Thread: Sprung vs Unsprung clutches

I will be rocking a sprung 6 puck mainly for drivability. Also my setup will only be around 320/300 tuned so it's not like I'm pushing any limits. My old car with the unsprung disc chattered and chirped tires all the time. I am not building an all out race car so I don't want that.

Ok ok... but how much damage is being done to the syncros here. For direct engagement you pay the price by shocking the tranny during shifts which means decreased tranny life. I say if you can do your own clutch job and don't mind finding new transmissions, why not go unsprung. If your your the normal joe that has to pay for $500+ labor clutch jobs you need to go sprung. It's just simpler in the end.

I like sprung if it's a possibility, but I wouldn't put a sprung clutch on anything making serious torque because of spring failure probability and unpredictable engagement behavior.

Ive never had an issue with sprung

None more than with a sprung clutch. Sprung or unsprung has nothing to do with synchro life.

For anyone with less than 350 ft-lbs of torque, I would recommend a full faced, sprung clutch. Over that I'd go with a 6-puck unsprung (or 8-puck if you can find one). There is no instance I'd ever recommend a 6-puck sprung clutch. If you're making torque you need the 6-puck and you wouldn't want to have to deal with springs flying out of the clutch. If you're not making torque you can take advantage of a full face, and springs.

Sprung 6 puck clutches make absolutely no sense to me. The only thing they have going for them is that they are cheaper than a full face, and there of course, is why people buy them.

Right, there is more harsh engagement, but it doesn't affect syncro life.

Once you get to a certain power level, those springs could cost you a lot of money. I have a p11 tranny and I don't expect the tranny life to be shortened much unless I am dumping the clutch everywhere I go. But hey, at least 3rd should hold up right?

nah thats not the reason, that was a buddies tranny that i put in that had serious problems with the main gearstack bearings. They were basicly falling apart due to wear. That trans was a 160k mile trans with a hell of a lot of abuse on it. haha. I just needed a trans to get me through till i found another one.

Ive yet to break any stock trannies.

I run a Clutchnet. 4-puck sprung hub with an ACT HD pressure plate and had it in for about three years. The springs are held in by two plates on each side and would only fly out if the entire clutch falls apart. I get good grip with less shock to the tranny. I was able to pull a 1.7 60ft. with slicks on this three year old clutch making close to 400hp with no problem. For very high HP, unsprung is the way to go but i'll stick with the sprung until i'm forced to do otherwise. I have rebuilt more trannies for people using the unsprung center sections vs. people using the sprung ones.
http://www.clutchnet.com/product.php?productid=16840&cat=0&page=1

I have a Spec flywheel in my car. I attempted the use of a JGY 6 puck kit only to have the springs all shatter and have one fall out of the disk. I never went back to sprung. I did have issues now with the splines in the center getting stripped out but I have no idea what thats from. Hopefully this new ACT 6 puck will hold up. I am making sure to break this one in properly.