Clutch Masters
Simply the Best
High Technology Makes the Difference
Historically, high performance clutches have been a
compromise. While improving holding or clamping
pressure, manufacturers nearly always increase pedal
pressure to an uncomfortable point, especially for
stop-and-go traffic.
Besides drivability concerns, additional pedal
pressure can adversely affect stock clutch linkage
and cause premature thrust bearing wear, leading to
missed shifts, damaged clutch components and even
engine destruction.
Today, thanks to Clutch Masters, increased holding
pressure does not necessarily mean increased pedal
pressure and the problems that can accompany it. By
re-engineering the leverage or fulcrum point on the
pressure plate through their Hi-Leveragetm
ttechnique, Clutch Masters has increased clamping
power, often without changing pedal pressure.
Excessively increased pedal pressure, as found in
many of today's traditional high performance
clutches, places an unsafe amount of pressure on the
delicate crankshaft thrust bearing found in most of
today's sport compact automobiles. Placing undue
stress on the thrust bearing typically causes the
bearing to wear prematurely or fail altogether. This
failure can lead to catastrophic internal engine
damage.
A
clutch, simply put, is a friction device that
disengages and engages the engine from the
transmission to allow for transition from motionless
to movement and for gear changes. For street
applications a smooth transition of power is
essential while still being able to transfer all the
power of the engine to the transmission. As power
output of engines increase and demands on clutches
become greater - for example high performance street
or racing cars - the holding and clamping capacity
of a clutch also must increase. This is where Clutch
Masters' innovative engineering comes into play.
Clamping Force vs. Pedal Pressure
Designing heavy duty and high performance clutches
with a very high clamp load and incredible
coefficient of friction is a fairly simple
engineering task. To do so without increasing pedal
pressure has not been so easy. Even the education
process of changing opinions that an increase in
pedal pressure must accompany a high performance
clutch with increased clamping force has been
difficult.
Clutch Masters, after 28 years as a premier
manufacturer of fine quality clutches, has taken
this experience and a clean sheet of paper to
re-engineer their line of performance clutches to
address these problems. The proof of this success is
now available from Clutch Masters as a complete line
of clutch systems for high performance street and
racing use. It is the first major breakthrough in
performance clutches in over two decades.
Following are ways of increasing clamp load. The
methods vary in sophistication and effectiveness:
Heat Treating
The diaphragm, or spring, is heat treated to
increase spring tension for 10-40% more clamping
force. This typically makes the diaphragm more
brittle and more subject to premature failure. Many
high performance clutch manufacturers use this
procedure. Clutch Masters has perfected a more
precise method of heat-treating its diaphragms to
maintain consistent clamping force without
compromising structural integrity.
Double Diaphragm.
The double diaphragm is a method of increasing
clamping force by stacking two diaphragms on top of
each other. This will typically achieve the desired
clamping force but will also increase the pedal
pressure to a very high rate. For FX 500 and
Multiple Disc set-ups, Clutch Masters uses two
separate heat treating processes - one for each
diaphragm - to ensure perfect compatibility between
the two diaphragms. Additionally, there is a special
friction-reducing material between the diaphragms to
provide optimum clamping force while maintaining an
ultra smooth operation.
Thicker Diaphragm
A thicker (than stock) diaphragm allows extra
clamping force but is considered to be an on or off
style clutch. Smooth engagement is severely
compromised with the thick diaphragm due to the
reduced elasticity of the thicker material. Clutch
Masters does not use this technique.
Hi-Leveragetm
Pressure Plate
By re-engineering the pressure plate leverage ring
(moving it closer to the pivot point), Clutch
Masters solves the clamping vs. pedal pressure
problem in a unique way. By moving the pressure
ring, Clutch Masters Hi-Leveragetm
Pressure Plates take mechanical advantage of the
leverage principle. By moving the leverage ring
closer to the pivot point, the pressure applied to
the plate is increased significantly without
unnecessarily increasing pedal pressure, as is
typically the case in other clutches. This Hi-Leveragetm
feature is unique to the high-performance clutch
industry.
****By combining these
various methods of increasing clamping pressure with
their re-engineered discs, Clutch Masters has
developed a unique way of substantially increasing
clutch performance without any of the negative side
affects usually found in the typical high
performance clutch.****
The Difference:
Clutch Masters clutches are true High Performance
Clutch Systems and are technologically superior to
anything currently on the market
To develop a clutch with all the desired performance
characteristics for intended applications is the
challenge of a high performance clutch company. The
Clutch Masters clutch system is unique in the
industry. We use Hi-Leveragetm technology
(refer to the Pressure Plate section) in our
pressure plates, which significantly increases
clamping force with no unnecessary increase in pedal
pressure. Discs are designed either with reduced
Marcel or a solid hub design to take advantage of
our Hi-Leveragetm pressure plate. The
combination of these cutting edge technologies
creates the finest clutch system on the market.
Additionally, Clutch Masters, with over 28 years in
the industry, has researched hundreds of friction
materials and uses only the best materials available
for each intended application. By combining the
optimum clamping force with the finest friction
materials - each with their own unique coefficient
of friction - Clutch Masters has developed a line of
clutches that provide ultimate performance in
virtually any severe environment.
Specific Purposes
All Clutch Masters clutches are specifically
designed for varying stages of high performance
and/or racing uses. From the street performance
enthusiast who requires more grab than a stock unit
while retaining everyday drivability, to the racer
who needs a clutch to survive under the grueling
conditions of competition, Clutch Masters offers
complete clutch systems.
When the Class 30 Grey Iron material of a typical
pressure plate is not suitable, Clutch Masters uses
doubly strong Ductile Iron, which is the case with
most CM clutches.
The friction material found on all OE discs and many
high performance discs is simply riveted to the disc
center section. Under severe use and/or high RPM
applications, the disc material can fragment and
break apart, becoming dislodged from the disc center
section. Once this occurs, the clutch has failed
completely and is rendered inoperable. Clutch
Masters has solved this common problem on their
street and street/strip discs by bonding a special
steel backing plate (see disc technology and figure
X) to the friction material. This unique feature
provides significantly increased heat dissipation
properties - heat is the #1 enemy of the clutch -
and very high structural integrity to keep the disc
intact under severe applications.
Racing Only discs use solid center sections to give
all the reliability and performance they need on the
track. Warning: These solid hub discs are not meant
for street applications as they transfer very high
shock loads to the transmission, causing premature
transmission failure, and will chatter upon starting
from a stop.
The Weakest Link
In the battle of Man vs. Machine, whenever possible,
engineers build into any given mechanical system a
point of failure, or weak point, which is designed
to wear or fail, therefore preventing damaging major
components or even catastrophic failure of the
entire system.
In the battle of Engine vs. Transmission, the clutch
is designed to be that weak link. It is ultimately
less expensive to replace a clutch than an engine or
transmission. The challenge in building a high
performance clutch is to build the unit for
different intended heavy duty or severe applications
which will hold the power; not break the
transmission or internal engine components and
retain an overall smooth operation of the entire
system (whenever possible). This is the balancing
act that Clutch Masters has perfected.
CLUTCH MASTERS PRESSURE PLATE DESCRIPTIONS
Features of the Clutch Masters Pressure Plates
Power Plus Itm pressure plates
Hi-Leverage pressure plate design
-
Precision Heat
Treated single diaphragm*
-
Re-arched diaphragm
for superior disengagement*
-
Ductile Iron
pressure plate*
-
Heavy-duty straps
-
Very high clamping
force
-
No unnecessary
increase in pedal pressure
Power Plus IItm pressure plates
Hi-Leverage plate design
-
Precision
Heat-Treated multiple diaphragms
-
Special
friction-reducing material between the
diaphragms to eliminate diaphragm binding
-
Made from Ductile
Iron when called for Heavy-duty straps
-
Exceptionally high
clamping force
-
Heavy pedal
pressure
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store. You are ordering the kit shown below.
