Don't buy spec EVER!!!

Denver_whiteST185

Denver_whiteST185

New member
so, my car has had maybe 4 months on the new clutch. i had never raced it, i launched it once in wet weather (two months ago) and i babied the crap out of it. well, obviously my car hasn't been running because there was some problem. yesterday i pulled off the tranny and low and behold, my throwout bearing was fine. however, the clutch disk tore out one of the springs. this was a spec stage 2 with around 3-4k miles.

(crappy pic, i know)
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i know i will never buy another spec clutch. right now i've got an oem disk on the way from 1st toyota. luckly spec makes their pressure plates out of oem plates which have been upgraded, so im going to keep the spec pressure plate.

btw, for those who don't know, this isn't the first time that this has happened. ive seen other threads, like the one that 93celicaconvertable made about his exploding.
 
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Simba

New member
I've pounded the absolute shit out of three different stage 2 and 3 spec clutches. Zero issues.

I suppose it's possible there was a bad run of them or something, but seeing as how all of the sprung disks that fail do so in exactly the same way, I'm betting there's an as yet uncovered common theme among them.
 
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etantshi

Moderator
Dunno what it is. But I won't get burned again. This is an all too common theme. Mine had about 3 months worth of work before it grenaded.
 
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Aaron

Member
Is that the same one you had for sale last year? Glad I didn't buy it from you, but I've been having a great experience with my Spec Stage 3+.
 
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SuperWhite92

New member
Simba":xmcoysah said:
I've pounded the absolute shit out of three different stage 2 and 3 spec clutches. Zero issues.

I suppose it's possible there was a bad run of them or something, but seeing as how all of the sprung disks that fail do so in exactly the same way, I'm betting there's an as yet uncovered common theme among them.
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Agreed. I haven't seen any clutch hold up to what my old SPEC Stage 2 did. I was that things worst nightmare.

But it seems it more and more common, and I bought mine years ago, when spec hadn't exploded yet. Is it possible they've cheapened them up over the years?
 
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Aaron

Member
SuperWhite92":333u4plr said:
But it seems it more and more common, and I bought mine years ago, when spec hadn't exploded yet. Is it possible they've cheapened them up over the years?
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I don't know, but if you want to start a database, I bought mine November 2006 and like I said, it's awesome. Even at stock power levels, a Stage 3+ is definitely not "too much clutch." It's much better than the F1 "Racing" 6-puck clutch or whatever it was I got last time from eBay. You just have to justify spending $530 on a clutch kit, which in my opinion is completely and totally justifiable.
 
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RIalltrac

Active member
ya my stage 2 holds just perfectly and I've been running it for roughly 1.5 years. I dont seem to have any problems. I'm not dropping gobs of horsepower to the ground or anything, but I do hammer on it a bit. Maybe the newer runs of these clutches arent getting the same type quality control ? :shrug:
 
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etantshi

Moderator
Or maybe they're using inferior parts that are not holding up to normal useage. This would seem the case and many are failing in the same area, but they, of course, won't say anything about it.
 
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EricGT4

Member
I had a spec stage three in my 02 WRX and it was awesome. Ended up being a bit too much for the tranny. Then again that whole car is way too much for the tranny.
 
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sozzer

New member
I had my Spec 3 clutch spring go out less than 8 months after being installed. No proublems up untill then, but when it requires 15-20 hours to install a new one.. well you know. It was the 6 disc stage 3 not the 3+. Anyone like one clutch better than the rest? Street driven only, but like a clutch that can handle really well and last for more than 1 year. Maybe 5-10 years...
 
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therealmusashi

New member
I guess I'm next in line to join the club of SPEC suckers. Had my Stage 2 in my car for a little over a year before it tossed a spring into the works and trashed everything up real nice.

I'm an aggressive driver, but not a racer. Never launched it, never been to a track.

Best part is, my alltrac isn't my daily driver, so the whole set up had *maybe* 4k miles on it. Just beautiful.
 
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Luni

New member
All these busted spring issues are why I decided to go with an unsprung disk.

Wouldnt matter what company made it, if you had an unsprung clutch, youd have piece of mind in knowing that can never happen.

And the pedal feel and engagement really arent that bad compared to their sprung counterparts.

I like my 6 puck unsprung ACT. Others dont. Matter of preference I guess.

Ive installed a spec stage 3 sprung into a friends MR2. He doesnt have that many miles on his though. Cant say whether its been reliable or not.
 
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tursup

New member
I've also had a spring go on my MR2. I had only 19,000 miles on a Stage 3 (before I put a stroker in). I have since instlled an ACT. They have been holding up on my other cars.
 
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