Upgrading a clutch...

[sandst0rm14]

So as far i am aware of, upgrading a clutch basically upgrades the "holding" power of your factory transmission so if you're going to upgrade horsepower or haul heavy loads you need to upgrade your clutch. However, I've heard things like your clutch can reduce the power lost on turns and make your car accelerate faster. I also have heard that because of this, it can increase your MPG's. (thats one of my least concerns but i've heard about it anyway) Is there something that i am missing and are any of these things actually true?

[charged]

A good aftermarket clutch will increase the clamping pressure of the friction plates on the flywheel, can be single, mutliplate set up, puck style etc.
never heard about increasing MPG, you get better acceleration because the clutch doesnt slip. The pedal pressure may be higher though.

Link for info
Xtreme Clutch Australia

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by sandst0rm14

So as far i am aware of, upgrading a clutch basically upgrades the "holding" power of your factory transmission so if you're going to upgrade horsepower or haul heavy loads you need to upgrade your clutch.

Definately for many mass-produiced cars. They clutch is designed to a price and the limits of the engine family.

However, I've heard things like your clutch can reduce the power lost on turns

Nope. Clutch has no role in cornering.

and make your car accelerate faster

Only in the minutest possible way and ZERO if you're a decent driver
If the engoine is significantly more powerful, you will get clutch slip which SLOWS your acceleration down

I also have heard that because of this, it can increase your MPG's

You'd have to be a really crap driver for the tiny amounts of clutch slip in a standard clutch were losing lots of energy

Is there something that i am missing and are any of these things actually true?

They are a bitch in slow moving traffic
Upping the clutch makes it possible to handle much higher torque levels ... but also makes it much harder to "slip" in lower speeds ie around town. So expect to stall it often
The most common "upgrade" is to increase the clutch dipragm strength. This simply means the plates squeeze the clutch plate tighter. The drawback is that if everything else is left unchanged you will develop a left thigh/calf muscle like popeye's it will be tiring/sore to operate and it can develop knee problems long term

[culver]

Matra,

I would clarify that there are two basic "upgades" to a clutch. One is to increase the toque it can handle. The other is to reduce it's weight.

I think we have hit on the increased clamping force already. You kind of hit the weight part but not explicitly.

To the OP, changing the clutch doesn't give you extra power but it can let you do a better job of taking advantage of the power you have. Basically a lighter clutch will reduce the rotational intertial of the drive line. When you accelerate you have that old F=MA thing. That applies to both linear acceleration as well as rotational. After all it takes power to spin up those wheels. Well reducing the weight of the clutch reduces the rotational inertia of the drive line and thus allows the engine to spin up and down faster. Thus more of the engine's power can go towards accelerating the car rather than spinning up the drive line.

However, lets not overstate things here. Compared to the weight of the flywheel and other drive line parts that need to be spun up, the clutch is rather light. If you were just to use a lighter clutch you likely would never notice the difference. A lighter clutch combined with a lighter flywheel can make a difference in how quickly the motor revs up and down but that weight reduction usually comes with a drivability as well as NHV penalty.

Think of removing about 40lbs or 20kg from a car. You might notice it in handling and acceleration but the difference is going to be small. It might make a difference in a race but not really in day to day driving. Same with a lighter clutch.