[cstavaru]

Today I replaced my former ACT Street clutch (it begun to slip at 7000 miles - but it was used for drag racing) with a Sachs Performance 4-puck sintered clutch disc and cover. This clutch is rated at 670Nm (500lb-ft) at the flywheel but I ordered the further reinforced clutch plate (more pedal pressure) which upgrades the rating to 770-800Nm (570-590lb-ft) at the flywheel. I managed to get the clutch kit at reseller price (430EUR excluding VAT). I also used a new OEM flywheel, but my former flywheel was in good shape.

I realized that using an organic clutch for hard driving and especially drag racing is a nonsense. Especially with the ACT Street, it seems that the pressure plate springs cannot cope with repeated extreme heat and the pedal becomes a bit soft after 5-6 launches in a row (it hardens again after the clutch cools down), which is a sign that the pressure plate spring metal soften with heat. The organic disc looked quite worn too.

From my research I concluded that 4-puck cluches are almost undriveable in traffic, yet most of the Sachs 4-puck reviews stated that the clutch drives quite well. I am sure the clutch material is very important in driveability, and I imagined that if someone would make a good puck clutch material, that would have to be Sachs.

You cannot imagine how nervous I was installing a 4-puck clutch. I like to drive my car around town and on holidays, I sometimes daily drive it so I was secretly hoping that the clutch would not be undriveable in stop and go traffic.

To my huge surprise, this clutch DRIVES ALMOST LIKE STOCK. I think I need to make a video for you to believe this It doesn't even shudder when you engage the first gear, except in the first 2-3 kilometers after I left the service shop, where it had a very faint shudder, almost imperceptible when starting in 1st gear. I can go in reverse with no shudder whatsoever, I can park the car without any problem. Pedal effort is lower than ACT (but higher than stock), I really have to ask (the 3rd time) the vendor if they did reinforce my clutch plate. I guess I didn't notice that the ACT pedal was quite stiff (I do bodybuilding). The engagement point is higher, stock-like (I think that I can reinstall my clutch stop now). Now I really think that the majority of driveability problems with puck clutches come from the use of lightweight, single-mass flywheels. Or maybe there are many people who talk about puck clutches and few actually using them ? Not sure.

I cannot tell you how happy I am that the driveability of the car was not altered by the clutch. How well it holds it remains to be seen, but I think it can't last shorter than the ACT. 20000 miles would be great. Before spending a huge amount of money on a HPF clutch or a ClutchMasters twin-disc, you may want to consider this one.

Posted are some pictures of the worn parts and the new clutch.

[GeorgiaTech335coupe]

Nice post. You have me intrigued. I will definitely look to this option when my ACT gives out.

So you can confirm that the engagement point is definitely higher than the ACT?

I laughed about the bodybuilding comment of why you didn't notice the ACT requiring a lot of effort.

[cstavaru]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaTech335coupe

So you can confirm that the engagement point is definitely higher than the ACT?

I can definitely confirm this. But I am not 100% it is as high as stock because I don't remember the stock very well, however it engages a few centimeters (4-5 maybe even more) from the floor.

[Boost!]

How does the cost compare to ACT? Nice review!

[cstavaru]

Originally Posted by Boost!

How does the cost compare to ACT?

In Europe the prices are comparable, with the ACT slightly cheaper (470 EUR total price if you import it from the USA and pay the customs in full, while the Sachs is around 580EUR).

But in the US, I am not sure if there are any dealers of Sachs Race Engineering clutches, so you will have to import from Europe, which means you won't pay the VAT, so the clutch kit will cost 630USD + shipping. But if you can get it at reseller price, you will pay a bit less, like 570USD + shipping.

[DefactoM6]

Thanks for the review, definitely an interesting option

[Carl Morris]

Thanks for posting this. I've been thinking about throwing a race disk in with a stock flywheel and PP rather than doing something like the CM 850. Problem is I really hate how heavy the stock flywheel is. I wish the 1M flywheel was a bolt on for my car.

[Joshboody]

The full disc and reinforced plate maybe a very good option to ACT street.

[chefsache]

Hi all,

if there are any questions to these parts do not hesitate to ask me
i´am the vendor for these parts...

Greetings
chefsache