Historically, high performance clutches have been a compromise. While improving holding or clamping pressure, manufacturers nearly always increase pedal pressure to an uncomfortable point, especially for stop-and-go driving.
Besides drivability concerns, additional pedal pressure can adversely affect stock clutch linkage and cause premature thrust bearing wear, leading to missed shifts, damaged clutch components, and even engine damage
Today, thanks to the advancements we have been able to make through development, testing and fine tuning, Clutch Masters has been able to increase the overall holding pressure of a clutch without the increased pedal pressure and the problems that can arise from that. We have accomplished this feat by developing and implementing our Hi-Leverage™ technique on all of our pressure plates across the entire lineup of clutches we manufacture.
Excessively increased pedal pressure, which is commonplace in most high performance clutches, places an unreliable amount of pressure on the delicate crankshaft thrust bearing found in most of today's sport compact automobiles. Placing undue stress on the thrust bearing typically causes the bearing to wear prematurely or fail altogether. This failure can lead to catastrophic internal engine damage.
A clutch, simply put, is a friction device that disengages and engages the engine from the transmission to allow for transition from motionless to movement and for gear changes. For street applications a smooth transition of power is essential while still being able to transfer all the power of the engine to the transmission. As the power output of modified engines increases and demands on clutches become greater, the holding and clamping capacity of a clutch must also increase. This is where Clutch Masters' innovative engineering comes into play.