[TransAm 474]

I have a question about which clutch set would be better to use....I've narrowed it down to two options....either the Centerforce Dual Friction 148552, or the McCleod 75221 Super Street Pro? Both are 11" 1.125"x26 spline. This is for a 1976 Trans Am 455 100% street car making an est. 420hp/500+ torque

Which would you choose? Only about 20 bucks different in price...

thanks, Brian

[geeteeohguy]

I would use the McCleod simply because I've been running the same McCleod clutch in my '65 GTO for the past 30 years and it's still working fine. High quality stuff. (or at least it used to be!)

[TheSilverBuick]

If the centerforce is the one with the weights on it, I'm now personally leary of them. I ran a standard centerforce clutch around 70,000-75,000 miles on my Buick, and swapped it out for a centerforce that had some weight gimmick on the pressure plate, and I don't know if it was the weights or what, but after a bit over 20,000 miles the clutch pedal got hard to push (bent up the lower clutch rod). Swapped out the whole set (including throwout bearing) with a Zoom (never tried them before..) and so far all is good again. Only have about 50 miles on the Zoom so opinion is pending.

Basically, I have no problem getting a centerforce as long as it doesn't have those weight things, and if it does, get the McCleod.

[MrWrestlingII]

I'm currently running a Centerforce DF clutch setup on my GTO and love it. The pressure plate does have the weights mentioned earlier. I only have about 3k miles on it at this point, so no idea how it will hold up with higher miles.

I've also ran a McLeod and Hays clutch in this car, no complaints with either, but I like the feel and performance of the CF more than the other two.

[TheSilverBuick]

Originally Posted by MrWrestlingII

I'm currently running a Centerforce DF clutch setup on my GTO and love it. The pressure plate does have the weights mentioned earlier. I only have about 3k miles on it at this point, so no idea how it will hold up with higher miles.

On my issue, I have no definitive answer to what was causing my problem, but have essentially narrowed it down to two things. Either the weights were wedged in the pressure plate fingers in such a way they were binding the movement or the throwout bearing was seizing on the tran's bearing retainer, as there were rough scuff marks on the inside of the throwout bearing and on the retainer. But, I don't know if the throwout bearing scuff marks are a result of the force I was applying to the bearing when pushing the pedal and if the pressure plate fingers were causing un-even loading on it, thus the gouging as the throwout bearing tried to rock on the retainer and in the clutch fork. The weights weren't seized in the fingers, but they didn't exactly rattle loosely like when I installed the clutch.

[mrennie]

This is my opinion based solely on research I did on clutch sets, and NOT on actual use of either one.

-Both are dual friction style with organic on one side and ceramic/kevlar/whatever on the other side

-The Centerforce DF pressure plate weights are supposed to improve clamping pressure as RPM goes up. My opinion is that might help in a high RPM application like a SBC, but a high torque street 455 won't be revving at 7000 RPM so they may not actually help down low where slippage is more likely to occur.

-There are several posts by members mentioning the weights made rattling noises in some applications.

-Centerforce literature seems to suggest that the DF is only available as a package. In other words, you cannot purchase just a pressure plate or just a clutch disc. I get the idea that they should be replaced as a set when they wear out, but what if one gets damaged and the other is still good after the warranty has expired?

-McLeod seems to sell their single disc clutches as kits as well as individual parts.

-I discussed PP options with McLeod's tech line a year ago and was told some of their diaphragm PP's are rebuildable. Not sure if the one you are looking at is one of them, but that might be something that sways your decision.

I was going to buy the McLeod Super Street Pro for my car but after talking to the McLeod rep and giving him my engine specs (~500HP/575TQ) and the fact I was going to drive around on drag radials he talked me into a dual disc setup so I can't give you any real world experience on the single disc clutches.

Both companies make a 12" single disc clutch that bolts onto a flywheel drilled for the 11" clutches and would give greater holding power than an 11" unit. That is actually what I was going to buy for my car but I am using a Quicktime bell housing and the 12" clutch wouldn't fit. This may be an option for you if it will fit your bell housing.

[Old Man Taylor]

Given the same choice I went with the CenterForce. I have run the McLeod as well, but I like the CFDF better. I have been running the CFDF for many years with no problems at all.