Your opinion on a decent clutch...

[tripton]

I'm not real sure of the clutch I should put in my 72 chevy. Theres so many out there, I'm just looking for a decent clutch at a decent price that wont need replacing in 1500 miles. Truck has a 350 and a sm465. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[geezer#99]

Last one I bought at Napa.
Was a zoom branded 11 inch.
Don’t be cheap.
Buy quality at a higher price.

[b454rat]

Don't need a crazy clutch. Name brand standard usage, can't remember diaphragm or Borg n beck. One is heavy duty one isn't. I used the non HD in a healthy 454 with 4.10s and 35s, did just fine.

[rsavage]

LUK are fine for normal use. Couple things to consider. It is important to have your flywheel surfaced and static balanced. Replace the throwout bearing that comes with a lot of clutch kits that have a resin type body with one with a steel body. Make sure your pilot bushing is good. Good time to replace that inexpensive item. Make sure that it slides on the input shaft before carefully knocking the new one in. On the truck 4 speeds and transfer cases, when I install them, I use guide bolts. I cut the heads off longer bolts. You can saw a screw driver slot in the end to facilitate their removal (you have to fit the length to a particular ear so that you can get the guide bolt out when you are replacing them with the correct bolt). The guide bolts make it fool proof in getting the transmission to mate with the clutch (you have used an alignment tool to center the disc already) and the pilot bushing. These transmissions are too heavy to be wrestling with so the guide bolts make it simple. Same thing on mating a TC into the back of the trans especially when that TC input shaft is sometimes going into a loose needle bearing receiver.

[AussieinNC]

Originally Posted by b454rat

Don't need a crazy clutch. Name brand standard usage, can't remember diaphragm or Borg n beck. One is heavy duty one isn't. I used the non HD in a healthy 454 with 4.10s and 35s, did just fine.

Just a note....if you decide to replace the clutch unit with a different style, remember to always buy the correct throw out bearing to suit the new clutch.

Borg and Beck style uses a different throw out bearing to a diaphragm style.

Finally, make sure there is a bronze pilot bush in the end of the crank....have seen many times someone converted an auto to a manual and forgot to add the bush...doing so will cause premature failure of the clutch.

Thanks rsavage ....you just got in before me....

[burnin oil]

If they still offer it Advance Auto lifetime was pretty good. After that I would go with a replacement Luk. I never had any luck with Ram clutches.

[AcampoDave]

Originally Posted by rsavage

LUK are fine for normal use. Couple things to consider. It is important to have your flywheel surfaced and static balanced. Replace the throwout bearing that comes with a lot of clutch kits that have a resin type body with one with a steel body. Make sure your pilot bushing is good. Good time to replace that inexpensive item. Make sure that it slides on the input shaft before carefully knocking the new one in. On the truck 4 speeds and transfer cases, when I install them, I use guide bolts. I cut the heads off longer bolts. You can saw a screw driver slot in the end to facilitate their removal (you have to fit the length to a particular ear so that you can get the guide bolt out when you are replacing them with the correct bolt). The guide bolts make it fool proof in getting the transmission to mate with the clutch (you have used an alignment tool to center the disc already) and the pilot bushing. These transmissions are too heavy to be wrestling with so the guide bolts make it simple. Same thing on mating a TC into the back of the trans especially when that TC input shaft is sometimes going into a loose needle bearing receiver.

Studs are a godd idea. Last time I did install a truck 4 speed I removed the floor pan and brought it in thru the door with my engine hoist and a short chain in the top plate bolts.. That's pretty dang easy too.

[tripton]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Last one I bought at Napa.
Was a zoom branded 11 inch.
Don’t be cheap.
Buy quality at a higher price.

I'm trying not to be cheap but don t want to go broke doing this either, I was looking at Luk....

[tripton]

I'll