Richcart

What would be my best bet for a good quality clutch for my 65? I haven't installed a clutch in over 25 years, at the time Hayes, McLeod, and Zoom were good. What about now? I would like slightly over stock, but not one I will have to use two feet to push the clutch pedal in. I have had this car since 1990 and the clutch is just now starting to slip. Who knows how long it had been in the car before I got it. Thanks, Rich.

BarryK

I replaced the clutch in my '65 365hp about 2 years or so ago. I used the LUK #04-021 OEM replacement. i've been very happy with it and it's not expensive and it works great.
If your 350hp motor os stock or close to stock there is no reason to go with a more "heavy duty" application clutch unless you are doing a lot of racing.

http://www.carolinaclutch.com/ShowIt...tch%20Kit.aspx

Bluestripe67

That's the one going in my car this week. Dennis

Roeich

I have a new LUK 04-021 in the box I will sell you. PM me

Richcart

Thanks Barry, what is the normal labor time and rate that is fair?

Bluestripe67

It sounds like you are going to have a shop do the work. It is a true test for a shop to do this with the engine in the car since it's a tight squeeze getting the trans input shaft past the bellhousing opening. I do all my own work and my engine is out right now. I can't suggest a cost, but it will be money well spent having the flywheel and pressure plate balanced along with resurfacing the flywheel. Dennis

ffas23

Just installed a Sachs OEM replacement Clutch Kit by (Borg&Beck) in my '67 Coupe about 3 weeks ago. The Sach clutch has a good pedal feel to it. Make sure you get your flywheel ground down. Don't take any chances with it as some people do. Did the job on my lift with help from a friend. With a lift you can do the job without taking the trans down as it will go back some but you need one of those screw type of jack stands to hold the trans up. Glad I had one on hand.

BarryK

sorry, i have no idea. I can't afford to pay a shop to do the work so I did it myself. The tranny has to get dropped out to replace the clutch and as mentioned by Dennis you should get the flywheel resurfaced. That was only about $25.000 at a local machine shop. I did not have the flywheel and pressure plate balanced - I saw no need and everything has been fine without having it done.
In my case I already pulled the tranny to have that rebuilt so I was replacing the clutch just before re-installing the tranny back in.

Although it took me a LOT more time to do the job laying on my back with the car on jackstands, I would hazard a guess that a real shop, with an experienced mechanic, and the car actually raised up on a lift it would probably be something like 3-5 labor hours at the shops hourly rate plus shop supplies and the "extra's" like getting the flywheel resurfaced, the actual cost of the clutch unit, etc.

Mike Geary

I wasn't impressed with the plastic TO bearing. Pretty noisy.

Would recommend you toss it and use the GM 15680264 instead.

BarryK

plastic?? seriously? the TO bearing I got with my LUK kit wasn't plastic. The only plastic part i got in my kit was the alignment tool

LouieM

I've had good luck over the years with Centerforce clutches, so you will want to give them a look too.

Mike Geary

Yep, the body was a dark gray composite material.

While that might not be a structural concern (but why install something that you're going to worry over?) -- it was the NOISE that bugged me.

I've seen several reports of high noise levels in the LUK-supplied TO bearings, so it wasn't just an isolated defective piece...

Nowhere Man

I like the one in my BB Chevelle

hedgehead

BarryK

well, like i said mine wasn't plastic and it's been in since about March of 2010 and I have no noise.

John BX NY

If someone had an old Chilton's labor time guide you could get a good idea of the labor required to do the job...

Desert Nomad

Just insure you purchase a pressure plate with the raised bent fingers, otherwise you may encounter pedal travel problems, like having the clutch engage to close to the floor. The service manual mentions that all corvettes use these type of pressure plates. In fact John Z mentioned this a while back. I went through this nightmare a few years ago.

Richcart

Thank you all for you insight. Rich.

67's

You actually can get the Luk clutch from NAPA, that is where I got mine last year.

Tampa Jerry

Make sure you get the correct size T/O bearing. You do not want the one for passenger cars. The bearing for the vette is longer. I made that mistake and pulled the transmission out to make the change. The second time is always a charm. Also, inspect your starter ring to make sure that there are no low spots or missing teeth on the ring. My 68 had a few bad teeth which when came up chipped the starter gear. The fix was cheap and easy at the machine shop. Easy that is, with the flywheel out of the car. Jerry