Well my RMT finally killed my tranny and im having to get a rebuild.

While I am down there i wanted to get a clutch since my 5th gen one was slipping.

Seems like there is no longer a GD for clutches anymore except for the Exedy Stage 1 and 2

I plan on kicking up the boost to about 8-10 psi after i get the new clutch, but my questions is : will an exedy stage 2 be sufficient? I hate the stupid percentages that they rate the torque ratings at...blehh...

 

http://www.importrp.com/product.php?...&cat=64&page=1

Thats a ACT 6 puck i have been searching and reading on here also, i was thinking either that or the exedy II. I just want to get the best price!

Any comparisons?

 

exedy stage 2 would suffice, they advertise them much lower than they actually hold. I would def go with that over anything else. a lot of guys like spec stage 3+ while claming everything else they make is pure garbage. clutchnet makes good clutches too and ultimately, i would def stay away from ACT 6 puck. they are garbage clutches and the pedal is stiffer than concrete. they also destroy your trans in no time.

this is coming from someone that had a spec stage 1, act sprung with extreme pressure plate followed by exedy stage 1 on a boosted 4th gen. loved my exedy

 

Ok, so how much power will a exedy II hold??

I really dont want to get the stage two and slip again once i turn up the boost to 9 or so... blehh

 

the wizard has it on his SC max that put down 381whp.... he says it holds just fine... I think it should hold a solid 350 on a turbo. the stage 1 was advertised lower than what i was putting down on my 4th gen and it still held fine.

 

Thats what i saw, leading me to think exedy II will be fine for me...hmmm...

Still, any other thoughts?

 

I am getting a southbend clutch. they redo exedy clutches.

 

What do you mean they redo exedy clutches? Im confused...

 

http://www.dxdracingclutches.com/home.html


http://forums.maxima.org/7098737-post6.html
Like they resurface Exedy Clutches.

Very nice clutches, you might as well get a clutch that will give you some leeway for later down the road

 

Hmm interesting...

I read a bit about Southbend, didnt really consider it. But they do have good prices, i was thinking OFE Stage 3 would be choice...meh?

 

Yuppp, that is the same one I plan on getting. I do plan to be around 400whp as long as the tranny can take it.

 

Well now that im getting a rebuild i hope the same for me! My goal is about 380-390 to be honest...lol...my oem 5th gen clutch setup can barely handle the 6psi i am throwing at it now! So hopefully after this i will be able to kick it up a knotch

 

I too have the 5th gen clutch, but the AE clutch. It is holding at 4-6psi so far.

But I just hope it lasts till the winter.

 

Oh it will last, no problem! I have had mine since i put the RMT on!

To tell you the truth, it grabs 8 times out of 10 if i dont beat the crap out of it. Unfortunately when it slips, my lead foot shmelts it to hell! this is usually always from my 1st to 2nd gear shift.

It has taken me well into 50-60k miles tho!

 

Yea, I learned on this clutch so I dunno how good it is lol. It has like 30k overall and bout 5k with the boost on.


But, I would get the Southbend clutch over the exedy, I am not a fan of the 3puck design.

Any flywheel plans?

 

i too hate puck clutches, too harsh for the somewhat delicate trans in the maxima. i had a clutchmasters stage 3 kevlar/carbon disk. pressure plate had a nice feel, almost like oem, but it held really nice, never slipped. granted i only had 300whp, but beating on it with 300whp proves its reliabilty to me

 

Haha I learned on this clutch too!

You know, this rebuild came to me as a surprise, I am getting a good deal on the rebuild so I figured I should get a good clutch while im down there. I SHOULD be getting a Fidanza, but that’s another 335 shipped that I don’t really know if I should spend.

Is the FW upgrade much more noticeable with boost applications?

 

BTW, what flywheel should i get since i have a 2k tranny? I think im just going to order the clutch and the flywheel.

So basically i want to know if i get a 2k fidanza and a 2k southbend with a new 2k TOB i should be ok right?

 

Wow that was probably the biggest newb sounding post i have posted in a WHILE.

I forgot FW part number stretches from 96-2k1.

I guess my main problem now is finding out if i have the stupid fitment problems that some 95's have.

So far i havent found any reliable production date numbers that you can go buy. This is all i found by searching is that the Fidanza bolts up fine on 95s production date 04/95 and up. 03/95 and back and the bolt pattern is different.

But i have also read something abotu 12/94 production date. Whats up with that? Knowing me, ill just buy it and it wont work cause i have the wierd bolt pattern

My production date is 02/95 so i guess im screwed? ughhh

 

The flywheel has a different bolt pattern I think. Lemme see what I can find

 

http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...ild-dates.html

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=236797

Looks like you have to mod the fly to make it fit

 

Yea i found both of those, but which one is it? 8 bolt or 9 bolt mounting is different AND the location for the CPS ring is different? Or is it just one?

I dont understand why none of the guys that redrilled the hole for the CPS ring didnt get the FW balanced again to compensate. Hell, i have even mounted my clutch to my flywheel on my 510 when i get a new clutch so its as close to 0 as possible with the PP on and all that...

What if i just take my stock FW to a machinist and get it lightened? I think that may be cheaper than buying a fidanza...meh?

BTW, i just ordered my stage 3 southbend! Cant wait to get it..

 

Well the reason aftermarket clutches are lighter is due to the material.

Okay, rereading it seems like you only need to mod the cps ring? But doesnt the fidanza come with the ring? or is that another brand?

I dunno, I would prob just get the oem one resurfaced unless you have excess cash laying around.

 

I know it just kind of urges me to not get the FW. Maybe when i do my 3.5 swap, but im waiting for this one to die on me (probably getting close 180K+! )

But from what i read, its either the fact that there is 8 bolts or 9 bolts holding the FW to the crank, or the CPS ring has slightly different mounting location.

I have also heard that some people have recieved their Fidanzas WITH the CPS wring, and some havent...

So i honestly dont even know what to think, I remember running into this problem years ago...you would think that someone would have figured out a solution by now haha!

 

clutches hold torque not HP by the way, so don't gauge how well a clutch will hold based on your HP or anyone else's. torque is what you need to worry about. it doesn't matter if you have 800hp, if you only have 300lb-ft of torque, that's what your clutch needs to be capable of holding.

I am very happy with my ACT HD PP and clutchnet 6 puck sprung hub disk. It has held up fine for the 6 years I've owned it, and whatever amount of time the previous owner used it as well. Absolutely no need to go with the XT pressure plate that is quite a bit heavier pedal unless you are planning on being over like 500wtq. ACT makes quality clutches, as does Exedy, i hear lots of good things about southbend though the only maxima application I've seen I haven't been impressed with thus far.

 

So you are not impressed with southbend clutches, or you are? lol Im confused...

I think i would have been good with a stage II but i am def going to look forward to kicking up the boost after i put it on! So Stage III should hold up, i already ordered mine so i will post back with my findings.

On the topic of the Fidanza FW, i was talking to a local budy of mine that had a 4th gen with production date 12/94 and he got his fidanza to bold up NO problem! I have another local friend that is droppin his 3.0 for a 3.5 swap today, his PD is 10/94 or something. I asked him to let me know if he had a 8 or 9 bolt flywheel and to text me some pictards of the back side.

I will post them and hopefully come up with some comparisons, i was really hoping to get a Fidanza upgrade out of this whole rebuild i just hope i get lucky!

 

i have used act hd pp with their street disc, never slipped at about 350 lbs/t , i upgraded to the xt pp and street disc for smooth engagement when i thought i would go into the 400 lbs, but sold the car, the xt pp is alot heavier on the foot, would aggree its way over kill if not in the 500lbs, and i also combined it with the 6 puck sprung, but took it out as it was too rough and the street disc combo worked really well with the etreme pp

 

I'm on the fence.

As for the fidanza, is your buddy's car that bolted up just fine on the original engine?

 

Thats a good question! I didnt even think about that

i dont think he knew, he bought the car at an auction and sold it very shortly afterwards. So i have no idea, I cant remember the mileage either...so who knows...

Def. a good point though...hmmm

Ill find out for sure with my other friend since i know for a fact he has the original engine...

 

Well i have 8 bolts on my FW. So far thats the same as 95-2k1 I think.

I have pics but everywhere i want to host the pic is blocked at work "/

Tonight i will take it off and take some pics of the back side, it would be nice to get a fidanza cause it is all burned pretty good haha

 

yes very true, I should have been more clear when posting

 

bump for update

 

Well i decided to get the stock flywheel resurfaces and screw the whole Fidanza thing...

Too much inconclusive information, and i really didnt want to dish out the cash for something that may or may not work...

However i DID pick up a SouthBend Stage 3 clutch. I have been driving the car for about 4-5 days back since my rebuild and wow does this clutch feel smooth!

I havent really launched or anything since im still breaking it in, but the pedal feel is actually SOFTER than my previous setup...

Engagement is a bit more agressive but it is such a small difference i am having a hard time believing that this clutch wont slip like my last one haha, just feels TOO nice...

Will report back once i break in the clutch and get an opportunity to beat it up with some spoolage from the RMT

 

I had an Exedy Stage 1 on my old Maxima and loved it, and installed a couple ACTs on other Maximas (preferred the Exedy but meh). Completely different but I've put a couple Southbend clutches in modified 5.9L CTDs... awful lotta torque going threw them. Spendy but I'd go with SBC if it is available.

 

I don't know because I've never driven one for a before/after comparison on a boosted maxipad but on my old 3rd gen NA it was one of the best mods I did. Made the car way more fun to drive, much more peppy and I swear I got better gas mileage. I would definitely do it again. I think I paid $265 for my Fidanza but that was a good 5 years ago. I really think you'll be happy with it

 

big mistake IMO. that tranny doesnt come off too often and when it does u should really do the fidanza. the difference is easily noticeable as it weights a lot less. 1st gear is gone before u can blink an eye. besides, there is really no info saying that it wont fit a 2k engine. infact, fidanza does list it as 96-00. its tons more than just a 335 dollar mod, believe me. and if it DIDNT work then u could have resurfaced the OEM and put it in n just sold it.

 

coming from a shop that knows turbo cars, dont waste money on the aluminum flywheel.
youll loose some torque , spend the $$ on a meth kit which will give you way more of a benefit, imo its not much of a mod na..even less turbo

imo an act hd plate w the street disc will do you just fine. the pedal feel is harder but it will hold 360 torque no pobrlem.use a diff disc if needed. the xtreme plate is overkill and alot harder, but combine with a street disc it was way better then the sprung disc for me, but this was used when i thought i would spray after about 390 torque..xtreme i think is not needed. i never used anything else but act and they def work well. clutch master carbon kevlars work well and very soft but more pricey.

my buddy has the exedy 2 and its holding well at about 335 tq turbo and is also soft.

 

oh really? thats a first....

 

I have a southbend. Havn't got a chance to try it out. Should this next week or so. They got fair prices. I paid for the stage 5 in my 3rd gen rated at $475 plus cryo treating.