sickboy Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 One bonus, you can sometimes find smoking deals on the triple disc version since the nascar guys use them as well. Case in point: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TILTON-OT-II-CLUTCH-153-TOOTH-FLYWHEEL-NASCAR_W0QQitemZ390132409542QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRace_Car_Parts?hash=item5ad5b424c6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 So treat me like a 4 year old, because I know very little about the V8 world. I presume that the 7.25 clutch setups are basically all the same, except single disk, dual, and triple. Presumably there are different materials for lighter weight, etc. I assume that not all of the disks are the same. Surely Ford has a different spline count than Dodge and GM, and a T10 probably has a different count than a T56. Also I would guess that the flywheels are different diameters, no? I thought one piece rear main or two piece had to do with the older SBC's, but I don't see LS flexplates advertised, just one and two piece rear main as the distinguishing features... ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sickboy Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Yes a 7.25" Tilton cover can be built as a single, dual or triple disc. The cover is mounted on stands (perches?) and the discs are stacked with plates in between. More discs = longer perches = taller clutch assembly. Buy the disc(s) with the correct spline for your trans and choose the friction material. Tilton makes a couple different friction materials and I've been told that the Clutch Masters 7.25 discs work as well (unverified). Sorry can't help on V8 flywheel/flexplate compatibility.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Jon, If you have the stock flex plate from the 5.3 you are set. The flex plate and this part 7.25" Optimum Button Flywheels bolt to the crank. The clutch stack and pessure plate, these parts bolt to the button flywheel. Compare the approximate 15 lbs of rotating mass of this set up to the 50lbs or so of the stock set up. It revs very quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 If you have the stock flex plate from the 5.3 you are set. The flex plate and this part 7.25" Optimum Button Flywheels I assume that the bolt pattern on the crank is different from Chevy to Ford to Chrysler, etc. so it is important to get the right one. Looks like the one in the picture is drilled for a pin, I don't seem to recall a pin on my crank, but I wasn't really looking for it when I took the plate off, I was just looking to get the engine on a stand. Compare the approximate 15 lbs of rotating mass of this set up to the 50lbs or so of the stock set up. It revs very quickly. I've seen 510s and other cars with Tilton and QM clutches before, so I get this part. Quicker shifting, faster revving, seems like it would make for nice heel toe downshifts too. Did you have to up your idle speed? Most of the cars I've seen with race clutches had that fast lope at about 2000 rpm or higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 You do need to get the button flywheel for your application. There was no pin on my ls1 either. I did not do anything to the computer other than disable the vats. It idles with out any issues. When I did the heads and cam, that changed the idle characteristics. It required much more air on decel to keep it running. The tuner (Jeff Creach) says he sees this with cars with this clutch set up. It still idles at about 950 or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Just looked up clutch spline count, appears to be 26 on the T56. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Those ebay clutches look like a great deal. You would still need to buy the correct button flywheel. It looks like most of those come without any type of flywheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Those ebay clutches look like a great deal. You would still need to buy the correct button flywheel. It looks like most of those come without any type of flywheel. Yep, that's what I'm thinking. I just looked up the OT II triple in Coleman and it is ~$900. I didn't see Tilton flywheels, but they do have Sonic in Coleman (I would guess they're compatible... ???) and they look to go for $175. So used clutch for $150ish, flywheel for $175, and it's looking like a pretty good deal. Even if the clutch disks needed replacing at $300 you're still coming out ahead by a couple hundred bucks. Just need to figure out what if anything needs to be done for the hydraulics. What's your opinion on running the triple vs dual. It seems like if I could get the triple cheap there wouldn't be too much harm in running it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 You are also going to need a throw out bearing specific to the clutch used. I cobbled together parts from Quartermaster and Mcleod to make something that would work because I had the parts laying around. Tilton makes a throw out bearing that bolts to the t-56. I checked there clutch componet cataloge but could not find it. I have seen it installed just don't know the part number. It's on a buddies 944 ls-1 track car. It will be a beast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 I'm running a double and if I had seen the ebay stuff I would have been all over it. The triple will be a few lbs heavier but it is still nothing near the weight of the stock set up. Quartermaster 7.25 is interchangable with the tilton stuff. I have had both on the bench. The 944 I mentioned is running a tilton triple disc with a quartermaster button flywheel. That may be another option to check out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 You mean like this? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-QuarterMaster-Button-Style-Flywheel-for7-25-Clutch_W0QQitemZ160387421481QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRace_Car_Parts?hash=item2557d5d529 Still not sure which flywheel fits the LS, I'm sure a call to Tilton or QM would figure that out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 That's it. Just need to make sure the bolt pattern is correct for the ls crank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 FWIW - I've been running an OEM clutch in my LS1 280Z since it's build back in '04. It has over 30,000 miles on it now and no problems. Smooth engagement and low pedal pressure. Feels very close to the stock L28 clutch that originally came in the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 That's it. Just need to make sure the bolt pattern is correct for the ls crank. It is NOT the correct one, according to the seller. Still, I'm sure the right one could be ordered through QM or Tilton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 Good luck sourcing parts. I hope you find a killer ebay deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 Good luck sourcing parts. I hope you find a killer ebay deal. Thanks for all the help. I have a pretty aggressive bid in on one of the clutches that's up now. If that doesn't work out the guy who was selling the flywheel says he can get the whole new triple clutch setup for the the LS1 for $475, so I might just go that way and have brand new parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 Your welcome. Post what you end up with. Did you ask him about a throw out set up for the t56? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 Your welcome. Post what you end up with. Did you ask him about a throw out set up for the t56? No, I figured I'd ask Tilton about that when the time came. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Tilton has discontinued the LS1 button flywheel. I was outbid for the OT-II setup. Looking now at the QM 2 and 3 disk setups, have a request for a quote in to the guy who was selling the flywheel in the link above. Tilton is also helping with the throwout bearing, I'll post the end result of that discussion when we get it figured out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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