Product Spotlight
Spec Stage 2
Clutch/Flywheel
I have a friend, the type of guy whose eyes are bigger than his checking account and the type who's never focused on the big picture. He recently enlisted my help in choosing a new clutch for his '07 GTI six-speed, telling me he wants a high performance unit that can handle massive amounts of torque, no matter the cost.
If only it was that simple. Many more factors need to be considered when purchasing a clutch that will ultimately affect comfort, drivability, and performance. You should consider your driving routine (heavy traffic or open highway), what the car is mainly used for (daily driven or track use), ease of shifting, how much pressure you have to exert when you change gears, noise, and vibration.
His GTI keeps to the street but will occasionally take a spirited canyon drive. His commute consists of a mix of surface streets and freeway driving. My recommendation was to aim for the best of both worlds. Sacrificing comfort for the sake of performance will leave you with a vehicle that's a pain in the leg to shift-particularly in a car that will never set a tire on the track. On the other hand, purely considering comfort really negates the purpose of upgrading the clutch in the first place.
After careful consideration, we found a setup that was just right. A Stage 2 clutch and billet steel flywheel from SPEC gives all the power-holding benefits of an aftermarket clutch while still being manageable in a daily driver. Currently, his GTI is running 300 hp and 320 lb-ft torque. This Stage 2 clutch can handle up to 411 lb-ft, leaving ample room for future power upgrades. To offset the loss of cushion from removing the stock dual-mass flywheel (DMF), the hub on the clutch disc has springs to dampen vibration, smooth out shifts, and keep drivetrain noise down. Anything higher than Stage 2 will use a disc material that makes shifting harder with rougher engagements-if you don't shift perfectly you're in for a neck-jerking ride.
Swapping the DMF for a single-mass flywheel also saves weight and provides increased throttle response and increased durability to handle increasing levels of power. The stock DMF is factory tuned to work with factory horsepower and torque and adding more power makes the DMF the weakest drivetrain link, a liability for cracking and ultimate failure. SPEC offers both an aluminum and a carbon billet steel flywheel.
Many would automatically choose aluminum since it's five pounds lighter and offers a slightly quicker throttle response, even though it transmits gear transmission noise. But since my buddy's car is turbocharged, the extra mass from the steel flywheel helps generate and maintain boost by keeping the turbo spooled during shifts.
Two weeks and 800 miles later my friend called me (always a good sign) to let me know that the SPEC setup work better than he hoped. He said that he had always heard that adding a performance clutch meant sacrificing comfort, and the SPEC setup proved his preconceived notions were wrong.
Choosing the right clutch for your vehicle goes beyond just considering power and torque. All drivetrain components contribute to the overall driving experience. SPEC offers a variety of replacement components to tailor your drivetrain to your needs and ultimately attain the performance, reliability, and drivability that suits you and your vehicle.-Anthony Gelinas
Application
• 2006-2009 MKV GTI, Jetta, Audi A3 with 240mm OEM clutch
Spec Stage 2 SV 872-2
• Full face clutch disc with pure Kevlar segments
• High torque dual spring hub clutch disc w/ wrap around spring holders
• 500 PSI increase in pressure plate clamping strength
• Torque Capacity: 411 lb-ft
• Parts: Pressure plate, clutch disc, slave cylinder, alignment tool
• Price: $619
Spec Flywheel SV87S
• Machined to .001 tolerance
• High carbon billet steel construction
• Includes starter ring gear and pressure plate alignment pins
• Torque Capacity: 411 lb-ft
• Parts: Pressure plate, clutch disc, slave cylinder, alignment tool
• Price: $619