Clutchmaster Stage 3 with 13.5 lb flywheel

[ginkof]

I just got it installed and its awesome! This clutch is better then stock and it revs much faster and its easier to rev match as well. I would recommend it to anyone out there in a heart beat! Clutchmaster was awesome to work with as well.... i know you're not on here but thanks!

[ieatfishburitos]

Really? Do you have chatter with the lighter flywheel which I'm assuming is a single mass flywheel?

[91gl]

clutchmaster offers a lightened flywheel for our cars?!! im sold

[MacTiki]

I'm in the market...

I don't see it offered on there website...

How much if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks
tiki

[ieatfishburitos]

I know 4 months ago when I sent my clutch parts + flywheel to southbend, they took the dimensions from my flywheel to create a lightweight single mass version. Not sure when they will be selling it, but if you called them I'm sure they could get one made for you.

[pinkslip]

My friend and I were just talking about flywheels for this car. How much parts/labor?

[mike-2ptzero]

If you guys want I can call up both SB and CM to see if they offer a flywheel/clutch package.

[cotmfk]

sure, why not

[91gl]

absolutely that would be splendid

[rsquattro]

I need a clutch soon anyway, in for details...also want to know about chatter?

[91gl]

think of teeth chattering but coming from under your car. its annoying at first but you get used to it. people might look at your car a bit funny but i think the gain in performance is worth it alone.

i read up somewhere that every pound you take off of rotating mass is equivalent in feeling to shedding 40 pounds of vehicle weight

[ginkof]

If you guys want I can call up both SB and CM to see if they offer a flywheel/clutch package.

Ive already done this...
I called clutchmaster and they said the single mass flywheel that i have will be available by the end of this year with any clutch you want.

I called Southbend and they said their kit will be available in Jan or Feb...

I guess both companies are waiting on a certain part to be made for both. If you ship our your flywheel to them they can take the piece off yours and put it on the aftermarket single mass set and mail it back. (its what i did)

I paid along the lines of $1450 for the set up plus shipping to cali and back from Mass. A friend of a friend who is a VW tech did the swap for $450. So all together its $1900-2k including shipping.

I haven't heard any clutch chatter quiet yet but i have only put 50 miles on the car so far. The pedal feel is very close to stock. Its not hard to push down at all... wont hurt your leg after a while.

The light weight flywheel is awesome... it seems to pull more easily in 6th gear then ever before.. especially from 40 mph. RPMs drop a little faster then they used to which i'm definitely a fan of. Two thumbs up on this set up!

Also when i had this done i replaced the flywheel bolts.... i've heard they are a one time use only bolt

[ginkof]

think of teeth chattering but coming from under your car. its annoying at first but you get used to it. people might look at your car a bit funny but i think the gain in performance is worth it alone.

i read up somewhere that every pound you take off of rotating mass is equivalent in feeling to shedding 40 pounds of vehicle weight

I think its 4 lbs not 40

[cotmfk]

think of teeth chattering but coming from under your car. its annoying at first but you get used to it. people might look at your car a bit funny but i think the gain in performance is worth it alone.

i read up somewhere that every pound you take off of rotating mass is equivalent in feeling to shedding 40 pounds of vehicle weight

On a Mitsubishi, sure, but on a car like an Audi... I think it's debatable if it's worth it. I think if you have a supercharged S4, then it is worth it.

[mike-2ptzero]

Ive already done this...
I called clutchmaster and they said the single mass flywheel that i have will be available by the end of this year with any clutch you want.

I called Southbend and they said their kit will be available in Jan or Feb...

I guess both companies are waiting on a certain part to be made for both. If you ship our your flywheel to them they can take the piece off yours and put it on the aftermarket single mass set and mail it back. (its what i did)

Well I guess I should get the same answer. But I am sure I will get a bit more info since I talk to them quite often.

[ginkof]

well i have future plans!

[poopypants]

I know 4 months ago when I sent my clutch parts + flywheel to southbend, they took the dimensions from my flywheel to create a lightweight single mass version. Not sure when they will be selling it, but if you called them I'm sure they could get one made for you.

Of what i heard lately, they are looking for a test car to make sure everything is good to go. So far im trying to figure out the details with them before i make the decision of letting them use my car as a guinnea pig.

[Mello]

Sweet, I'd be interested in a f/w as well. I've never did one on a NA car, but used one on a few turbocharged cars and loved it.

[hot2trots4]

What is the material on the clutch disc in the stage 3 kit??

Is it Kevlar, Ceramic Hybrid, etc????

[mike-2ptzero]

Talked to Southbend and they plan on releasing a clutch/flywheel package for the S4/RS4 4.2 liter once it has been fully tested, they said it should retail for $2000.

[rsquattro]

What is the material on the clutch disc in the stage 3 kit??

Is it Kevlar, Ceramic Hybrid, etc????

I talked to someone at SB on Thursday, the 'stage 3' clutch is ceramic apparently.

[ieatfishburitos]

I talked to someone at SB on Thursday, the 'stage 3' clutch is ceramic apparently.

Incorrect. The Southbend material on stage 3 is "Feramic". I think the original question was regarding the clutchmasters clutch material and not SB..

[mike-2ptzero]

The FX300 (stage 3) from Clutch Masters is Segmented Carbon/Kevlar and the Stage 3 from Southbend is Organic/Feramic.

[Captain Insano]

Anybody know the weight of the OEM flywheel?? Not sure if 13.5 lbs is marginally lighter than stock or lighter by a long way...

The imports I've used a light weight flywheel on I've loved. I've read very mixed reviews. In general, alot of drag race folk don't like light weight flywheels as they claim the car is harder to launch with a LWFW due less torque inertia. I personally didn't think my cars were harder to launch when I used a LWFW. Road race folks seem to like them alot for easier rev matching - and it def is easier to rev match correctly when using a LWFW. In my research on this mod this seems to be the general consensus, though there are always exceptions in each camp that will think differently than the general population.

I personally love LWFWs (within reason - if you shed too much weight driveability starts to suffer way too much if your car is street driven). If/when I need to replace my clutch I will def be getting one.

[ZEUSROTTY]

When I did a lighter z06 flywheel on my 04 Caddy CTS-V it was a great improvment... It revved way faster...

[mike-2ptzero]

Anybody know the weight of the OEM flywheel?? Not sure if 13.5 lbs is marginally lighter than stock or lighter by a long way...

The imports I've used a light weight flywheel on I've loved. I've read very mixed reviews. In general, alot of drag race folk don't like light weight flywheels as they claim the car is harder to launch with a LWFW due less torque inertia. I personally didn't think my cars were harder to launch when I used a LWFW. Road race folks seem to like them alot for easier rev matching - and it def is easier to rev match correctly when using a LWFW. In my research on this mod this seems to be the general consensus, though there are always exceptions in each camp that will think differently than the general population.

I personally love LWFWs (within reason - if you shed too much weight driveability starts to suffer way too much if your car is street driven). If/when I need to replace my clutch I will def be getting one.

Well a really light weight flywheel works great on a FWD car, but doesn't work all that great on a AWD car. This is why most quattro owners end up going with a mid weight flywheel.


An example, for the B5 S4 2.7 Clutch Masters uses a 14 lbs Billet Aluminum flywheel and a 18.25 lbs Billet Steel (not listed on their site).

[PenguiN]

Teeth chattering?!?!?! Ill pass... Id rather sacrifice .1 seconds off 0-60 time then have my car sound like a meat grinder. I just dont live my life a 1/4 at a time.

[ginkof]

Anybody know the weight of the OEM flywheel?? Not sure if 13.5 lbs is marginally lighter than stock or lighter by a long way...

My OEM flywheel was 26.5 lbs

[ginkof]

Teeth chattering?!?!?! Ill pass... Id rather sacrifice .1 seconds off 0-60 time then have my car sound like a meat grinder. I just dont live my life a 1/4 at a time.

I dont get chatter at all under normal driving... i only get a little chatter and i can only hear with my window down and the radio off when I'm at 1000-1300 RPMs in 4th 5th or 6th gear. Its not noticeable at all... my exhaust is way way louder.


For an overview of the product and set up as of right now...

-Rev matching is a piece of cake. It is much much easier and less jerky when driving aggressively.

-i am still able to engage my clutch at 800-1000 rpms without a problem every time and haven't come close to stalling. You do feel a very slight bite on engagement which i like much better then the mushy stock feel.

-The pedal stiffness is the same as stock so you wont get a soar leg any sooner then if you were driving with the stock clutch

-Only downside is that the RPMs drop much faster then they used to between shifts so i have to shift much quicker every time. This is something that i will correct with enough time behind the wheel.

Overall i love it.... I love the way my car drives now and have no complaints!

[mike-2ptzero]

OK just talked to the Clutch Masters Rep and the Billet Aluminum flywheel is the same weight as the one used for the S4 2.7 which is 14 lbs, they should also be able to offer a 18 lb Billet steel like they do for the 2.7. At this time they can not sell the flywheel's for the S4/RS4 4.2 because the trigger they use is not working and causes it to throw codes, they would only be able to offer the flywheel if they can some how get a OEM trigger from the customer which means the customer would have to send their stock flywheel to Clutch Masters or if they some how find a way to buy that trigger without having to buy brand new OEM flywheels from the dealer.