I'm in the market for a high quality, heavy duty clutch for my '95 T100. I pull a big dump trailer and I also have a SC. Do you guys recommend any particular type/brand? Currently, I have my eye on Marlin Crawler's (http://www.marlincrawler.com/htm/transmission/clutch.htm). Anyone have experience with this?

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Marlin's clutch is a factory ASCO (Aisin Seiki Co.) clutch. Better than what you'll get from the dealer because its new and not reman, but still just a stock clutch. I bought one thinking it was an "upgrade," but returned it because it was not. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

The Centerforce Stage 2 is just an ASCO clutch with their special weights on the clutch fingers to supposedly increase clamping pressure at speed (and gold paint). I'm running this one and feel it was a waste of money because I can't tell any difference from stock (and the stock clutch is weak, IMO).

The only one I know of that I feel would really be and upgrade from stock is the Centerforce Dual Friction. I've heard good experiences about it and that's what I'll be putting in next time the tranny is out, unless I learn of something else better in the mean time...

you recommend a place to purchase the Centerforce Dual Friction clutch?

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I got one from summit for my old jeep j-10. It was the only part of the jeep I liked.

Wait I also liked trading it in for my toyota.

Check this...
http://store.summitracing.com/egnse...115+4294906245&Ntk=KeywordSearch

Before you go out and buy something ask yourself it the present setup is slipping. A 'heavy duty' clutch is a disc with more stuff on it and stronger springs. That gives you more wear under slipping conditions while you engage it. What you really should consider is a strionger pressure plate. The thing that keeps the clutch from slipping is the psi on it. A high pressure / heavy pressure plate is the ticket there. Example - I had lots of luck in the good old days with a 6 cylinger truck clutch (smaller diameter but thicker) with a high horsepower small block chevy pressure plate on my old chevys. 11 inch PP and a 9.5" clutch. Could really dump off the line and never even get the clutch hot. It just got your knees because in them days it was mechanical linkage only. Lots of pedal push. With hydraulics today,,,,Just a thought from an old geezer

Exactally. That is why I was thinking about the Marlin Crawler Heavy Duty kit. It says, "The Super Heavy Duty kit features a 1600 ft-lb pressure plate for maximum gripping power, while the Heavy Duty kit features a 1200 ft-lb pressure plate, much better compared to the OEM 900 ft-lb plate."

But ErikB says that the Crawler clutch feels like stock. Pulling my trailer is tough on a clutch because I have to slowly engage it, especially on climbs. But it sounds like I should also have a high rated pressure plate.?.? Is there any kit that better meets these two requirements?

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Don't run a heavier pressure plate than you need to. It puts a lot more strain on the engines thrust bearing when you run a super-strong pressure plate. Remember, when you push that pedal down the only thing you're pushing against is the engines thrust bearing.

The "Super HD" clutch from Marlin is only available for the 22r/re engines. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> I'm running it on my 4Runner though and I like it.

AFAIK, there is no stronger pressure plate for the V6 engines. If there was (and it was decent quality), I'm pretty sure Marlin would be selling it...

That's why I recommended the CF DF. Its the only one I know of for the V6's thats stronger than stock.

I just looked at Marlins page and noticed the ceramic clutches. Those are new since I was last clutch shopping. I don't know much about them but the only opinion I heard from one person using one was that it was basically on/off and hard to make slip when you want to. I would look for more opinions than that though. The "pucked" design, as they call it, is similar to the dual-friction (less surface area = higher PSI for same clamping force, but faster wear, not that clutches have a problem of wearing out quickly though). I would like to know more about the ceramic one myself. Try it and let us know how you like it! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> They're 15% off right now too. (I'm pretty sure the 3.0 and 3.4 use the same clutch).

My son is into racing tech , specifically brakes. He says ceramics are great - hot. Heat dissipation and wear resistance etc. But when cold, which would be normal for most of street applications, they suck. First application when 'cold' is iffy. Wailing them with a load down hill they are great. As is most things, ya gotta go for what fits the application. Heavy rig, up and down grades, towing - if you go ceramic, you will probably have to change how you drive on the flats with ceramic BRAKES. On the other hand, clutches may slip a little when 'cold', get hot fast and be real good with extensive use. However, how many times do you actually use a clutch and PP? Once locked up, you do not unless you are in heavy stop and go traffic or pulling a lot of grades.

What to do, what to do.... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I've experienced that with carbon metallic brake pads- They were weaker than stock when cold, but stronger than stock when they got hot (after a few hard stops). Like you say, 95% of the time my brakes were cold, so those pads were definitely not ideal. I can see how they would be good for racing though, which is really what they were designed for and why TRD sells them...

The Hawk HPS pads I'm using now are stronger than stock hot or cold, which I like, but they are really dusty.


My limited experience with smoking clutches is that they slip a lot more when overheated (and obviously heat up even more as they slip more). I can see how the ceramic clutch would be better in that situation. I just wonder how bad the "on/off" characteristic really is. If its as bad as that one user said, I don't think I'd like it for normal daily driving...

I also think there is a lot more to a friction material than just what it is made out of (base material). They can play with the friction vs. heat properties and make them act differently depending on the designed use like racing or street, etc.