ACT Clutch Adjustment Problem

[Shady195]

Hey everyone, first off let me say I'm not new to replacing clutches, nor am I a stranger to more aggressive setups.

I installed my ACT SB8 Setup, full face disc setup, HD Pressure plate with prolite flywheel, got everything adjust to where I want but after a few days it seems off again.

My biggest issue, and well not an issue but more of a "desire" is for the pickup point of the clutch to be a little bit off of the floor, somewhat like stock.

Originally when I adjust the pedal it felt like I had that, there seemed to be a good half inch of travel before i could feel the clutch bite. However today it feels like its nearly right off the floor. Clutch fork is in the same place I had it, nearly screwed all the way out, clutch switch is also adjusted, but i dont think that would really affect my engagement coming off the clutch, just getting onto it.

Clutch feels fine otherwise, but I do daily my car and if I can make my life a little easier I'd love to.

If anyone has any tips/insight to this I'd appreciate it. While I don't generally hold my clutch in when stooped, when say i go down to NYC, getting on and off the clutch frequently is common in stop and go, and the engagement point right off the floor makes for a REAL pain in the ass

#firstworldproblems

[CSG Mike]

Let it break in more.

[ryoma]

my guess is that you still need to break in your clutch over a few hundred miles (or even 1000) before everything will normalize.

[Shady195]

Has about ~400 miles on it right now..

I figured that might be the case, as some material wears down the engagement point gets easier, which is why im suprised after adjusting it initially it seems like the pickup point is right at the floor again.

Seems fine otherwsie, I guess I'll just need to continue to roll with it. It's a great clutch setup overall, my only real complain more so than that is the gear lash when decelerating, definately noticeable outside of the car

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Shady195

Has about ~400 miles on it right now..

I figured that might be the case, as some material wears down the engagement point gets easier, which is why im suprised after adjusting it initially it seems like the pickup point is right at the floor again.

Seems fine otherwsie, I guess I'll just need to continue to roll with it. It's a great clutch setup overall, my only real complain more so than that is the gear lash when decelerating, definately noticeable outside of the car

You should not be getting clutch buzz. How carefully did you torque everything down? Was it done evenly little by little or just zipped on with power tools?

This car is very sensitive to that.

[Shady195]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

You should not be getting clutch buzz. How carefully did you torque everything down? Was it done evenly little by little or just zipped on with power tools?

This car is very sensitive to that.

Its very quite, its only noticeable on decel around 2-3.5K RPMS, it was the same with the stock setup just not really audible

Gears chatter a bit with the A/C on as well.

I do have some stuff 92A Poly mounts for the trans

I tightened everything down in a star pattern per ACT's guidelines and used loc tite on the threads

Keep in mind I have the Prolite flywheel, not the street lite, and ive read around and was told the Prolite will still make noise.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Shady195

Its very quite, its only noticeable on decel around 2-3.5K RPMS, it was the same with the stock setup just not really audible

Gears chatter a bit with the A/C on as well.

I do have some stuff 92A Poly mounts for the trans

I tightened everything down in a star pattern per ACT's guidelines and used loc tite on the threads

Keep in mind I have the Prolite flywheel, not the street lite, and ive read around and was told the Prolite will still make noise.

Ah, you'll get a bit of chatter with the prolite. It was not really designed for the casual street user, but it's still pretty minimal. That's what's on the CSG BRZs and the shop cars have no chatter, but YMMV.

[Shady195]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Ah, you'll get a bit of chatter with the prolite. It was not really designed for the casual street user, but it's still pretty minimal. That's what's on the CSG BRZs and the shop cars have no chatter, but YMMV.

I ordered it by mistake, my deadline was tight where i'd be able to do it without being on my back in my driveway so I said screw it, worse comes to worse ill swap it out at somepoint..

I'ts not bad, I don't mind it so much. Just kinda awkward when people look at my car deceling in town

[Shady195]

SO I played with the slave arm adjustment a little more. Though I was worried it would not "disengage" the clutch all the way if I brought it in more I decided to anyways..

I was fearful I had it adjusted so far that maybe I had over extended the pressure plate fingers or maybe bent the pivot arm

Well my engagement point seems about the same as it was, still pretty much right up off the floor but its actually a bit easier to feather the clutch out with throttle without it feeling like its grabbing so quickly, it is engaging fully when i get off the pedal so I'm not worried about that

Guessing it just took some trial and error to find the "Sweet" spot.

[BRX]

I installed my ACT SB7 clutch with the normal flywheel and I have the same "feeling" you describe. Backing out the garage I only need to lift the clutch pedal less than half an inch to get it to engage. The engagement point later on varies depending on how warm the transmission is. If it is cold it catches early on, once it warms up it won't engage until the pedal is half way up. And whenever I get the engagement point wrong in first gear it shakes the whole vehicle before it gets up to speed. Once I'm out of 1st it drives like a dream.

I'm thinking of going back to the stock flywheel and getting an SB clutch or something just to keep a consistent engagement point as this seems a bit silly and slightly ruins the enjoyment of driving in town.

[GsxrMe]

Im using the extreme plate with nornal fllywheel and disc not puck, also deleted the spring on the peddle and the car drives fantastic. Heavier peddle like a v8 and never get a floaty feel. Never once adjusted the pedal. Always have full control and feel the engagement and disengagement.

[simpleisbest]

Check your slave cylinder to make sure it is actually moving without any delay or hesitation. If it is good, it is possible your clutch fork may have bent due to the higher clamping force of the ACT kit.

[BRX]

Originally Posted by GsxrMe

Im using the extreme plate with nornal fllywheel and disc not puck, also deleted the spring on the peddle and the car drives fantastic. Heavier peddle like a v8 and never get a floaty feel. Never once adjusted the pedal. Always have full control and feel the engagement and disengagement.

Spring was removed when I first bought the car and mine too drives great once it gets rolling. I just hate stopping at traffic lights and driving in heavy stop and go traffic. Sometimes it goes perfectly, other times I either lift my feet too much and it shudders or I don't lift enough and it burns up the clutch a bit. It was NOT like this with the factory clutch.

Originally Posted by simpleisbest

Check your slave cylinder to make sure it is actually moving without any delay or hesitation. If it is good, it is possible your clutch fork may have bent due to the higher clamping force of the ACT kit.

I'll check out the slave cylinder. However I doubt it's the fork as it drove like this since I put the transmission back in with the ACT clutch. Another thing to note, I had to adjust the pedal position a lot after installation. It would actually stall when stopping in gear as pressing the pedal all the way would not disengage the clutch before it would warm up. That might be due the clamping force as I was still able to shift gears regardless

[simpleisbest]

Originally Posted by BRX

Spring was removed when I first bought the car and mine too drives great once it gets rolling. I just hate stopping at traffic lights and driving in heavy stop and go traffic. Sometimes it goes perfectly, other times I either lift my feet too much and it shudders or I don't lift enough and it burns up the clutch a bit. It was NOT like this with the factory clutch.



I'll check out the slave cylinder. However I doubt it's the fork as it drove like this since I put the transmission back in with the ACT clutch. Another thing to note, I had to adjust the pedal position a lot after installation. It would actually stall when stopping in gear as pressing the pedal all the way would not disengage the clutch before it would warm up. That might be due the clamping force as I was still able to shift gears regardless

Sounds like your clutch fork could be already bent. If it is your slave, then simply pop the hood, squeeze the slave cylinder boot to see if there is any collection or hydraulic fluid and check your clutch fluid reservoir to see if you lost any fluid. Considering you needed to adjust the pedal so much to just get the clutch to disengage though, sounds like a bent fork.