clutch feel: 3 finger vs diaphragm pressure plate

[brian]

is there any kind of noticeable feel to the way three finger and diaphragm pressure plates engage the friction disc and fly wheel?
i'm also assuming that the gripping power of the two is roughly the same?
one of this winters projects is going to be putting the oe transmission and transfer back into my 75. i figure since it has the lower gearing in the transfer, i might as well give it all the help i can. to do just that i'm planning on putting the heavier fly wheel(and clutch parts) from an F motor in front of the tranny.
i just want to make sure i'm not in for a funny surprise....not the hee hee kind of the surprise more like the haa haa kind.

 

[B y r o n]

If I remember correctly the diaphragm clutch will have a lighter feel compared to a comparable pressure three finger clutch. If one is heavier than the other that will change the feeling as well.

 

[Poser]

I have not ever felt a difference between the two in comparable configurations...

 

[Pin_Head]

They don't feel any different to me except if one of the 3 fingers is out of adjustment. Then it can chatter a bit.

 

[Josie'sLandCruiser]

Hi all,

I have run both types of clutch in my FJ40 over the last ~18 years. I completely agree with Poser and Pinhead.

Regards,

Alan

 

[scrapdaddy]

Wasn't the whole idea behind a diaphragm clutch, to have a softer push to the pedal. In my earlier life, all the race car guys used a Borg & Beck three finger. I guess now a days they make the Diaphragm just as strong.

 

[shelfboy1]

the clutch is hydraulic so the difference doesnt show up as on other vehicles .after 44 years of driving fj40s i see no difference other than if the bellhousing gets full of mud or silt the diafragm clutch is more apt to jam with mud and fail disengaged . when i ran big blocks i would use a set of pontiac valve springs inside the toyota springs for extra grab god for street but not so good off road

 

[Downey]

Shelfboy is correct about hydraulics doing all the work (about 40 to 1 leveraging), but diaphragms are suppose to "feel" smoother, more fingers supporting the load I guess.

 

[Living in the Past]

I thought you needed match the pressure plate with the flywheel. Doesn't the F heavier flywheel require a matching three finger pressure plate?

 

[Howard705]

I have both-the diaphragm engages and disengages within a shorter movement (throw) of the pedal-both are butter smooth.

 

[Downey]

I have both-the diaphragm engages and disengages within a shorter movement (throw) of the pedal-both are butter smooth.

Strange, the reason we always used three finger clutches on Chevotas was because they took less travel to disengage than the diaphragms ???

 

[Howard705]

^? Maybe changed Clutch master size? or the angle that the fingers are working? The three finger is an original pressure plate off a used motor on a '77

 

[brian]

Funny thing....I was about to make a three finger vs diaphragm clutch thread, as I debate which to use in the 61, but i decided to do a search first.....this getting old thing, is getting old.

 

[charliemeyer007]

I find there is more difference between mechanical and hydraulic ones. All of those better than a slop bucket IMHO