{"id":7053,"date":"2017-07-20T11:58:58","date_gmt":"2017-07-20T18:58:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/northwestvets.com\/blog2\/?p=7053"},"modified":"2022-05-06T14:41:27","modified_gmt":"2022-05-06T21:41:27","slug":"new-ram-clutch-in-store-for-our-57-in-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northwestvets.com\/blog2\/2017\/07\/20\/new-ram-clutch-in-store-for-our-57-in-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"New Ram Clutch in Store for our ’57 in 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since 2014 we have had breakage taking our ’57 out of races which we must address. It is clear that our older style Ram<\/em> clutch with only static pressure adjustment and a very aggressive 6-paddle disc is no longer suited for our 3633-pound application.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2014 we qualified #1 in the Stick Shift bracket at the Nostalgia Race only to have our Doug-Nash<\/em> transmission break<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2015 we installed our new 350 replacing our reliable 331 and matters have only gotten worse with the increased torque.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In June 2016 at the BC Super Shifters<\/em> race at Pacific Raceways we broke the rear end<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the same race this year, 2017, we broke the left axle<\/a> on Sunday when the car was running very well.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The facts were clear, it was time to make an upgrade! After a long discussion on the phone with Cale Aronson of Black Magic Clutches<\/a><\/em> he gave me several alternatives to address our clutch problem. One of the more economical suggestions was to go to the new Ram<\/em> single disc sintered-iron systems which feature both base and centrifugal adjustment and an aluminum flywheel to soften the initial hit. You launch at a lower RPM and drive into the clutch. [Cale stated our present 6-paddle disc is VERY<\/span><\/em> aggressive and is virtually locked up all the way down the track when you drop the clutch.]\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

This newer\u00a0Ram<\/em> clutch is their answer to the very successful\u00a0McLeod Soft Lok<\/em> but with some improvements according to Cale. It features a thicker and segmented facing on the pressure plate to address the issue of warping.<\/strong><\/p>\n

So, for 2018 we’ll be using the new Ram<\/em> clutch. It will take us time to learn what to set the base pressure and lever weights but we feel in the long haul the new clutch will be a major improvement. Mike at Ram<\/em> has given us some initial settings and we’ll go from there.\u00a0We’ll update this post below as we learn the process.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Update July 24, 2017<\/span>:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We hope to have the new clutch in the car with a Racepak<\/a> Sportsman Data Logger<\/em> in August and get it out for some initial testing in late August for the 2018 season. I don’t want to go into the 2018 season blind.<\/strong><\/p>\n

My personal thanks to fellow gear-jammers Jamie Roth & Don McClure for their input on this style of clutch, it is greatly appreciated<\/span>! – Roger<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

New Ram Sintered-iron fully adjustable clutch for 2018 with aluminum wheel<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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Here’s a video by Ram<\/em> regarding this clutch system – Roger<\/em>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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