I'm looking to get a new clutch. I would like to know if there are other alternatives to an ACT heavy duty street clutch at a lower price (around $250). Please post your suggestions and recommendations. Thanx!
Jae

 

I beleive it's either ACT or OEM. Anything else and you'll be sorry.

 

Jae, call me crazy but I am going to try one of those Exedy clutches on ebay, they are only about $125. I have done my research on Exedy and have found alot of high horsepower skylines use them. I am going to give it a shot, it has to be better than the OEM and is pretty cheap.

 

I got my ACT clutch for $200 + shipping like 1.5 - 2 years ago. Open box, but never installed.

 

hi!!!
how is your max riding?





well back to post, why wouldnt you go for the ACT? My friend has chirpped 3rd gear on occaction and he loved his act clutch,

I remember when poepl hated the ACT clutch, now its pretty much common in maximas...

 

the ACT is known to be VERY hard on trannies.. it's caused more blown trannies than anything else I can think of.
(note most of the guys who blew their 5 spd trannies were using an aftermarket clutch, and since ACT is one of the few and far between....)


Take a look at the LuK clutches.. I'm using one in my car and I'm pleased with it. pedal effort is about the same as stock- MUCH lighter than the ACT, and it will rip the bejeezus out of 2nd gear. I've got squishy engine mounts so I can't chirp 3rd, but I also couldn't before I blew my tranny with the ACT clutch in it and the same engine mounts.

the LuK also has a WARRANTY. Try to get one of those with your ACT.

 

the ACT puck clutches are hard on trannies.. the ACT street disk is fine for a boosted/NA 4th GEN

 

my friend who has a 4th gen loves it o well

 

i LOVE my act with turbo, but wish i had it installed before just so i could have driven on it longer!

get the act street, you won't be sorry and it can be had for just a little more than what you were wanting to spend, it's worth it in my opinion,

if you buy something else and it turns out not so good, think of all the labor..

 

Bah.. what's 8 hours of greasy labor between friends?

 

i think the last time that happend.. chris91SE took his pants off

 

I've driven two Maximas with ACT clutches. There's no doubt the clutch can grab very hard and it good for all out racing, but the fact that it grabs SO hard scares me a bit. Everyone talks about how cool it is to spin wildly into 2nd and 3rd, but essentially you're doing two things. One is you're slower because you're spinning a lot more and two is you are placing a ton of "shock" torque on the drivetrain. The spinning of the tires definately reduces this "shock", but on those occassions where the tires hook, it could spell disaster for the drivetrain.

Another thing that bothers me about the ACT is the "grainy" feeling of the clutch. The stock clutch is smooth thru the pedal, but the with the ACT, you can feel every little thing the clutch is doing. This is a good thing for performance (being able to feel what's going on), but it just doesn't feel quite right in a sedan. When my clutch goes (which will be soon I think), I'll probably get the OEM clutch again.


Dave

 

good thing I've never been closer to you freaks than Indiana.

 

Exedy indeed does make excellent clutches but they also make ALOT of oem application clutches also. So just because it has an Exedy name on it, doesn't necessarily mean it's some type of heavy duty clutch. Better do your homework before bidding on them

 

it will only spin if you hold the clutch in too long.. if you make smooth shifts it doesn't spin wildly.. and it really doesn't grab that hard..

I had that grainy.. chatter feel.. i just upgraded my motor mounts and now it feels just like OEM

 

That's quite possible. The two Maximas I drove get beat on pretty hard. I think both of them are suffering from engine mount problems right now.


Dave

 

so am i

 

sx7r was the one that told me his chatter went with his MM.. after getting a new poly set done by him.. its gone.. i meant totally gone.. the engagement is so much smoother.. i think matty just recently posted also that his has gone..

 

there is no reason not to get a act clutch. if it costs twice as much wait twice as long and save twice as much money. it's that simple. the clutch is rough for the first 1000 miles. after that it is literally smooth sailing. i replaced my flyweel also, maybe that helps, but the car feels oem right now driving normal. no stiffer, grainy pedal, no hard chirps, if i don't want. but if i want to get on it, watch out... i can rip through 1st and 2nd and hit 3rd hard and chirp 4th (****ty tires!!). this is only when you want to by the way.

also - my car has just over 100,000 miles. i swear an act will be the first mod i do to my next car.

 

about time you showed up.. i was telling them that you could chirp every gear.


i was there when we was on franny lew and you just got your act adn already broke it in after 500+ miles.. and you ripped the mustang, man did you just peel we all heard you from like 10 blocks away

 

care for number 5?

 

come on who can chirp in 5th and R?

 

ACT has got to be what has been ripping my trans to pieces....it all started a couple months after my ACT was installed.

 

Umm... where can you get the LUK clutch?

I searched on the net and there arent many dealers. I've found maybe 3 or so. And none really give any #'s for a maxima.

 

not for nothing but i don't know anyone running a luk clutch so be prepared. if it turns out to be bull**** and ****s up your car even more... no *****ing from you!!

 

 

Matt93SE is a well respected moderator on here and he is running an Luk clutch. He previously had an ACT and I will respect his views and insights. Frankly after blowing THREE gears, I'm willing to try anything besides by current ACT tranny killer.

 

briguy - that was directed towards a certain .org member who *****es every time something goes wrong with his car. not you =)

 

 

Should I go ahead and upgrade my engine mounts when I get my ACT clutch installed??? My max has over 100,000 miles and I doubt it would hurt anyways!!!

 

I have an ACT street clutch, and I think it is great. I love the positive engagement instead of the mushy feel of the OEM clutch. The minimal amount of chatter I had was eliminated with Eric's filled engine mounts (I also resurfaced the flywheel when I put the clutch in).

As far as being hard on trannies, that all depends on how you drive. If you are constantly chirping tires when shifting, then you can expect a shorter transmission life (and shorter engine mount life and drive axle life, too). Just because the ACT clutch makes it possible to abuse your drivetrain doesn't mean you have to...

 

i cheer for theat

 

Maybe so, but does "shorter tranny life" mean the trans should blow a gear EVERY SIX MONTHS?

 

Yes, if that's how you drive.

I have a BMW mechanic friend who will always have a good income repairing BMW manual trannies because of the abuse people think they can dish out, so don't think it's just a Maxima problem.

 

I'm sorry...but I don't beat on my car THAT MUCH...the only time I shift hard is when I'm racing someone...or when I'm at the track. Neither of these things happen very often. I've only gone to the track ONCE since my last re-build.

If I have to worry about how many times I shift hard before the trans will have a gear shatter, then the clutch was overengineered for the car.

 

Is it the gear teeth that are breaking? Are the rebuilders using OEM parts?

 

as i said before.. i beat on my car every day.. every time i get in my car..

and i have an ACT Clutch.. resurfaced stock flywheel.. Eric Mounts and no blown gears.. so

 

brain doesnt your car have a history of busting y-pipes also?

 

are you sure the act is causing this? i know a ton of maximas running act clutches and none of them are busting gears. could be something else.

 

I want you to name the TON of people that are running ACT clutches with no problems. I can personally name people that HAVE had problems with the ACT

Me
EricDWong
Matt93SE
BrianV
rich96max
SX7R
Max98se

Theres nothing else that could be causing it, I ran the car hard for two years on the stock clutch with NO PROBLEMS.

I would also like to know how many people have shattered gears with the STOCK clutch because I haven't heard of ANY.