Quote:
Originally Posted by 1slow370
actually the design of the bearing contact on the front of the slave cylinder can actually effect the force applied to the thrust bearing as well. due to lever shaped nature of pressure plate fingers the contact patch actually changes in size throughout the stroke of clutch engagement and different designs of bearing face and finger angle can cause side loads imparted to the clutch as you now need to actuate both the clutch itself and over come the these forces as well. the clutch imparts ZERO force on the thrust bearing, all of the axial pressure applied come from the throwout bearing overcoming friction and the spring force of the clutch in order to actuate it. Zspeed has done a good job with there upgraded (what looks to still be a valeo unit) csc as i'm sure it has no more problem with the o-ring in the base as the metal base probably doesn't distort as much as the plastic one did if there even is an o-ring anymore. But it seems to use the same bearing lock ring and plastic piston that the factory unit uses.
The company i am looking at makes multi-plate clutches, fly wheels, and hydraulic throwout bearings for many many full on drag cars, Midwest america series cars, formula 100 cars, and several other venues of professional racing, the parts are made entirely in the USA, and they don't carry the crazy upmarket prices you find on japanese parts. the factory CSC was like $260 from nissan, the one i'm looking at is full race forged and cnc machined aircraft grade aluminum and is proven to be damn near indestructible.
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Ram, Tilton or MCloed?
Too make this simple, If you move the contact area of the bearing face in, of course the lever ratio would be lighter. The 370 or 350 isn't going to have thrust bearing issues regardless with the loads it is seeing with the heaviest of clutches made for them at this point. The bearing the ZSpeed slave uses is self centering, Probably what you think is a retainer, This means the bearing will center itself to reduce/eliminate any side loads.
You will change load applied very little by moving the finger contact area in, You can only go in so far and at this point it is as far in as in can safely be with a single disk clutch. At the most, a 1/4" in is all you can go.
You mention how the angle changes on the diaphragm spring during release, Do you realize how far the fingers actually move on a clutch to release it fully?
Have you set-up the stock system to find out how far it moves with a full pedal stroke? Do you know how much "Too Far" is so you don't damage the pressure plates?
There are no plastic parts in the ZSpeed slave, The bearing lock ring doesn't do anything once the slave is installed, All the bearing does is push on the bearing sleeve which on the Zspeed slave is steel, Not plastic.
ZSpeed now has a slave kit for the OS Giken clutches which in our opinion are the best multi plate clutches available. This set up already moves the finger contact area in as far as possible too offer a lighter pedal feel.