Which clutch?

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Discussion

R7EBO

Original Poster:

501 posts

141 months

Thursday 21st May 2015
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After some advice and/or experience & recommendations with regards different clutches from different suppliers pretty please?! I'm doing around 13,000 - 15,000 miles per year and my current AP clutch was fitted just over 20,000 miles ago & appears to be on its last legs. Replacing every year & half is way too expensive for my budget!

Has anyone had the Helix fitted for any length of time? Or know of any others which will last longer??

Many thanks in advance as usual!

Ryan

TVR Tommy

613 posts

224 months

Friday 22nd May 2015
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I've fitted a Helix, but not done very many miles so can't help there. A Helix should be cheaper as you can buy just the clutch plates when they wear out.

ChimpOnGas

9,637 posts

178 months

Friday 22nd May 2015
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I see you are a Tuscan owner so being a Chimaera owner with a Helix clutch this may only have partial relevance to your question.

What I can tell you is my Rover V8 Helix is a quality part, the pressure plate & its fingers are well made & very stout.

The friction material on the driven plate is quality German made Sachs branded.

http://www.sachsperformance.com/product_info.php?l...

In fact the whole assembly seemed very Sachs to me scratchchin

But that's no bad thing wink

It is about 15% heavier on the pedal but that's more a specific trait of the Helix RV8 part, a twin plate S6 Helix should be lovely & light.

My feedback is not S6 specific I know, but it does tell you (in my limited experience) that Helix as a company do produce/offer good quality parts.

Put this along side some specific feedback on their S6 pack and you should have your answer, I hope this helps in some small way?

nawarne

3,088 posts

259 months

Friday 22nd May 2015
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TVR Tommy said:
I've fitted a Helix, but not done very many miles so can't help there. A Helix should be cheaper as you can buy just the clutch plates when they wear out.
Tommy, that's true....but my understanding of the existing AP "mode of failure" is either the clutch diaphragm fingers breaking, or the butterfly springs between the friction plates flattening?

When I replaced my clutch (after about 25K miles) the friction material was reasonable - say 60% worn, but was getting harder and harder to change gear. Guess that might also be attributed to a worn slave cylinder. If Helix/ A.N.Other manufacturer addresses these weaknesses, then happy days!
Nick

Dickie Dastardly

718 posts

165 months

Saturday 23rd May 2015
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I would stay clear of the Helix clutch, fitted one to a friends Tuscan recently and could not get the inner friction disc to clear properly - tried everything and was demented with the damn thing. I have also since heard from a TVR dealer that they have had similar problems (made me feel a bit better rolleyes).

Just my opinion/experience....

m4tti

5,426 posts

154 months

Saturday 23rd May 2015
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Dickie Dastardly said:
I would stay clear of the Helix clutch, fitted one to a friends Tuscan recently and could not get the inner friction disc to clear properly - tried everything and was demented with the damn thing. I have also since heard from a TVR dealer that they have had similar problems (made me feel a bit better rolleyes).

Just my opinion/experience....
I fitted one myself zero issues. The discs have a particular order/face from memory so I'm guessing this would be your problem lies.

The helix clutch itself is spot on and the car drives infinitely better. Add to that the helix clutch is rebuildable and the AP isn't, plus it's cheaper ... It's a no brainer.

Edited by m4tti on Saturday 23 May 10:49

Zippee

13,440 posts

233 months

Saturday 23rd May 2015
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m4tti said:
Dickie Dastardly said:
I would stay clear of the Helix clutch, fitted one to a friends Tuscan recently and could not get the inner friction disc to clear properly - tried everything and was demented with the damn thing. I have also since heard from a TVR dealer that they have had similar problems (made me feel a bit better rolleyes).

Just my opinion/experience....
I fitted one myself zero issues. The discs have a particular order/face from memory so I'm guessing this would be your problem lies.

The helix clutch itself is spot on and the car drives infinitely better. Add to that the helix clutch is rebuildable and the AP isn't, plus it's cheaper ... It's a no brainer.

Edited by m4tti on Saturday 23 May 10:49
I agree with Matti, though I didn't mine my mechanic did. It is a bugger to set up and has some very fine tolerances but really good once done. I'm only about 4k into it though so can't really offer any more to the OP.

Basil Brush

5,060 posts

262 months

Saturday 23rd May 2015
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m4tti said:
I fitted one myself zero issues. The discs have a particular order/face from memory so I'm guessing this would be your problem lies.

The helix clutch itself is spot on and the car drives infinitely better. Add to that the helix clutch is rebuildable and the AP isn't, plus it's cheaper ... It's a no brainer.

Edited by m4tti on Saturday 23 May 10:49
How many miles has anyone put on a Helix clutch before we declare it a no-brainer? I've heard all this before about another alternative rebuildable unit that disappeared quietly...

m4tti

5,426 posts

154 months

Saturday 23rd May 2015
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Basil Brush said:
How many miles has anyone put on a Helix clutch before we declare it a no-brainer? I've heard all this before about another alternative rebuildable unit that disappeared quietly...
Which clutch disappeared.?

Sorry this was originally from racing green. Having already bought their fff head and the fact that the md is a qualified engineer and they put a lot of ground work into this, none of the other outfits can boast such skill sets. None of the others have designed their own parts. And I don't call stroked cranks bespoke parts. I have the utmost confidence in the part.

I accept their failings, but this is the real deal. Every single one of their engine parts or any of their uprated parts far exceeds any other suppliers parts.

The ap part is poor and is run as a monopoly via tvr power. Presumably that won't exist now with the transfer of all tvr part to tvr-parts limited.

Edited by m4tti on Saturday 23 May 23:30

Dickie Dastardly

718 posts

165 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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m4tti said:
I fitted one myself zero issues. The discs have a particular order/face from memory so I'm guessing this would be your problem lies.

The helix clutch itself is spot on and the car drives infinitely better. Add to that the helix clutch is rebuildable and the AP isn't, plus it's cheaper ... It's a no brainer.

Edited by m4tti on Saturday 23 May 10:49
The friction plates have a correct face and order which you can't really go wrong with, add to that they are marked with paint to show how to assemble; if only the problem had been that simple!!
As I say only imparting my experience (and advising what I've been subsequently told rolleyes )

Cheers

m4tti

5,426 posts

154 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Dickie Dastardly said:
The friction plates have a correct face and order which you can't really go wrong with, add to that they are marked with paint to show how to assemble; if only the problem had been that simple!!
As I say only imparting my experience (and advising what I've been subsequently told rolleyes )

Cheers
Did you contact them, sounds like the wrong plates were packaged up by helix?

Dickie Dastardly

718 posts

165 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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m4tti said:
Did you contact them, sounds like the wrong plates were packaged up by helix?
I did Matt, as much to advise that it may have been heading back to them. The clutch is now working and is improving through use but in comparison to the AP unit in mine it was a pig - hence I was quite pleased to hear a specialist had had a similar issue (a bit peace of mind that it wasn't something I was doing).

Basil Brush

5,060 posts

262 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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m4tti said:
Which clutch disappeared.?

Sorry this was originally from racing green. Having already bought their fff head and the fact that the md is a qualified engineer and they put a lot of ground work into this, none of the other outfits can boast such skill sets. None of the others have designed their own parts. And I don't call stroked cranks bespoke parts. I have the utmost confidence in the part.

I accept their failings, but this is the real deal. Every single one of their engine parts or any of their uprated parts far exceeds any other suppliers parts.

The ap part is poor and is run as a monopoly via tvr power. Presumably that won't exist now with the transfer of all tvr part to tvr-parts limited.

Edited by m4tti on Saturday 23 May 23:30
The RP one that was supposed to be engineered to overcome all the AP issues.

I get it, you like RG.....

m4tti

5,426 posts

154 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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It's not so much I like them, but after reviewing carefully all of the products on offer via the small group of specialist out there RG product specs exceeded most others.

The clutch is a good example. You phone AP up and the don't want to know about supplying components, even though they could. Power have or did have an exclusive deal with them. Power redistributed those clutch packs to all other suppliers. You now have second rebuildable option. Which can't be anything but good.

Although this clutch pack could quite easily be substituted for another with the correct dimensions. I know another member who's used a triple plate.

SergSC

508 posts

161 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Dickie Dastardly said:
m4tti said:
Did you contact them, sounds like the wrong plates were packaged up by helix?
I did Matt, as much to advise that it may have been heading back to them. The clutch is now working and is improving through use but in comparison to the AP unit in mine it was a pig - hence I was quite pleased to hear a specialist had had a similar issue (a bit peace of mind that it wasn't something I was doing).
Also have the Helix (and lightweight flywheel).
Heavier pedal doesnt bother me (very rarely stuck in traffic here in Scotland). Gear change at a standstill was very very stiff initially, but improving a lot with usage.

m4tti

5,426 posts

154 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Interesting comments regarding the harder pedal. Mine feels lighter. It should really as the heavy pedal is typically a sign of the spring fingers becoming work hardened. Obviously with a new clutch pack that won't be the case.

SergSC

508 posts

161 months

Sunday 24th May 2015
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Heavier, but not a huge amount, I guess something like 15%. Thing is there is no reliable baseline to compare against unless you take out a AP in good working order and put one of these in.
Main thing for me was the stiff change (dragging), tried the pedal adjustment but didnt help.
Thrashing it around Crail did... good ol Italian tune up! biggrin

A few other posts suggested abusing the clutch for a little while as a remedy.

Dickie Dastardly

718 posts

165 months

Monday 25th May 2015
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SergSC said:
Also have the Helix (and lightweight flywheel).
Heavier pedal doesnt bother me (very rarely stuck in traffic here in Scotland). Gear change at a standstill was very very stiff initially, but improving a lot with usage.
That's the same issue I encountered Serg, was difficult when stationary and notchy when moving - its getting better through use.