Replacement Clutch

looking for opinions on new clutch. Stock 340 with just headers. (around300 HP). i'm thinking of Brewers, they recommend taking the over center spring out? I'm sure there are members with experience here. thanks for any opinions.

You take the over center spring out if you are going to switch to a diaphragm pressure plate.

McLeod for the clutch. One thing to note, when the over center spring is removed, the pedal does not return all the way when the fork is released due to the slop in the rod. The over center spring provides relief to your leg once over center when pushing in but also when it come back over center it pulls the pedal up.

so are you saying to leave the spring in?

I switched my cruiser to a Centerforce CFII not the dual friction on the recommendation of CF tech dept. Never liked the Hayes units and have used three finger style forever. This CFII clutch is the best I've ever run for a 400hp cruiser. Very smooth, no chatter and light pedal. I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

I recently did clutch, pressure plate and throwout bearing in my 70 340 Duster. Went with the Mcleod Diaphragm style pressure plate and removed the over center spring. My pedal returns without any issues. Still in the first 500 miles so haven't really gotten on it yet but so far very happy with the results.

where did you purchase the mcleod?

bballfan1 said:

looking for opinions on new clutch. Stock 340 with just headers. (around300 HP). i'm thinking of Brewers, they recommend taking the over center spring out? I'm sure there are members with experience here. thanks for any opinions.

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Hello bballfan1,
Installed the LUK 05029 (Rock Auto) clutch into stock ish (small cam) 73 340 4 sp with 321 gears.
Did not remove over center spring.
Can drive in rush hour traffic without killing the left leg...
Been in 2 years and still going strong.
Resurfaced Flywheel and polished front input shaft housing for Release Bearing.
Stay safe...
Happy Mopar
Arron.

Borg & Beck= keep the over center spring, diaphragm clutch= remove the over center spring. Your choice.

bballfan1 said:

so are you saying to leave the spring in?

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Remove if you install a diaphragm clutch.

I think there are at least two over center springs, a standard and heavy duty. Some have kept the spring and used a diaphragm as noted above and it works. Mine did not, the pedal stuck to the floor like it was glued, if that happens, remove it.

Just call Jamie Passon and tell him exactly what you are running and there will be no questions.

diaphragm clutches work great on the street.
As mentioned you HAVE to remove the HD 340 over-center spring, or the pedal will stick on the floor. Sometimes you don't find this out until it goes there at WOT on a shift.
To deal with the pedal floating, just tune the anti-rattle spring, but whatever you do, the TO bearing must retract OFF the fingers when you let the pedal up.
My daiphragm PP has been going since the early 2000s and has over 100,000 miles on it now..
I can't say that for the factory 340 discs tho,lol. But the CFII disc was too aggressive for my application.
The factory 340 discs eventually throw springs, throw the linings, or break the center hub. But I've never been stranded; just lots of vibration tells me what I'll be doing on the weekend.
My 360 might have a lil more juice than your 340 tho.

gtgto said:

For Dodge Charger 1966-1976 McLeod 75109 Street Pro Clutch Kit | eBay

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This is the clutch I have. Had to change discs for the TKO but its the same clutch lining just different spline.

Hi
I used a diaphragm clutch on my 440 . Can anyone tell me why when I let the clutch out as it get further up it gets harder to hold your foot on . Seem like is want to propel your foot off . I even took the over center spring out . I have another four speed car that has B&B that doesn’t do this

superbirdrag said:

Can anyone tell me why when I let the clutch out as it get further up it gets harder to hold your foot on

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If the O/C spring has been removed, then that is a stumper....... unless your pedal-ratio is wrong; You do know about pedal-ratio right?
There was one ratio for the wussy slantys and another for everything else. And IIRC, there was a different fork ratio for the BBs as well. Go to Brewers performance, where he has a pretty good description of the various parts.

The pedals are stock . I have a couple sets ,all the same. My other car does not do it with a borg/beck. Could it be that the engagement is to high up for a diaphram pressure plate ? I dont know pedal ratio. I always build stock .I bought my parts from brewers ,so they should be correct.

superbirdrag said:

Could it be that the engagement is to high up for a diaphram pressure plate ?

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no; you set the freeplay same as usual , about 1inch at the pedal.
The Factory had a 3-finger B%B clutch which required a good strong left leg to release it. To make life easier, Chrysler installed that O/C spring to assist your leg during the down stroke, and to reduce the leg-power required to keep the pedal down.
But with a diaphragm clutch, leg power with the correct pedal ratio, is much reduced, so normally it is not required. Furthermore, if you don't remove it, it has happened that at higher rpms, the pedal likes to "stick" to the floor and it then remains disengaged, sending your rpm to the moon. So then, the HD O/C spring that comes on 340s and bigger engines, has to be removed to prevent that. Tis does NOT mean that you cannot run a lesser strength spring. I, for instance, run something I pulled out of my spare parts bin, that I think came off a 318 car. I don't run it for the usual reason, but for feel; I like the modulation feed-back that I get with it. And I installed a rev-limiter just in case. So far so good since 2002 or so.

Now as to pedal ratio, ALL the slanty parts are different from the 318 or bigger engines and the hi-perf engines add the HD spring and brace.
Bellhousings have specific mounting positions of the inner-end ball-stud, and when or if you mix and match parts or adapt parts, it can thro the Z-bar out of it's sweet-spot operating range and angles. The clutch fork comes in three different lengths, for three different size bellhousings. If you accidentally get stuff mixed up, you get these kinds of problems.

Since you already have one car that works well, I suggest you go look it over, taking pictures, and compare yours to it, to see what may or may not be causing your particular problem.

Finally if nothing shows up, it sortof points to a super HD clutch, a wrong pedal ratio, or dare I say it; a limited-strength left leg...... which is sometimes related to the pushing angle/ seat height, or a pinched nerve in your azz often due to the operator sitting on his wallet.
As for the pedal ratios there are two. Like said, one for the 9.5 inch clutch (slantys and 273s) and another for everything else. The difference is in the fulcrum placement on the pedal arm. There are a couple of threads on FABO showing the differences. I'll see if I can find that for you; hold on.
Try this;
is there a difference between 6 cly and v8 manual pedal assemblies?
Hyup works for me.
Happy HotRodding