If it’s time to replace the flywheel and clutch in your vehicle, it may be a good idea to consider the different options available before choosing your replacement part. The following is a summary of a couple of advice on the replacement of clutches, as well as their general characteristics.

An OEM replacement clutch will be very close to the performance and feel of the original clutch that the car came with. In fact, this choice is well balanced and more than sufficient for the vast majority of motorists. Generally OEM clutches feature relatively easy disengagement with minimal pedal pressure, and smooth contact and engagement when the pedal is released.

Mild to mid-range performance clutches and heavy duty clutches generally feature increased clamping force and/or different fidanza flywheel clutch disc composition so as to increase the mechanism’s holding power and response time. Vehicles equipped with this type of clutch should have a noticeably stronger engagement when shifting gears are not too jerky. The clutch will also have the ability to handle more engine horsepower without slipping, as well as transferring the power more smoothly for performance driving or towing. Drivers should expect some increase in pedal effort when disengaging the clutch. This type of clutch should satisfy virtually anyone who has found the performance of their stock equipment lacking because of engine modifications or demanding driving conditions.

Multi-puck or racing clutches replace the standard clutch unit with a disc, on which is mounted several friction pucks that produce the holding force to make the clutch work. Generally multi-puck clutches come with 3 or 6 friction producing pucks mounted on a sprung clutch plate. As a general rule, these types of clutches are not well suited to most driving. They massively increase clamping force which gives them an excellent ability to hold power. However, engagement with this type of clutch is often jerky and can be difficult to control smoothly. This type of flexplate clutch is also notorious for producing chatter or noisy operation during engagement and disengagement. Drivers should also expect a significant increase in pedal effort. This type of clutch is only necessary for the most heavily modified performance cars, or heavy-duty towing vehicles that require the extra clamping force they are able to produce.