Centerforce Dual Friction Broke my Crank
01-20-2005, 03:57 PM
#1
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Centerforce Dual Friction Broke my Crank
At least that is what the engine builder is claiming.
He says that he has run a bunch of tests, and that a perfectly balanced engine will be way out of ballance when you bolt on the centerforce. He believes that the counterweights often don't all return to thier original position and therefore create a vibration that directly affects the crank. He says that he has seen three engines fail due to a broken crank over the years and all three had a centerforce clutches.
Anyone else had any trouble like this?
He says that he has run a bunch of tests, and that a perfectly balanced engine will be way out of ballance when you bolt on the centerforce. He believes that the counterweights often don't all return to thier original position and therefore create a vibration that directly affects the crank. He says that he has seen three engines fail due to a broken crank over the years and all three had a centerforce clutches.
Anyone else had any trouble like this?
01-20-2005, 04:01 PM
#2
Melting Slicks
Originally Posted by Doug70vert
At least that is what the engine builder is claiming.
He says that he has run a bunch of tests, and that a perfectly balanced engine will be way out of ballance when you bolt on the centerforce. He believes that the counterweights often don't all return to thier original position and therefore create a vibration that directly affects the crank. He says that he has seen three engines fail due to a broken crank over the years and all three had a centerforce clutches.
Anyone else had any trouble like this?
He says that he has run a bunch of tests, and that a perfectly balanced engine will be way out of ballance when you bolt on the centerforce. He believes that the counterweights often don't all return to thier original position and therefore create a vibration that directly affects the crank. He says that he has seen three engines fail due to a broken crank over the years and all three had a centerforce clutches.
Anyone else had any trouble like this?
Bunk!!!
"He says that he has seen three engines fail due to a broken crank over the years and all three had a centerforce clutches."
I think I'd find another builder FAST.
01-20-2005, 04:02 PM
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Huh? Never heard such a thing.....were all three engines built by this same guy?
Maybe there's a corrolation how he builds the engines and the breakage....
Maybe there's a corrolation how he builds the engines and the breakage....
01-20-2005, 04:14 PM
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Possible, maybe even likely IF the weights decided to gaul or otherwise freeze into place.
Fair warning, I guess, to check oocasionally for free movement.
Fair warning, I guess, to check oocasionally for free movement.
01-20-2005, 04:28 PM
#6
Race Director
Seen it yourself or heard about it ? It sounds like the guy is using
a form of "logical BS" something that sounds logical but pure fiction
a form of "logical BS" something that sounds logical but pure fiction
01-20-2005, 04:33 PM
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Originally Posted by MotorHead
Seen it yourself or heard about it ? It sounds like the guy is using
a form of "logical BS" something that sounds logical but pure fiction
a form of "logical BS" something that sounds logical but pure fiction
Let's see the test data, curious as to the crank failure rate for Centerforce equiped eng's since I have one. 
01-20-2005, 04:34 PM
#8
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Where did the crank break? Could be many reasons. Post pictures. You'll be surprized at how knowledgeable some of the Forum members are at this kind of analysis. A fair number of metallurgists (Norval comes immediately to mind) are on the Forum and can probably take a look at the fracture and determine what the nature of the failure was.
I hope my reference of Norval isn't an imposition. My apologies if it is.
I hope my reference of Norval isn't an imposition. My apologies if it is.
01-20-2005, 04:43 PM
#9
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I don't know about crank failures but we have had some pretty serious issues with the Centerforce DF clutches here. A lot of time the weights will not return to the center and will cause vibrations and premature clutch failures. I can't really see a crank breaking unless the vibration was horrible but it can lead to problem. I will never run a CF clutch myself, there are too many other good clutches out there to take a chance.
.
.
01-20-2005, 04:49 PM
#10
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Originally Posted by Paul @ Thunder
I don't know about crank failures but we have had some pretty serious issues with the Centerforce DF clutches here. A lot of time the weights will not return to the center and will cause vibrations and premature clutch failures. I can't really see a crank breaking unless the vibration was horrible but it can lead to problem. I will never run a CF clutch myself, there are too many other good clutches out there to take a chance.
.
.
Centerforce has to be aware of the problem.......doesn't make sense to pump out a defective product
01-20-2005, 04:53 PM
#11
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2020 C2 of the Year - Modified Winner
2020 Corvette of the Year (performance mods)
C2 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
2017 C2 of Year Finalist
Never had a problem. Used the same one on three different engines, ranging from a 550hp 427. 732 hp 540 and a 400 hp 327. It's still working fine, has endured many 7000+ rpm blasts, launches on slicks and many street miles and crosscountry trips.
The only issue I had was it finally started to slip after I started making past 800 hp. Man...gotta hate that!
JIM
The only issue I had was it finally started to slip after I started making past 800 hp. Man...gotta hate that!
JIM
01-20-2005, 05:05 PM
#13
Le Mans Master
Paul: While Centerforce has a VERY bad rep for their LS1 clutches, their old school clutches are considered somewhere near the top of the line. I'm not sure why they can't seem to get the LS1 clutches to work but I was warned about them when I was putting my LS1 motor together. My old 350 had a CF clutch and I had no issues with it.
01-20-2005, 05:06 PM
#14
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Originally Posted by Paul @ Thunder
We've never had a problem with them up until a few years ago. Before that they were flawless. Something changed. 
Paul
Paul
Yup....Made in China....
01-20-2005, 05:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Doug70vert
At least that is what the engine builder is claiming.
He says that he has run a bunch of tests, and that a perfectly balanced engine will be way out of ballance when you bolt on the centerforce. He believes that the counterweights often don't all return to thier original position and therefore create a vibration that directly affects the crank. He says that he has seen three engines fail due to a broken crank over the years and all three had a centerforce clutches.
Anyone else had any trouble like this?
He says that he has run a bunch of tests, and that a perfectly balanced engine will be way out of ballance when you bolt on the centerforce. He believes that the counterweights often don't all return to thier original position and therefore create a vibration that directly affects the crank. He says that he has seen three engines fail due to a broken crank over the years and all three had a centerforce clutches.
Anyone else had any trouble like this?
01-20-2005, 05:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Scooter70
Paul: While Centerforce has a VERY bad rep for their LS1 clutches, their old school clutches are considered somewhere near the top of the line.
We thought that same thing until we just kept seeing problem. Yes the LS1 clutches are horrible. We had vibration and total clutch failures in cars that have never had problems before like Mustangs and LT1s. I know they knew about the problem because they kept warranting clutches with no questions ask. Usually we have to beg clutch manufacturing to warranty the occasional failure. I don't know if things have changed in the last year but we just quit using them. We mainly do the SPEC, Ram, and McLeod clutches now.
Paul
I just put one in.
01-20-2005, 06:09 PM
#18
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Mine had a centerforce DF on it when I bought the car. It vibrated. Switched to the "zwede hybrid clutch" which is a Hays PP with a McCleod dual surface disc and never had a problem.
01-20-2005, 06:16 PM
#20
Race Director
Mine has been in for 6 years and many high rpm blasts. Never failed and has no vibration. I have had it out many times and it looks good each time so Ikeep putting it back in.