RPS Carbon billet clutch

[Kai SRT10]

http://www.turboclutch.com/billet_chrys.html


There looks to be an interesting new clutch coming out from RPS.

It will be nice to have another high-horsepower clutch option.

Kai

 

[womsterr]

Yea for those that want to take their LIFE into their hands. Ask all the folks that had an RPS clutch explode on them. It cost me a motor/tranny and a lot more. Ask West Coast Viper that had an RPS clutch explode on the dyno and almost had it burn to the ground.

BTW - my first phonecall to RPS I was told they knew "NOTHING" of these problems. When I called back and told them about all the other folks that I had heard have the same problem, well what do you know....THEN they knew something. Then they told me their lawyer told them they couldn't say anything. FINE - whatever. They don't stand behind their product - and it may end up costing you $25 large like it did me...

Whew - I feel better now.

 

[Viper Specialty]

Yeah, looks like a nice clutch... but I have to say, I'll go with a proven 7.25 Tilton Carbon/Carbon triple plate any day of the week over an RPS.

 

[womsterr]

Daniel I'd like to hear a little more about that clutch. My new motor should be well north of 1,000 hp and the one thing i've not worked out yet is the clutch...

 

[Viper Specialty]

Womsterr- PM'ing you right now.

 

[Viper X]

I've spent some time on this issue to. Like you, wormsterr, my new engine should be north of 1100 hp. I've found an outfit called McCleod Clutch here in so Cal that makes some very heavy duty clutches and pressure plates for Viper. I ordered their twin disk street / strip setup. I was pleasantly surprised when I received it at how well made it appears to be. I'll post after I've put a few thousand miles on it.

After burning through two stock clutches, I tried a Centerforce dual friction set up. This one also has a modded Luk pressure plate, but they didn't cut into the heavy metal pressure plate components as RPS did. They merely shaved the plate itself and made a beefier clutch disk. I ran it for 8,000 miles without any issues until I had piston failure. It worked very well for the price in a 750 rwhp car.

IMHO, RPS got into trouble by modifying the stock Luk pressure plate the way they did. The pressure plate is what came apart and failed at West Coast Viper. I saw the results. I immediately bought scatter shields for both of my Vipers. I suggest everyone who has modded or will drag their Viper do this too. Very cheap insurance for your legs.

I'd like to know more about the Tilton set up.

Dan

 

[INFURNA]

I have had a Tilton, RPS, and HKS Tripple disc clutch on my previous cars and my opinion on them is very negative. Although Tilton will hold any power you through at it, for the price and driveablility its not worth it IMO. I enjoyed a single disc ceramic clutch rated at 900+ ft lbs of torque over any tripple disc ive ever had, only problem with that is ceramic discs like to fuse to the flywheel when they heat up. Ive been driving stick for a while and it took me some time to get used to a tripple disc. Its a classic on-off switch like feeling. If your building a straight up drag car go for the tilton if you have the money, if ur looking for street/strip then id recommend a single disc. Ive had both on previous cars and thats just my opinion.

 

[Viper Specialty]

I have had a Tilton, RPS, and HKS Tripple disc clutch on my previous cars and my opinion on them is very negative. Although Tilton will hold any power you through at it, for the price and driveablility its not worth it IMO. I enjoyed a single disc ceramic clutch rated at 900+ ft lbs of torque over any tripple disc ive ever had, only problem with that is ceramic discs like to fuse to the flywheel when they heat up. Ive been driving stick for a while and it took me some time to get used to a tripple disc. Its a classic on-off switch like feeling. If your building a straight up drag car go for the tilton if you have the money, if ur looking for street/strip then id recommend a single disc. Ive had both on previous cars and thats just my opinion.

Was your Tilton a Carbon/Carbon? They are available in many variations. Also, was this on a Viper? The Tilton, if a C/C, should not have been "on/off" like. On a Viper with as much low end torque as it has, should still allow the use of a "on/off" feeling clutch without too much hassle, just a little getting used to.

 

[mntngts99]

I immediately bought scatter shields for both of my Vipers. I suggest everyone who has modded or will drag their Viper do this too.

Viper X
I have looked around some for a scatter shield, Where did you get your's?
Thanks

 

[Kai SRT10]

Was your Tilton a Carbon/Carbon? They are available in many variations. Also, was this on a Viper? The Tilton, if a C/C, should not have been "on/off" like. On a Viper with as much low end torque as it has, should still allow the use of a "on/off" feeling clutch without too much hassle, just a little getting used to.

Do you have a Tilton Carbon/Carbon on your car?

 

[Kai SRT10]

Yea for those that want to take their LIFE into their hands. Ask all the folks that had an RPS clutch explode on them. It cost me a motor/tranny and a lot more. Ask West Coast Viper that had an RPS clutch explode on the dyno and almost had it burn to the ground.
Whew - I feel better now.

The West Coast Viper car was pushing 9000 rpm.

Do the RPS clutches have a reputation for grenading at more reasonable rpms?

 

[Viper Specialty]

it will, yes. It appears it is the only clutch that will meet my needs, that I TRUST, and that I wont have to replace on a bi-weekly basis. lol.

 

[Viper Specialty]

While I have little experience with RPS, I have heard MULTITUDES of bad stories asociated with them...hence "why" I have little experience with them.

 

[Kai SRT10]

it will, yes. It appears it is the only clutch that will meet my needs, that I TRUST, and that I wont have to replace on a bi-weekly basis. lol.

How much do they cost?

Are you putting in a scatter shield or a ballistic blanket?

What flywheel does it work with?

 

[Viper Specialty]

Kai- I will FWD you the same PM I sent to Wommster.

To answer your second/third questions:

-still undecided on scatter sheild... it depends on the weight of the unit, and if I can even make it fit. I am not going to be pushing the limits of the engine RPM wise, and I have yet to hear of any Tilton letting go catastrophically, so its a debatable issue.

-The Tilton clutch ONLY works with Tilton flywheels. The issues surrounding this are in the PM, half the reason I think I may be one of the few pioneers for the Tilton on Gen-3 cars for street use.

 

[womsterr]

Yea for those that want to take their LIFE into their hands. Ask all the folks that had an RPS clutch explode on them. It cost me a motor/tranny and a lot more. Ask West Coast Viper that had an RPS clutch explode on the dyno and almost had it burn to the ground.
Whew - I feel better now.

The West Coast Viper car was pushing 9000 rpm.

Do the RPS clutches have a reputation for grenading at more reasonable rpms?

Mine exploded on a NA engine making around 550 HP at 5000 RPM. Took out the motor, tranny and a whole lot more. Looks like it cracked where the ceramic pucks get mounted.

 

[Kai SRT10]

Mine exploded on a NA engine making around 550 HP at 5000 RPM. Took out the motor, tranny and a whole lot more. Looks like it cracked where the ceramic pucks get mounted.

AAACCCK!!

That's bad.

I'm going with Daniel's C/C Tilton option.

 

[RedVenom]

Mcloed!!!! All the way!! It's the best clutch I've ever had. I have around 810 to the wheels and it drives like stock. Mcloed Smart choice!!!!!!!!

 

[99 R/T 10]

Hey womsterr,
How did the clutch take out the engine? Was anythng salvagable? I just installed one of these puck type clutches and now am getting worried. So far so good, but.........................

 

[99 R/T 10]

This is a re-branded RPS clutch, correct?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/XTD-STAGE-3-CLUTCH-92-04-DODGE-VIPER-8-0L-8-3L_W0QQitemZ8038487170QQcategoryZ33729QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Viper X]

mntngts99

I bought both scatter shields from West Coast Viper. They are kevlar and install in about 1 hour.

Contact them for details. I forget the price, but they were very reasonable for the amount of protection that they provide.

Dan

PS - I was told that the engine rpms were about 7500 when that rps pressure plate let go at WCV. This was a Viper engine that was being dyno tested. I don't know of one that will spin to 9000 rpms (maybe I just don't know - correct me if I'm wrong)

 

[Kai SRT10]

PS - I was told that the engine rpms were about 7500 when that rps pressure plate let go at WCV. This was a Viper engine that was being dyno tested. I don't know of one that will spin to 9000 rpms (maybe I just don't know - correct me if I'm wrong)

I spoke to the owner at the Sandhills race right after it happened. He's an open road racer with a number of fast cars (he brought his Comp Coupe to the race instead.)

I thought he said they were running it at 9000 rpm, but maybe I'm wrong. I do know that they had modified it heavily so that it would spin very very high rpms, and my recollection is that it was significantly higher than the stock redline (higher than 7500.) Doesn't matter really, as I'm no longer interested in the RPS clutch because Daniel has convinced me that the Tilton clutch is the way to go. After seeing his VEC 2 install, I'm convinced that Daniel is the king of Viper tweakers.

 

[Viper Specialty]

Doesn't matter really, as I'm no longer interested in the RPS clutch because Daniel has convinced me that the Tilton clutch is the way to go. After seeing his VEC 2 install, I'm convinced that Daniel is the king of Viper tweakers.

Kai- You have no idea how much I appreciate someone who notices my work. I always try to make everything I do look as close to a factory install as possible, both in looks and functionality. I have extreme compassion for something that looks clean, has hidden features and/or works in tandem with other systems to make it "natural", as well as taking pride in what you DONT see as much as what you DO. If there were two promises I could ever make to ANYONE, its that I promise if you take apart something I built, it will be as perfect on the inside as the outside. I also promise that I thought far enough in advance to head off any upcoming problems before they reach your back door. For example, whats the point of a trick VEC-2 install if you have to rip it completely apart to update the firmware? Just the same, what good is a cool looking install that would be affected by something as simple as the rain? Inaccessibility? Got that covered too.

 

[womsterr]

That Ebay clutch is not an RPS from what I can tell.

The clutch took out the motor because when it exploded it did so with such a force that it basically vaporized the bellhousing. There were pieces EVERYWHERE. When I opened the hood it had torn up the wiring, crunch the headers, 02 sensors, fried the computer. There were clutch pucks everywhere. on the intake, sitting on the battery, on the track. Belhousing bolts went in the f'n crowd at the racetrack for crying out loud. It happened at the Mopar Nats.

Let me see...what else....the tranny was basically flying free and tried to wrench itself out of the chassis, and the when the bellhousing broke it broke the ears off the engine and spider cracked the block. Hence the need for a new engine.

RPS Clutch - take your life in your own hands. Now you know from where I come. Again when I called them they wanted NOTHING TO DO WITH IT and denied even hearing about other simliar instances. I have ALL THE CLUTCH PIECES IN A BOX ready to go to a metalurgist for testing. But I think we all know what happened and it was not the flywheel.

So...new engine, new parts, and more than double the HP, why not! Parts posted below.

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