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Light-ish SMF and decent clutch recommendations?

2003 - 2009, roadster, coupe, facelift
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ionofchios
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Light-ish SMF and decent clutch recommendations?

Post by ionofchios » Thu May 06, 2021 8:54 pm

I’ve been thinking about getting a lightweight SMF that is sporty, but not super light, as this is not a track car. Any recommendations and places to source? What about a decent clutch disc and pressure plate that is not SAC?

I was initially looking at the Valeo SMF conversion kit, but I understand the fly is basically the same weight as OEM, so I am not gonna notice any faster spin-up or spin-down response.

Am looking for fairly good quality items, but I don’t want to spend stupid money.
Last edited by ionofchios on Sun Oct 31, 2021 3:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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dhobbs
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Light-ish SMF and decent clutch recommendations?

Post by dhobbs » Fri May 07, 2021 11:36 am

What are your reasons for a SMF?
From what I understand the spin up is quicker but you get more noise.

Asking out of interest rather than questioning your decisions. :)
3.0si roadster. Requisite stubby. Sound gen mod. LED numberplate lights. LED boot strip. Interior lights LED too. ZHP gearknob. Daily drive :driving:
Motor in boot. Bilstein B8 dampers. New radio, much better sounds :thumbsup:

ionofchios
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Light-ish SMF and decent clutch recommendations?

Post by ionofchios » Fri May 07, 2021 2:31 pm

Yeah, no probs :wink:

This is my ‘other’ car, so the one I do projects on and learn about car mechanics on and drive when I want to. I don’t quite know what I will get out of a light SMF, but it needs a new clutch soon, and I want to make a change, just cos I can. I like to experiment with things and feel the difference to the machine, and to simplify, if possible.

I have, naturally, read all the various conflicting positive and negatives on the internets, so I am well aware that it is actually impossible to know until you yourself try it in your own car whether it works for you or what - one man’s “deafening diesel-like clatter” is another man’s “can’t hear any difference from inside the car”. What I would *like* to get is a more revvy and sporty feel, and easier rev-matching. But, it’s not like I actually need to achieve one thing or another, as long as I don’t explode the engine!

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GuidoK
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Light-ish SMF and decent clutch recommendations?

Post by GuidoK » Fri May 07, 2021 9:40 pm

I don't have a SMF, but I do have a conventional clutch (so no SAC) from Sachs race engineering.
That also transforms te car. The clutch is heavy (it's a real man's car now :lol: ), but clutch feel is much better. It does have a learning curve: like cars from the 90's and before, it takes til the end of the street to feel and adjust to the bite point, but after that you have so much more feel where the bite point is, and it's more abrupt, is if you have a lot of torque, there is less chance of loosing the bite of the cluch during an abrupt gearchange.

Of course you cant put a clutch designed for a DMF on a SMF. An smf clutch might be difficult to source for the n52 outside the valeo set or it may be expensive
Z4 3.0i | ESS TS2+ | Quaife ATB LSD | Brembo/BMW performance BBK front/rear | Schrick FI cams | Schmiedmann headers+cats | fully polybushed | Vibra-technics engine mounts | H&R anti rollbars | KW V3 coilovers | Sachs Race Engineering clutch

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