Clutch Masters FX200?

[Windy Road]

Bump for update. I also want to hear any first-hand experience with the FX200.

 

 

Nsrt4me has a fx200 in his 05 LGT. I backed his car out of the shop when I did his header and I didn't like it. It was way to springy and it grabbed right off the floor. Either something wasn't adjusted right or what, but it's not the clutch for me. Maybe the fx300 is different tho.

[fahr_side]

Nsrt4me has a fx200 in his 05 LGT.... way to springy and it grabbed right off the floor.

 

How long had it been installed at this point?

[m sprank]

If you want an OEM FW, go FX300. You will not notice any drive ability difference between a 300 and a 200. No one buys 200's. The 300 is the clutch the car should have come with from the factory.

 

The pedal is too light for me. It is that light.

[fahr_side]

If you want an OEM FW, go FX300. You will not notice any drive ability difference between a 300 and a 200. No one buys 200's. The 300 is the clutch the car should have come with from the factory.

 

The pedal is too light for me. It is that light.

 

Thanks. I'm in a WRX, so factory SMFW already installed. I feel the stock clutch is kinda light and would appreciate something just a little heavier. Just wondering, as was BAC5.2, why the FX200 is so seldom used... same kevlar material, same pressure plate as the FX300 but with a full-face disk. More material in play should mean more life and even smoother engagement. Why is no-one interested in that?

[m sprank]

Because the 300 performs so well and for a long time they were the exact same price.

 

Theory and reality seldom play nice together, Lol. I have never had a customer complain about the engagement of an FX300.

[trackhore]

I have an FX300 and WRX single mass flywheel. I went with the combo due to some of the initial reviews when the clutch was still new to our market and primarily because the ACT in a local's LGT was a basket full of noise that I wouldn't put up with. I track my car from time to time, daily drive it in congested city traffic and make several long road trips per year.

 

I make 335whp/360wtq. The clutch holds that fine. I choose the FX300 over the FX200 because of the power level that my car makes. My stock clutch slipped in 4th and 5th on the highway, a condition I had been nursing for almost two full years. Pedal feel is lighter and smoother than stock. Happy with that aspect. The single mass flywheel is lighter than the dual mass by just enough that I found myself over revving the engine during downshifts for the first week while adjusting my driving style.

 

The FX300 segmented design has all the negatives of both puck and full face clutches with none of the advantages, IMO. The clutch grabs fast like a puck, difficult to modulate at low RPMS like a puck, will glaze like a full face if over heated, can't be launched like a puck... The clutch behaved much worse when new, so much that I considered replacing it within the first month. I'm closing in on 7-8K miles and it has mellowed a bit, but still reminds me daily that it was a bad decision. My wife and valets cannot drive my car. I stall it on a weekly basis.

 

When engaged below 1100rpm, the clutch shudders and shakes my exhaust off the rear suspension which turns heads. The clutch needs to be feathered out near 1200 Rpms or higher for smooth engagement, much higher than OEM. If you were to try and engage first gear from a dead stop, which I did from time to time in bumper to bumper traffic with the OEM, the car will jerk and the shudder sounds like a pot being banged against the bottom of the trans. Ambient temperature also greatly effects how the clutch grabs, the car drove very different from one day to another during the fall as morning temps were low and afternoon temps were high.

 

Every time I think I'm too picky, or possibly over reacting, I am quickly reminded it's not me when I drive one of my other two manual trans cars, or anyone's car for that matter. The RPS clutch and lightweight flywheel in my Nissan holds more power, and drives like the stock clutch in a Miata. The OEM 06 WRX clutch and flywheel in my other Subaru practically drives itself without a single piece of negative feedback. If I could do it all over again, I'd be happy to put up with a little extra noise from the ACT.

[itsme]

I have had my FX300 for a few years with no problem.

[BAC5.2]

Thanks Trackhore. I was just about to give-in and be another sheep by getting the 300.

 

Honestly, I think I might just go 200. I have absolutely no intention of drag racing the car, I'm looking to make right about that 330/360 power level, and I have no interest in driving a shudderbox that'll piss my wife off when we are sitting in traffic.

 

The FX200 has to hold power at least as well as the ACT HDSS, right?

[Blink]

@ Trackhore - thanks for contributing to the debate. When i saw your comments in another thread, I knew this one would appreciate another data point on the FX300.

 

@ BAC5.2 - I need a new clutch and am totally with you for both DD manners and predicted future power levels. I found another LGT member who posted he has the FX200 and asked him to post up here. Hopefully he does.

[m sprank]

I have never had a customer complain about anything like what trackwhore described. I have never experienced it myself with that combo. While I have openly stated that I think the FX300 is overrated on holding capability, my personal experience with the combo (on stock, stage1 and stage2 cars) is far different. We have installed many, not one.

 

If trackwhore does not like the engagement from a FX300, he will hate an ACT. More "grabby", must engage at firewall, takes 10 times more leg input and has worse spring back off the floor.

 

What he is describing actually sounds like a FW issue. Like an OEM FW that was turned.

[Spec B]

^ my FX300 is holding close to 400 wtq - no slippy slippy yet.

 

I do not have any of the issues described by trackwhore...although I do get an occasional shudder at engement below 1000 RPM. If I take off very slowly, no shudder on engagement, if I engage quickly from a stop and RPM is below 1000 it will shudder a bit.. For me, it became an adjustment to my driving technique..nothing more. Once I learned how to engage it smoothly, it was fine.

[itsme]

I say if the FX200 is all you need then get it. When I got a new clutch I wanted something that would be good as a dd that could hold the power my car makes. The Fx300 fit the bill for me. I had it on my first tranny (now spare) with tsk3 kit and on my new tranny without tsk3 nose cone kit and never had a problem.

 

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[BAC5.2]

Trouble is, no one uses the 200, so no one can say if it's suitable for the power I want to hold.

[thefultonhow]

Subscribing for more input on the FX200.

[fahr_side]

Trouble is, no one uses the 200, so no one can say if it's suitable for the power I want to hold.

 

.... and noone will try it when everyone else is using the FX300.

[BAC5.2]

Exactly. Even CM won't recommend their own clutch.

 

I'm going to be pissed if I do the 300 and find it is garbage and have to swap the disc again. Equally pissed to try the 200 and not have it hold.

[robitrice]

does the lack of review not set off a light bulb? By no means am i clutch expert or even person of clutch knowledge, however I can attest that the lack of reviews is only a testament that the FX300 is reputable, reliable, and considered to be the popular choice amongst people with power levels of Stage 2+ yet stating it feels similar to a stock clutch feel. You could say the same about the 200, you buy it and it sucks and be like why didn't i listen to everyone about the 300. There is a reason alot of people use it......because it works. So if everyone here recommends it, and the company recommends it I would say get the 200.....

[BAC5.2]

But too aggressive a clutch is a bad thing.

 

I'll probably go FX300, and swap the disc if it sucks. At least a 300 disc might be worth something if I hate it.

[m sprank]

200 is same price as 300. Most Americans figure bigger is better...

[nsrt4me]

I have had the fx200 for 3000miles now, and I like it alot. Pedal feel is softer than stock, but the engagement is heavier, and grabs like right off the floor. Ive launched it hard and also shifted hard with it with no problems.

The engagement took some getting used to, but this is my daily and Id def recommend it as a daily driver clutch.

[nsrt4me]

Im stage 2 and have given it a good couple hard launches with no problem, well other than my trans went last night! So well have to see how this bad boy actually held up.

[Windy Road]

Im stage 2 and have given it a good couple hard launches with no problem, well other than my trans went last night! So well have to see how this bad boy actually held up.

 

 

Your fault, you wanted that dig

 

lol, jk

[nsrt4me]

Your fault, you wanted that dig

 

lol, jk

 

Wow, what an a**hole.

[itsme]

I picked up a tranny for $1300 delivered to my house and including drive shafts. Have your local salvage yard call around. It's not hard to swap trannies. I did mine by myself with 2 floor jacks and a tranny jack.

 

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

[trackhore]

I have had the fx200 for 3000miles now, and I like it alot. Pedal feel is softer than stock, but the engagement is heavier, and grabs like right off the floor. Ive launched it hard and also shifted hard with it with no problems.

The engagement took some getting used to, but this is my daily and Id def recommend it as a daily driver clutch.

You can adjust the engagement point to a certain degree by adjusting the clutch pedal push rod under the dash. Engagement too close to the floor might mean that the pressure plate never fully releases the disc.