ScienceofSpeed Sport & Billet Twin Carbon Clutch
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Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Phoenix
ScienceofSpeed Sport & Billet Twin Carbon Clutch
As many of you know, ScienceofSpeed has been working this past year on two new clutches for the S2000.
The clutch is one of the single most important interfaces you have with your S2000. If the clutch pedal is too stiff, or the engagement is too harsh, it really has a negative impact on how enjoyable to the car is to drive.
We have been installing aftermarket clutches since 2002 - ever since our customers have been toasting factory clutches with high horsepower and heavy duty racing that the factory clutch simply wasn't designed to handle. In fact, we were one of the first companies to receive an ACT clutch for installation. In our experience, aftermarket clutches have always traded drivability for increased power capacity. And the reason for this is simple - the capacity of a clutch is capable of is dictated by three aspects - friction coefficient, surface area, and clamping force. While increasing any of these three items results in increased capacity, it also results in some negative result. For example, increasing kinetic friction coefficient (simply but, the "stickiness") of the clutch disc makes the engagement harsher to engage. Increasing surface area results in a heavier clutch and less responsive engine. Increasing clamping force typically results in a heavier pedal effort and increased force against the engine's thrust bearings. All making the car less enjoyable to drive.
In the eight years we have been in business, we have identified two S2000 clutch customer groups. The first group is the customer with 6-9 psi supercharger and turbocharger kits producing around 300-400 horsepower at the wheels or customers with naturally aspirated engines that see heavy duty use at the track. These customers want a clutch that can withstand the increased power and heavy duty use without being a burden on activities like daily driving the car. Aftermarket clutches for these customers have in our experience been generally good, but have always required a compromise on pedal pressure or clutch engagement.
The second group is the customer's with high horsepower applications making in excess of 300 lb/ft of torque. Big power demands a heavy duty clutch. These customers have been dealing with stiff pedals, harsh engagement, and noisy multi-plate clutches to tame their beasts.
We spent time looking at what was currently available, and knew we could do better by applying new technology and designs that take advantage of the S2000 pull style clutch.
This research and development as resulted in two new products now available from ScienceofSpeed. Each is radically different in design with specific price points in mind, but BOTH share one aspect in common - both are very easy to drive featuring pedal pressures that are within 10% of stock clutches and engagements that are smooth yet crisp.
ScienceofSpeed Sport Clutch:
Increased power capacity while maintaining a light pedal effort and smooth engagement.
http://www.scienceofspeed.com/products/dri...d/Sport_Clutch/
drivability: despite having a 33% increase in clamping force, the revised geometry of the pressure plate's spring results in a pedal pressure that is within 10% of the factory pedal effort. In addition, the Kevlar/fiber/organic liner results in a smooth engagement.
performance: rated at 300 lb/ft at the flywheel (approximately 255 lb/ft at the wheel or 375-400 wheel horsepower). Disc is reinforced with bonded and fastened liners, fully caged damper springs, and high strength fasteners.
quality: compared to other aftermarket clutches, the Japanese made components are incomparable. The small additional cost in the quality components used is well justified when considering the cost to install a clutch in the S2000.
price: $565.00 plus bearings
ScienceofSpeed Billet Twin Carbon Clutch & Flywheel (to be released October 2009):
High power capacity while still offering a light pedal effort and smooth engagement.
http://www.scienceofspeed.com/products/dri..._carbon_clutch/
This clutch is very special. Using carbon-carbon friction liners, we are able to produce a clutch that has both high capacity and smooth drivability. Unlike every multi-plate clutch available (such as Exedy and Carbonetics) that have carbon-carbon meshing against steel (notable exceptions being Tilton and AP Racing) this clutch meshes carbon-carbon to carbon-carbon friction liners. This takes advantage of carbon-carbon's unique high kinetic but lower static friction to produce high capacity with smooth engagement.
drivability: there is no comparison. Compared to every aftermarket clutch that even comes close to this clutch in capacity, the clutch has a pedal pressure that is similar to stock and engagement that is crisp but smooth.
performance: rated at 700 lb/ft - that's 700-900 wheel horsepower. You'll break something else before you break this clutch. Unique multi-plate design allows increased surface area but still fits into the S2000 transmission with no cumbersome hydraulic reverse hardware used by other aftermarket clutches. Lightweight despite multiplate design - 8 lb lighter than factory 2004-2009 clutch/flywheel assembly. Noise has been reduced and lighter assembly has been achieved by designing the floater guides as a part of the pressure plate (aluminum) rather than the flywheel (chromoly steel).
quality: it comes no better.
price: $2395.00 including release and pilot bearings (other comparable clutches are $200-800 more and do not have the carbon-carbon to carbon-carbon design.
If you have any questions, please let us know.
Cheers,
-- Chris
The clutch is one of the single most important interfaces you have with your S2000. If the clutch pedal is too stiff, or the engagement is too harsh, it really has a negative impact on how enjoyable to the car is to drive.
We have been installing aftermarket clutches since 2002 - ever since our customers have been toasting factory clutches with high horsepower and heavy duty racing that the factory clutch simply wasn't designed to handle. In fact, we were one of the first companies to receive an ACT clutch for installation. In our experience, aftermarket clutches have always traded drivability for increased power capacity. And the reason for this is simple - the capacity of a clutch is capable of is dictated by three aspects - friction coefficient, surface area, and clamping force. While increasing any of these three items results in increased capacity, it also results in some negative result. For example, increasing kinetic friction coefficient (simply but, the "stickiness") of the clutch disc makes the engagement harsher to engage. Increasing surface area results in a heavier clutch and less responsive engine. Increasing clamping force typically results in a heavier pedal effort and increased force against the engine's thrust bearings. All making the car less enjoyable to drive.
In the eight years we have been in business, we have identified two S2000 clutch customer groups. The first group is the customer with 6-9 psi supercharger and turbocharger kits producing around 300-400 horsepower at the wheels or customers with naturally aspirated engines that see heavy duty use at the track. These customers want a clutch that can withstand the increased power and heavy duty use without being a burden on activities like daily driving the car. Aftermarket clutches for these customers have in our experience been generally good, but have always required a compromise on pedal pressure or clutch engagement.
The second group is the customer's with high horsepower applications making in excess of 300 lb/ft of torque. Big power demands a heavy duty clutch. These customers have been dealing with stiff pedals, harsh engagement, and noisy multi-plate clutches to tame their beasts.
We spent time looking at what was currently available, and knew we could do better by applying new technology and designs that take advantage of the S2000 pull style clutch.
This research and development as resulted in two new products now available from ScienceofSpeed. Each is radically different in design with specific price points in mind, but BOTH share one aspect in common - both are very easy to drive featuring pedal pressures that are within 10% of stock clutches and engagements that are smooth yet crisp.
ScienceofSpeed Sport Clutch:
Increased power capacity while maintaining a light pedal effort and smooth engagement.
http://www.scienceofspeed.com/products/dri...d/Sport_Clutch/
drivability: despite having a 33% increase in clamping force, the revised geometry of the pressure plate's spring results in a pedal pressure that is within 10% of the factory pedal effort. In addition, the Kevlar/fiber/organic liner results in a smooth engagement.
performance: rated at 300 lb/ft at the flywheel (approximately 255 lb/ft at the wheel or 375-400 wheel horsepower). Disc is reinforced with bonded and fastened liners, fully caged damper springs, and high strength fasteners.
quality: compared to other aftermarket clutches, the Japanese made components are incomparable. The small additional cost in the quality components used is well justified when considering the cost to install a clutch in the S2000.
price: $565.00 plus bearings
ScienceofSpeed Billet Twin Carbon Clutch & Flywheel (to be released October 2009):
High power capacity while still offering a light pedal effort and smooth engagement.
http://www.scienceofspeed.com/products/dri..._carbon_clutch/
This clutch is very special. Using carbon-carbon friction liners, we are able to produce a clutch that has both high capacity and smooth drivability. Unlike every multi-plate clutch available (such as Exedy and Carbonetics) that have carbon-carbon meshing against steel (notable exceptions being Tilton and AP Racing) this clutch meshes carbon-carbon to carbon-carbon friction liners. This takes advantage of carbon-carbon's unique high kinetic but lower static friction to produce high capacity with smooth engagement.
drivability: there is no comparison. Compared to every aftermarket clutch that even comes close to this clutch in capacity, the clutch has a pedal pressure that is similar to stock and engagement that is crisp but smooth.
performance: rated at 700 lb/ft - that's 700-900 wheel horsepower. You'll break something else before you break this clutch. Unique multi-plate design allows increased surface area but still fits into the S2000 transmission with no cumbersome hydraulic reverse hardware used by other aftermarket clutches. Lightweight despite multiplate design - 8 lb lighter than factory 2004-2009 clutch/flywheel assembly. Noise has been reduced and lighter assembly has been achieved by designing the floater guides as a part of the pressure plate (aluminum) rather than the flywheel (chromoly steel).
quality: it comes no better.
price: $2395.00 including release and pilot bearings (other comparable clutches are $200-800 more and do not have the carbon-carbon to carbon-carbon design.
If you have any questions, please let us know.
Cheers,
-- Chris
Thread Starter
Former Sponsor
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,864
Likes: 6
From: Phoenix
Originally Posted by AP2uner,Sep 16 2009, 09:39 AM
Will your sport clutch work with my Carbonetics lightweight flywheel?
Cheers,
-- Chris
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Figured I should chime in here. I've had this clutch for a few thousand miles.
I have had the SOS AC/SC kit since 5k original miles on my car.
The stock clutch didn't like that at all. I mean, if I drove it like it wasn't supercharged (as you can with their kit) it was fine. I did notice when I'd get on the gas that the stock clutch started slipping pretty bad.
They gave me a heads up about this clutch while it was still in beta testing, so I figured I'd go that route.
I was nervous about picking up a higher rated than stock clutch because of all the buzzing everyone complained about.
They told me it should be very minimal if not non-existant when I asked about it. I agreed and had them install it along with some upgrades for the SC kit.
I'm at almost 19k miles now (I think I installed this between 10-12k?) but they were RIGHT.
No buzzing. The only time I hear anything is if I'm REALLY on it and downshifting and engine braking at high RPMs...but its barely there.
The clutch holds strong and is worlds greater than the stock setup.
Highly recommended for anyone wanting to upgrade theirs.
I have had the SOS AC/SC kit since 5k original miles on my car.
The stock clutch didn't like that at all. I mean, if I drove it like it wasn't supercharged (as you can with their kit) it was fine. I did notice when I'd get on the gas that the stock clutch started slipping pretty bad.
They gave me a heads up about this clutch while it was still in beta testing, so I figured I'd go that route.
I was nervous about picking up a higher rated than stock clutch because of all the buzzing everyone complained about.
They told me it should be very minimal if not non-existant when I asked about it. I agreed and had them install it along with some upgrades for the SC kit.
I'm at almost 19k miles now (I think I installed this between 10-12k?) but they were RIGHT.
No buzzing. The only time I hear anything is if I'm REALLY on it and downshifting and engine braking at high RPMs...but its barely there.
The clutch holds strong and is worlds greater than the stock setup.
Highly recommended for anyone wanting to upgrade theirs.
