The RPS Carbon Carbon is in a league of its own…… RPS uses true carburized Carbon Fiber. This is the same material used on the nose cone of the space shuttle. To make this material it is baked at over 2000 degrees for 6 months. The RPS Carbon Carbon has the carbon material on every face…..It rubs against itself, Not against metal. This means the RPS CARBON CARBON has carbon material in the flywheel and in the pressure plate as well as both sides of the Disc’s and both sides of the center floater plate. The price is high because of what it takes to make this material and the amount of material needed for one of these set ups. Carburized Carbon fiber is different then any other friction material in that the hotter it gets the better it sticks…..Basically if you overpowered the carbon carbon and it started to slip it would generate more heat and grab again. Any other material, the coefficient of friction goes away as it gets hotter. This is why thin steel flywheels are bad for drag racing; they will overheat the clutch and kill it quickly. Metal inserts with an aluminum flywheel put heat out much better. The Carbon Carbon is also a twin Disc set up to hold very high power. Basically the material used is what causes a clutch to grab when slipping or sliding it into gear. What really holds the power once the clutch is fully engaged is the clamp load of the pressure plate. When you add a second Disc, you double the torque capacity or holding ability of the clutch. This allows the clutch builder to use a lower clamp load and still hold amazing power. The Carbon Carbon has stock clutch pedal feel due to the twin disc design. Feramic material is cinderd iron that has been impregnated with graphite. The graphite makes the clutch engage much better then just a cidered iron disc. The RPS 6 puck disc has a multiple material puck and works similar to a feramic disc. RPS uses cidered Iron in there 6 puck discs, but also mixes it with other materials to make it smooth. A puck type disc will have a higher holding capability then a full face disc with every material except Carbon fiber. Carburized carbon fiber loves to rub against itself and the more the merrier ;-) A full face disc will last longer if it can hold the power. The reason a puck type disc can hold more power is because it has less area for the same pressure to push against causing a higher clamping load on the more concentrated area. It use to common in the old days of racing to change the number of pucks to a smaller number as the HP was increased rather then increase the clamp load of the pressure plate. They would take a 300 HP car and put 8 pucks, a 400 HP car would get 6 pucks, a 500 hp car would get 5 pucks, a 600 HP car would get 4 pucks. So if you can afford it the Carbon Carbon is the best of the best. Hope that helps!
13:09:33 11/02/06
