AP racing clutch ??

[R TOY]

Rather dissapointed today (well totaly p155ed off actually) when our ap clutch broke at Donni park. Advertised to handle 250bhp and yet our 170bhp elise has destroyed it in only 6 trackdays. The plate has springs unlike a dedicated race clutch but surely at £176 should last longer?? Anyone else had experience of The AP unit or a good alternative. What a waste of a superb day(and £200 booking fee)

[Scuffers]

R TOY said:

Rather dissapointed today (well totaly p155ed off actually) when our ap clutch broke at Donni park. Advertised to handle 250bhp and yet our 170bhp elise has destroyed it in only 6 trackdays. The plate has springs unlike a dedicated race clutch but surely at £176 should last longer?? Anyone else had experience of The AP unit or a good alternative. What a waste of a superb day(and £200 booking fee)

the AP item is NOT a race clutch (had this argument with them several years ago).

basically it's nothing to do with power why they break, it's being rough with down-changes that kill them, learn to heal&toe.

• all* road going clutches with have this problem.

[R TOY]

Take your point but it does call itself a 'racing clutch' as stamped on the plate but of course gives no guarantee as to how long it will last in a track situation. H & T, of a fashion..
I see hanger111 have a solid clutch plate, anyone use one?

[Scuffers]

R TOY said:

Take your point but it does call itself a 'racing clutch' as stamped on the plate but of course gives no guarantee as to how long it will last in a track situation. H & T, of a fashion..
I see hanger111 have a solid clutch plate, anyone use one?

it's not the plate that's the weak point, it;s the cover, and *all* of them use the same cover (stampings)

solid plate is OK, but will put more stress on the gearbox and driveshafts...

[lamb jiblets]

I had a AP race clutch and fly wheel for the last 8K, done 3 track days on it no probs yet, Is this a common prob? this is the first i`ve heard of them having trouble.?

[ptp170]

I was eyeing up an AP for my ptp Elise as the standard one with 63K on it is feeling kind of old....maybe I should reconsider ?

[R TOY]

Scuffers said:

[it's not the plate that's the weak point, it;s the cover, and *all* of them use the same cover (stampings)

Sorry, i should've been more specific, when i said the 'clutch broke'. It is the plate that has broken up around the steel centre and springs. We didnt experience any slip, rather the opposite as we found it increasingly difficult and then impossible to change gear. The car is driven aggresively and is purely a track car but i'm more than a little dissapointed that the AP hasnt lasted a lot longer. A std clutch ie/plate,cover,bearing costs only £30.00 ish. (even cheaper for some) so at £176 i wasnt expecting to have the gearbox off again this soon. But then what else would i have found to do on a Sat night

[R TOY]

ptp170 said:

I was eyeing up an AP for my ptp Elise as the standard one with 63K on it is feeling kind of old....maybe I should reconsider ?

Just to update, having spoke to quite a few k series/performance specialists i have had only good feed back about the AP clutch and most, infact all have recomended it. So the general feeling is that either we have been v unlucky and had a defective one or more likely something is adversely affecting the clutch on the car. Other people , one with 250bhp in a race exige have abused their clutch with no probs and have assured me that we have not broke ours by hard use. Still a mystery but may have been that a gearbox dowel had not mated fully leaving a small angle on the input shaft hence putting twist on the clutch plate when clamped between the flywheel and cover!
Anyway i didnt want to give incorrect feedback about a product which seems to be generaly held in high regard.
Dave.

[ptp170]

R TOY said:

ptp170 said:

I was eyeing up an AP for my ptp Elise as the standard one with 63K on it is feeling kind of old....maybe I should reconsider ?

Just to update, having spoke to quite a few k series/performance specialists i have had only good feed back about the AP clutch and most, infact all have recomended it. So the general feeling is that either we have been v unlucky and had a defective one or more likely something is adversely affecting the clutch on the car. Other people , one with 250bhp in a race exige have abused their clutch with no probs and have assured me that we have not broke ours by hard use. Still a mystery but may have been that a gearbox dowel had not mated fully leaving a small angle on the input shaft hence putting twist on the clutch plate when clamped between the flywheel and cover!
Anyway i didnt want to give incorrect feedback about a product which seems to be generaly held in high regard.
Dave.

Noted!! Maybe I will try it after all...getting fed up now with leaving trails of clutch smoke on 'enthusiastic' starts in 1st and 2nd ... lol

[Gooby]

Not quite the same - I have a 111R. I "lost" the standard clutch at about 52k miles. I now have a 240R clutch. It is far better. Better feel and bite and doesnt smell bad after a good run.

[Dr Bunsen]

Hello

I've just had an AP clutch fitted (after 50k on the standard)- definatley feels better on hard starts and more precise when just bumbling about - i,ve got no complaints.