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Ebay clutches and you

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Old 12-18-2006 | 07:02 PM
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Default Ebay clutches and you

Ahh before i start, ive read a few threads on this on m.net, one of which referred me to do a search on mturbo.net, which i did. I found a few posts, but they were old and nobody had really put any miles on their "ebay" clutches.

There are many on ebay, im talking the "stage 2 and 3" clutch kits that range from $100-$200.

Well you get the point, just checking in to see how those of you who bought these are doing. I ask this because im looking for a super budget clutch, and like many others are very curious about these clutches.

Thanks in advanced for all the help.

-Nate
Old 12-18-2006 | 07:25 PM
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Many of the cheap eay ones are 6-puck clutches. I've never used one of those myself, but have heard that the 6-puck clutches are on/off switches, essentially.
Old 12-18-2006 | 07:40 PM
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A couple of things to consider-

If the clutch fails then you're faced with doing another clutch swap even IF they honor a warranty and that sucks no matter what.

"Cerametallic" puck clutches are seriously hard on the sprung hub centers (which is what all of these are). That means they need to be extra strong compared since the grabbing action of the puck is going to place more stress on the springs and assembly.

Check out my sprung hub puck disk that failed and the new disk I replaced it with.
Old 12-18-2006 | 08:05 PM
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can you take me for a spin in your car? I'm stuck out here in santa fe and miss my miata.

:(

Go with a respected company, its not worth saving the $100 when you have to do a clutch job again, and get **** replaced, even if warranted.
Old 12-18-2006 | 08:06 PM
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Ouch, yeah thats no good at all. Well everyone ive seen reccomends the ACT clutch, i really wont have the cash for that in a long time.

I just need a cheap clutch to hold 160-200 rwhp, and me and my dad will do the install, as he is a mechanic.

Just looking for honest opinions, thanks!



Edit: Yeah, id be happy to take you out for a spin once everything is functioning correctly, ill let you know =P.
Old 12-19-2006 | 11:50 AM
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Like new OE clutches (disk and pp) show up on ebay all the time. Pick up one of those for the disk and buy a good strong pp.
Old 12-19-2006 | 01:03 PM
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I see m2cupcar talking about his clutchnet clutch in another thread, so I thought I would post in this one. The stage 3 clutch I bought off ebay for ~$140 shipped says clutchnet on the PP and the friction disk. It wasn't advertised as one though. Just an FYI for everyone.
Old 12-19-2006 | 01:18 PM
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Here is a link to the power seller I bought from. Almost 17000 feedback at 100% isn't too shabby for someone that sells ebay clutches.
http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP...force-clutches
They have auctions up for the miata clutch I bought right now.
Old 12-19-2006 | 01:19 PM
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linkee linkee linkee!
I'd like to see some photos of the unit.

I'd looked at all the ebay units and the sprung disk construction was similar to the Spec that grenaded on me. I wanted something that was built like a tank.
Old 12-19-2006 | 01:23 PM
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http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=150023813241

That is the exact auction I won. Those pics are of the actual product minus some printing. The pics in the auction don't show branding, but the ones I received say clutchnet on them. I'm not exactly sure which version of the pressure plate I got, but on clutchnets site the first 1.6L PP they sell is the stage 2, so its probably that one. According to the ebay seller the clutch package should handle something like 290lb/ft of torque at the flywheel.

You had the copper/ceramic clutch though didnt you? From what I've read those don't last. I already have this clutch though, so I'm gonna install it. The only thing I'm a little worried about is that the friction pads aren't all that thick to begin with, but I think they are supposed to wear much slower vs the factory disk.
Old 12-19-2006 | 02:19 PM
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ebay scares me. many parts you find on there are manufactured in someones garage. i have known people and read many articles of people who have bought cheap parts off ebay and they were knockoffs. im not denying that this powersellers clutch sounds like a great deal, and he sounds legit, but you never know
Old 12-19-2006 | 03:13 PM
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im going out on a limb and saying that 17000 people arent wrong. But in any case I'll be installing mine next week, and after the break in period I'll be beating it with 15psi. I'll post my results then.
Old 12-19-2006 | 03:59 PM
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like i said you argue with that. but im speaking of other sellers
Old 12-19-2006 | 04:05 PM
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The clutch in the link is the exact same one i have my clutch was fine but the pp was way to light upon inspection the clutch is abit glazed on the engine side but not to bad. Would have been perfect with a stiffer pp.
Old 12-19-2006 | 06:11 PM
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I was tempted by one of those ebay clutches- all of them look similar. What is different, are the "cages" around the springs. The disk in the auction is very similar to the design on my spec- and those springs were busting out. Granted there is more to the hub construction than my spec disk (sandwiched section around springs) but coming fresh off a grenaded clutch, I wanted to installed something that I had the most confidence in possible. Plus, I didn't need a pressure plate since mine only had 800 miles on it.

re: the friction pad thickness- the reason they're not that thick is because they hardly wear. Instead of wearing themselves, they "share" the surface wear with your pressure plate and flywheel.

magna- what do the spring seats on the clutch disc hub look like? Are they beaten like the ones in my spec?

Old 12-19-2006 | 06:42 PM
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One more option is to take your old disc to a big truck place and just have them re-line it with something a bit more grippy.

Taking a chance but some have had sucess this way.
Old 12-19-2006 | 07:56 PM
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Well i think im going to go for the ebay one, please let me know how it goes magnam, im very interested!
Old 12-20-2006 | 05:03 AM
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Ive got a "xtd stage 3" its noisy and hard to drive, but its pretty good otherwise
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