisting it shortens or lenghtens it depending on which way you twist. That will adjust where your pedal sits and where it engages the clutch. The shorter you make it the quicker the clutch will engage too.
You may also have to adjust the cruise control on/off switch. That switch stops the pedal in its upward swing. You can use that to lower where the pedal rests as long as there is still a little play in it. If you lower the pedal so much that it no longet touches the switch your cruise wont work. Just lower the switch. It's the same idea of loostening a nut and threading it down.
The kill switch that keeps the car from starting without the clutch being pressed is also down there. It's adjustable too. Just make sure it still comes into play when you depress the pedal.
Just be sure to turn the shaft in small incriments. 1/2 a turn to a turn at the most and remember your last adjustment. Small adjustments make a big difference.
Also, be careful playing with this. You can adjust it too much and have it where the clutch never fully disengages and causes problems.
You may also have to adjust the cruise control on/off switch. That switch stops the pedal in its upward swing. You can use that to lower where the pedal rests as long as there is still a little play in it. If you lower the pedal so much that it no longet touches the switch your cruise wont work. Just lower the switch. It's the same idea of loostening a nut and threading it down.
The kill switch that keeps the car from starting without the clutch being pressed is also down there. It's adjustable too. Just make sure it still comes into play when you depress the pedal.
Just be sure to turn the shaft in small incriments. 1/2 a turn to a turn at the most and remember your last adjustment. Small adjustments make a big difference.
Also, be careful playing with this. You can adjust it too much and have it where the clutch never fully disengages and causes problems.
Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 251
1. You can't lower pedal too much. In order to work properly i.e. engage/disengage fully, the travel should be this long. This is the way it designed. 2. To lower the pedal, after you twisted the shaft, you need the stopper (CC switch) to be lowered, as described above.
Btw, come up with a controlled "experiment" in regards to your example... bike tire vs car tire... completely different forms of rotation, one is held on both sides, where as another is not, you are also rotating the entire axle on the car, vs the bike which is rotating above its axle...
In this same post he accuses me of misinformation and says I can't be trusted to make an argument because I misspelled his name. Following his own logic I wouldnt trust him to wash my car.
Now, rather than admit he's wrong, he's cutting and pasting from some law website trying to convince me I've violated the law.
Merlyn, I believe you are suffering from mental anguish but it has nothing to do with me.
BTW What's with this
Of course you didn't state that our rear wheels rotate ON an axle. That would have been correct. The rear wheels DO spin on an axle, we call it a spindle but it is in effect an axle. You stated that the wheel would spin an axle like the front wheel would spin a DRIVE axle in effect adding resistance. You still haven't figured out what you're talking about.
Last edited by Derrick2k2SE; Feb 4, 2008 at 07:53 PM.
My original example specificaly said to jack up the rear of his car and spin the tire. I thought he would know that the rear wheels were back there. After reading the rest of his posts I'm not sure now.
You are correct in everything you say Derrick, if that will shut you up, in all honesty, I have better things to do with my life then re-read every sentence you wrote to find one where you used the wrong word to describe something... seriously dude... get a life... 37 and you have this much free time...
I'm going to bed now.
Well be friends in another thread though, when there's something better to talk about.
You're right. There's no point in arguing with someone who will take the time to read someones profile then accuse them of having too much time on their hands. The fact that you did that is bad enough but letting everyone know you did it just shows poor judgement. Classic.
I'm going to bed now.
Well be friends in another thread though, when there's something better to talk about.
I'm going to bed now.
Well be friends in another thread though, when there's something better to talk about.
Do what?
Check his normal login ip: 68.33.76.230
Which maps to Pasadena, MD, same as in his user profile.
Me? 69.140.133.126, maps to Columbia, MD, same as in my user profile.
I think we've demonstrated enough difference in thoughts, opinions, experience, and posting style.
Check his normal login ip: 68.33.76.230
Which maps to Pasadena, MD, same as in his user profile.
Me? 69.140.133.126, maps to Columbia, MD, same as in my user profile.
I think we've demonstrated enough difference in thoughts, opinions, experience, and posting style.
Last edited by Merlyn; Feb 4, 2008 at 08:50 PM.