I installed what I THOUGHT was the best over the counter clutch.
After about one month of mellow driving (more or less...) my new clutch is slipping! A mere 3500rpm drop the hammer and it slipped!! Buddy put the one model down in his car, and it's doing it too, and at about the same time frame
I'm steamed.
It's nice and smooth on the take up, that's about the only good thing I can say.
I'm really not looking forward to pulling it all out AGAIN so soon.
Anyhow, think twice about buying one of these pieces of sh!t.
Man...you're like the 3rd person I've heard of having these problems! My Fiero is in storage now with a bad Centerforce DF clutch. Only has about 4 to 5K miles on it too! Stans GT on the forum had the same problem with his Centerforce DF clutch with his STOCK 3800 SC! I'm going to install my Clutchnet clutch this weeekend!
------------------ James Essar 88 Coupe 3.2L V6 With NX Nitrous 92 Mitsu. Eclipse GS (for sale) 94 GMC Jimmy
IP: Logged
11:24 PM
Will Member
Posts: 14284 From: Where you least expect me Registered: Jun 2000
I feel for you man, I went through a ton of crap trying to get Centerforce to warranty my clutch. They told me the only way it could have failed was misuse...which I said was BS. The best they would do for me was replace my failed unit (within 90 day warranty period, mind you) with the latest and greatest Archie unit (ball bearing dual friction) for their cost, $150. After paying for shipping on getting two clutches and sending one to be tested, plus the original cost of the clutch and replacement cost...I was well on my way to paying as much as a Quarter Master unit!
It seems Centerforce better do something about their quality control pretty quick, or Fiero sales will start dropping instead. I am pleased with how positive the Archie clutch is, but given all the hassle I've gone through with Centerforce, I guarantee you I'll never use them again! I'll be buying Quarter Master for the Northstar swap and just do it right the first time.
Bryce 88 GT
IP: Logged
02:02 AM
Rare87GT Member
Posts: 5087 From: Wichita, KS USA Registered: Oct 2001
I have Archie's Centerforce Dual Friction Clutch and it has worked fine with my 3.4L with about 11,000 miles on it now. What is the main difference between Archie's clutch and the regular Centerforce Clutch? If you can use Archie's centerforce in V8's then I dont see why it wont work in V6s? My 3.4L should never see a slip with the centerforce unless it is just run like a track car every day and every night of the year. Later.
Amir
------------------
Maroon 1987 GT 5 spd: 2.8L Ferrari Red 1988 Formula 5 spd: 3.4L
I have the Centerforce dual friction in my 88 Mera with the turbo for almost 20,000 miles. When I first installed the turbo I abused the clutch pretty bad for a bit and now I am pretty easy on it. But I do tend to slip it more with higher RPM's taking off from stop lights because it sounds more Ferrarish that way. Has worked flawless since I put it in and I have been very happy with it. Pedal action etc. is excellent. No slipping. Very smooth.
------------------ New address and phone # after July 21,2003:
Rodney Dickman 7604 Treeview Lane Caledonia, WI 53108 (262) 835-9575
IP: Logged
06:40 AM
StansGT Member
Posts: 914 From: Schoolcraft MI, USA Registered: Jul 2001
Welcome to the club guys! You'll be wanting to get another clutch brand or type, in the comeing days, however centerforce will usually give you another clutch with the understanding that they'll replace it once, and only once!
I was, to be kind, extremly pissed at the way they treated me on the phone, they sayed that the work I did must have been shoddy, because they never heard of a fiero clutch that went bad, and although I found this unlikely, I agreed to have them RR my 4000mile "Archie clutch" (And Archie, I know they are differnt, however they said it would work the same, so I trusted their word)"probably a mistake" I did all the proper things for this clutch, and it still failed, Im in the process of useing my R&R'd clutch, seeing how long this will last, with everything in proper order, as far as mechanically anyhow. I quadruple checked everything this time!
Perhaps Archie, can you help in this? I would think you could prevent Centerforce from selling "the Archie clutch", since its not working for the "swapper" crowd all the time? Perhaps, since you have probable connections there? Just sell it through your businness?
------------------ 02' 3800SC Poly, Koni, Enkei
IP: Logged
07:46 AM
PFF
System Bot
LoW_KeY Member
Posts: 8081 From: Hastings, MI Registered: Oct 2001
Might want to try a SPEC Stage 3 clutch good for street use and casual racing. They offer 5 stages of the clutch, copied from an old post that I did awhile back I've read reviews everyone with mustangs and what not love this clutch!
800-828-4379
STAGE 1 - Street & Strip. This kit features high clamp pressure plate with a steel backed woven organic sprung disc. The organic disc offers smooth engagement, quiet operation with light pedal feel. This is excellent for daily driving and occasional racing. All clutch kits include release bearing, pilot bearing and alignment tool (if applicable). *Note: Cars with dual mass flywheel will come with unsprung disc.
STAGE 2 - Street & Strip. This kit features high clamp pressure plate with a segmented chatter free Kevlar sprung disc. The Kevlar disc offers smooth engagement, quiet operation with light pedal feel and increased torque capacity over Stage 1. This is excellent for daily driving and occasional racing.
STAGE 3 - Ultimate Street & Strip Clutch!! This kit features high clamp pressure plate with a 4 pad carbon sprung hub disc. The disc is a 3-piece design sprung hub to deliver sharp aggressive but yet smooth engagement. Quiet operation with increased torque capacity over Stage 2. The carbon material is highly durable and heat resistant. This kit is excellent for daily driving and racing especially for cars with higher output engines.
STAGE 4 - Serious Road Racing & Drag Racing Clutch!! This kit features high clamp pressure plate with your choice of a 3 pad or 6 pad copper ceramic disc. The disc is a 2-piece rigid design to deliver sharp aggressive engagement. This style of engagement is ideal for racing where quicker shifts are required to beat the competition. The disc is also lightweight for better performance since the disc is unsprung. This kit is excellent for race cars with higher output engines. Torque capacity is the same between the 3 & 6 pad. The 3 pad will give you quicker shifting.
STAGE 5 - Drag Racing Only!! This kit features high clamp pressure plate with an iron disc. The disc delivers extremely sharp, aggressive engagement. Ideal for drag race cars ONLY (never street driven) where the highest torque capacity is required. The disc is also lightweight for better performance since the disc is unsprung.
------------------ -KC 88 5spd, Formula Enough mod's to make you go 40% done! expected 1/4 mile 12.5
IP: Logged
07:48 AM
Will Member
Posts: 14284 From: Where you least expect me Registered: Jun 2000
I'm running a DF201502, which is the Archie clutch. The DF201914 is the hi-po stock replacement DF clutch.
My 502 clutch did NOT break in within 500 miles. When I first drove it, it chattered. After 500 miles, it still chattered, only slightly less. I slipped the pi$$ out of it a couple of times perfecting my launch technique and it smoothed out dramatically. It still chatters slightly under the right circumstances, though. Grrr...
IP: Logged
11:06 AM
watts Member
Posts: 3256 From: Coaldale, AB, Canada Registered: Aug 2001
Along with all of you guys that have had failures, there is another person with a '68 GTO (389) that also had a DF fail (This is coming from my parts guy!), and a bunch of random front wheel drive guys that had theres fail also (coming from a fellow club member).
Seems the GTO was slipping as well -- parts guy put a straight edge across the face of the pressure plate, and it was CUPPED! Explained the odd wear on the disc... and the slipping... since it was only grabbing at the edges.
Looks like centerforce has got some SERIOUS quality control issues that better get resolved pretty quick.
I'm really hesitant to replace it with another one now (warranty or not).
IP: Logged
12:05 PM
Will Member
Posts: 14284 From: Where you least expect me Registered: Jun 2000
Originally posted by watts: Seems the GTO was slipping as well -- parts guy put a straight edge across the face of the pressure plate, and it was CUPPED! Explained the odd wear on the disc... and the slipping... since it was only grabbing at the edges.
I noticed that on the pressure plate I removed from my car. The CF tech said that it was made that way intentionally so that it would flatten out when it got hot.
The Centerforce DF in my '88 GT did chatter a little during the break-in period, at which point I said "damn the break-in", and got on it hard four or five times. After that, there has been no chatter in about 4000 miles of use. I plan on using the same clutch when I do my 3800SC swap over the next couple of months. If it ends up being insufficient, then I'll look into something grippier, but until it starts slipping, the Centerforce stays.
You guys that have problems RMAing clutches to Centerforce directly should buy through Summit. They are great for warranty returns, and, to the best of my knowledge, warranty Centerforce clutches for one year.
IP: Logged
07:55 PM
Mar 28th, 2003
watts Member
Posts: 3256 From: Coaldale, AB, Canada Registered: Aug 2001
I've read reviews everyone with mustangs and what not love this clutch!
