Review: Clutchmasters FX600 with 14 lb. Billet Steel Flywheel

[Condo]

After about 1400 miles and about a month and a half with the new clutch I think it’s just about broken in and time for a review. It wasn’t the most streetable clutch at first but it’s much better now that it’s pretty much broken in and I’ve had over a month to adjust to it.

Part of getting used to the clutch is the release point. You can only press the clutch pedal down about half as far as stock and it starts to grab immediately. This makes it a little tricky when starting out in first gear. The pedal feel is heavier than stock but not as heavy as the Southbend FE SS. The engagement is VERY POSITIVE and HARD.

At first I was stalling my car about 4 to 5 times a day. Now I have it down to about once every 3 to 4 days and that’s only when I get in a hurry or I’m not paying attention. For the first 900 miles it would make a squealing sound when I would try to slip it in first gear. Since then it hardly ever makes the sound and when it does it isn’t nearly as loud. I’ve had the clutch in stop and go traffic a few times now and it nearly as bad as I thought it would be. You just have to make sure you don’t get lazy with it.

I know that a lot of people are concerned about chatter from the lightweight flywheel but I have yet to notice any. Here is a sound clip of my car in neutral.

The clutch makes some noise when you hold the pedal in due to the twin plates. It doesn’t really bother me that much because I never sit in traffic holding in the clutch pedal. Sound clip for those interested.
I haven’t launched it yet because I don’t have the extra money lying around right now to replace transmission if it goes out. Overall I’m extremely pleased with the performance of the clutch and flywheel. I have no doubt that it would be able to handle anything that any of the BAT setups can throw at it.

For anyone who is interested in buying this setup you need to talk to Greg@DTH. He hooked me up with a sick deal and is the only dealer who offers the 14lb steel flywheel.

[317ssayzarc]

John, you are the man

Thank you!

[CO AVANT]

Thanks for the unbiased review John!

[A4 TSCHUSS]

I talked to Clutch Masters about the FX600 and they said it will most likely only be good for around 25,000 miles and really is more of a "race clutch" and that even if I were to be running 450whp I should go with the FX400.

[CO AVANT]

so what is the 400 rated at? How long is it supposed to last?

[pac1085]

I wouldn't expect more than 20k miles out of a 6-puck clutch either. I had just under 20k miles on mine when I pulled my motor and it was shot, maybe 5k miles left from it (ClutchNet). Then again, there is a guy on AudiWorld who got 50k out of his Spec Stage 3 (6-puck - Roger@CapitalAudi) so it depends how you drive too. I think they wear faster on AWD cars since you need to slip them more than you do in a FWD or RWD car. Hopefully my FX600 lasts, it should now that the car isn't a daily driver anymore, though.

[A4 TSCHUSS]

They didnt really say. I wrote them a letter pretty much saying I had around 400whp and before im done will be around 450whp so I was looking at the FX600 and wanted more information and that my car was daily driven. And mentioned a friend had their FX400 4 puck and I had driven it and what I thought about it. They told me the FX600 was more of a race clutch and even if I were to make 450whp that I should go with the FX400 6 puck and should be perfectly fine.

My friend does have over 30,000 on his FX400 4 puck though.

[IronAudi]

with all the talk about new clutchs i just want noe that will last aslong as the original, do they have clutchs from southbend that will last as long?

[mike-2ptzero]

They didnt really say. I wrote them a letter pretty much saying I had around 400whp and before im done will be around 450whp so I was looking at the FX600 and wanted more information and that my car was daily driven. And mentioned a friend had their FX400 4 puck and I had driven it and what I thought about it. They told me the FX600 was more of a race clutch and even if I were to make 450whp that I should go with the FX400 6 puck and should be perfectly fine.

My friend does have over 30,000 on his FX400 4 puck though.

But does your friend drive like you do, using the power all the time or does he just drive it normal most of the time? Because normal driving means the car isn't making any more power then stock which means the clutch will last longer. If you beat on the car all the time, it wont matter what clutch you have because it will wear out fast since more stress is being put on the clutch.


They aren't going to tell you much since there really isn't all that many people running the FX400/FX600/FX700 on the Audi A4 quattro. This is exactly why CM was happy when Greg and I started talking to them.

with all the talk about new clutchs i just want noe that will last aslong as the original, do they have clutchs from southbend that will last as long?

Yes, they have a Stage 1 which uses organic material on both sides of the disk like the stock clutch has. The more the clutch is made to hold power the shorter life span it will have.

[A4 TSCHUSS]

Nobody drives like me!

[mike-2ptzero]

Nobody drives like me!

LOL, yes there is his name is Jeff Lee.

[A4 TSCHUSS]

pshh whatever!

[CO AVANT]

ROFLMAO

[Condo]

John, you are the man

Thank you!

Thanks for the unbiased review John!

No problem. Let me know if anyone has any specific questions about the clutch.

I talked to Clutch Masters about the FX600 and they said it will most likely only be good for around 25,000 miles and really is more of a "race clutch" and that even if I were to be running 450whp I should go with the FX400.

It really is more of a race clutch but it's not that bad once you get used to it. The Southbend FE was supposed to be able to hold up but we've seen a few of those fail too. I went with the twin plate setup because I wanted a clutch that could handle whatever I threw at it.

I'm fine with getting 25,000 miles out of this clutch. The great thing about the FX600 is that it's rebuildable which should make it much less expensive when it does need replaced.

[Jet Jockey]

Can't wait to have mine installed in the car.

[dirtybrd]

John, are you pussyfootin' that car yet? What is the boost set at?

[Condo]

John, are you pussyfootin' that car yet? What is the boost set at?

Boost is up to 20 for now. I'll probably turn it up the middle of next week after the water/meth is installed. I'm also switching from the Tial BOV to the Synapse BOV set to recirculation in an attempt to fix the stalling problem my car has.

[mike-2ptzero]

What stalling issue?


BTW guys the twin plate was designed to be used as a drag clutch, but can be used on the street. Hell my friends EVO that I drag raced at the USCC is a daily driver and has a triple plate carbon/carbon clutch in it. To me it pretty much felt like I was driving a single disk.

Funny thing is that in the last 2 drag events (BOTI and IDRC) I raced against a guy in a supra that runs a 7 or 9 plate Carbonetic clutch and he actually daily drives his car to his work at a local Toyota dealership even though his clutch retails at $17k.

[7speed]

17k for a clutch

[mike-2ptzero]

17k for a clutch

Carbon clutch kits are not cheap in anyway. IIRC when we asked Clutch masters about doing a FX700 with carbon the price pretty much tripled in price.

[7speed]

yah my clutch is calls it quits after 10psi - - Im in pretty bad shape

[Condo]

What stalling issue?

My car likes to stall randomly. It usually happens when I'm pulling up to a stop sign in neutral. I've noticed that it won't do it when I keep it in gear until the RPMs drop to around 2k. I'm pretty sure that it has something to do with the Tial BOV.

[dirtybrd]

John, disconnect the signal line to it, drive it to see if it stalls. But stay out of the boost. If the stalling stops then bingo. Or you can drive with the MAF unplugged too. If the stalling stops then look at the BOV.

[mike-2ptzero]

John, what spring is in the tial?

[dougyfresh]

Thanks for the review John.

[Condo]

John, disconnect the signal line to it, drive it to see if it stalls. But stay out of the boost. If the stalling stops then bingo. Or you can drive with the MAF unplugged too. If the stalling stops then look at the BOV.

I'll give it a try tomorrow when it's a little warmer. I never had this problem with my old setup so I'm pretty sure the BOV is the problem.

John, what spring is in the tial?

11 psi

Thanks for the review John.

Let me know if you're ever in the area and want to try it out.

[mike-2ptzero]

11 psi

So the -22 in/hg spring, so it should be closed at that point where you are having the issue. You could try going with the 12psi spring which means it will take more vacuum to open the valve.

[dirtybrd]

But with the cams he runs I don't think he'd see -22in/hg. Maybe a small shim under the spring too.

[Condo]

But with the cams he runs I don't think he'd see -22in/hg. Maybe a small shim under the spring too.

I've been around -10in/hg since the cams were installed and -20 before that.

[A4 TSCHUSS]

my car only runs at 15 and it actually ran at that before I did my build too.

[dirtybrd]

John, if anything I would think you need a lighter spring. You're getting a good audible release from the BOV, correct?

[mike-2ptzero]

I've been around -10in/hg since the cams were installed and -20 before that.

wow that is pretty low, mine isn't even that low with my 8.5:1 CR and cams. It was close to that when my CR was 8:1 with my old pistons.

[AudiA4_20T]

LOL, yes there is his name is Jeff Lee.

I believe I might be up there

[dirtybrd]

John, you have the 3658s correct? Mike how do your cams compare spec wise?

[Don Supreme]

Mike's cams are smaller (have less duration) than the 3658s.

I also run 3658 and average around 10 hg

[Condo]

John, if anything I would think you need a lighter spring. You're getting a good audible release from the BOV, correct?

John, you have the 3658s correct? Mike how do your cams compare spec wise?

Yeah, 3658s and it's pretty loud between shifts. What are you seeing at idle?

[A4 TSCHUSS]

I think a while back Mike said he had cams like mine Schrick 252/260

[dirtybrd]

Yeah, 3658s and it's pretty loud between shifts. What are you seeing at idle?

I only run a boost gauge, no vac.

[mike-2ptzero]

Yeah, 3658s and it's pretty loud between shifts. What are you seeing at idle?

Are you having any stalling/lag issues when in shift into the next gear?

[Condo]

Are you having any stalling/lag issues when in shift into the next gear?

Boost seems fine between shifts and the only time it stalls is when I'm slowing down in neutral.