599 Clutch

Welcome and congratulations on the new car. I am confident there are people here who can answer with a lot more authority than I can but I will share what I know. The clutch will last a very long time. I am at about 36K miles and no signs of slipping. Even the 360's, if driven carefully at all, will make 40K - 50K miles and the 599 F1 is a LOT better. I would not be surprised to see a number somewhere around 70K miles or more. Cost I don't know but would expect something around $8K to $10K. Even if the clutch is cheaper there are always other little things you get done and it ends up costing a lot.

 

I have over 45K miles on my car with about 68% of clutch life. My car has been driven very easy its whole life, if you track the car I have no idea how long you can go.

 

Just sold my 599 with 18K on it…..43% clutch life left. Thats a ton of miles as the reading is somewhat ‘relative’…. Many (F1 clutch owners) have gone down to 10% or less without major slippage….. I’d guess my clutch, if driven properly (no Auto Mode, No tracking) would go 40-50K easily.

Jim

 

599 twin disc clutches are very tough.

 

Now have 80140km, first clutch with ni problems. Shocks are crap. I had No time to drive the car for 3 months and 2years old front shock is leaking.


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There are many, many threads on this forum regarding the 599 clutch, and i read them all, believe me,! before buying my 599, why?, you are probably looking at £5K for a clutch replacement at a dealer.
This is the advice the senior tech gave me before i drove the car home:
1. Before starting the car, switch ignition on, depress accelerator fully x 2, now start the engine. Apparently this teaches the clutch biting point.
2. The set up of the PIS ( point of initial slip ), on these clutches is paramount.
3. Is it changing gear smoothly?, if it is, no matter what the percentage wear, leave well alone.

When driving from cold, the first shift from 1st to second can be a little jerky or rough, but on reading comments from other owners this is quite common. Mine is the same, but fine after a few miles.
When i bought the car the clutch percentage wear was 30%, i dont do any launch control starts but do explore the upper limits of this superb car often on the open road, just completed 1500 miles and the clutch wear is still showing 30%.
Enjoy your new car my friend!

 

I bought my 599 3 years ago, and had a new clutch installed as part of the deal... bought it with 20K miles, now have 32K. no issues. last Annual service remaining life was 78% when its very cold out, 1st gear makes a whine... and shifts from 1st & 2nd can be rough. when its warm out - no whine, and not as bad on shifting.

I don't use auto mode much - I try to avoid it. My wife has driven the car 2x - in auto.... but usually keep it in F-1

I was told sport mode is best, shorter slipping... but with roads so bad in Atlanta, I'm in slippery mode mostly.

the car DOES NOT like stop-and-go traffic, and it can be horrible the judders when caught in it... when in stop-and-go I keep it in 1st as much as possible until rev's are 4-5K.... vs. constant shifting.

at stop lights I keep it in 1st vs. neutral... I've heard conflicting advice - but my mechanic says keep it in gear less wear on throwout bearing?

 

Three years, wow.


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The throw-out bearing is a constant contact type and the clutch is open whenever you are stopped, in 1st or neutral. Very little, if any, improvement on clutch or throw-out bearing life from being in neutral when stopped, but definitely no improvement in 1st. Throw-out bearing life is extended slightly by coasting to a stop in neutral and avoiding all the downshifting.

Best advice is just to drive her exactly like you do your 3 pedal cars, but with a pedal missing.

 

I think Shakespeare wrote a play about the internet chatter RE clutches, Much ado about nothing. Some quick math: :et's say you drive 5,000 per year (most don't get anywhere near that) and a clutch lasts 50,000 miles. That would put you in need of a clutch about every 10 years. Ignoring that you are not likely to own the car at that point, if you fuss like crazy and avoid EVERYTHING fun with the car maybe you can squeeze another 1,000 or 2,000 miles out of the clutch. Even if we call it 2,500 miles you have to ask yourself "Do I care if I have to replace the clutch at 10 years or 10.5 years?" It is a car, a very fun car but a car, SO drive it and have fun. I DD my 599 for just that reason.

IF you are having issues in traffic your car juddering is not set up properly. It will easily idle in 1'st and just pull the car along at a few mph. Let a gap open, ease on the gas to engage, then slowly back off the gas and you can just chug along. I do it all of the time.

 

Stupid question.

I like to downshif rather than break. I use break when below 3/4th gear. I regularly downshif of freeways or the like but never in tight traffic spots.

I am 'torn'(?) Between clutch cost vs incredible resilience of 599 breaks for my fun behavior.

I believe if you are breaking in non-track driving you are a poor driver.

Comments

 

Brake pads are a lot cheaper than synchro rings and clutches. I only downshift when I need a lower gear and very seldom as a substitute for braking. I usually coast to a stop in neutral at stop signs and stop lights. Same way I drive a 3 pedal.

 

Like most men, I think I'm a good driver, but who is to say. downshifting in a paddle car is really not needed for day-to-day driving - it's there for fun. Brakes are there to stop the car, and downshifting is there to make sure you are in the best gear for traction, torque, and speed. in day to day circumstances with a 599 - coasting to stop is probably the best idea, and using the brakes. at least that is my opinion.

On track its the opposite. use of the brakes should be as minimal as possible to maintain the highest average speed and momentum - regardless of the car. So I guess I'd say if you are using the brakes on track you are a poor driver.

 

Can anyone else confirm this? First I'm hearing about it.
Thanks

 

George- New to me, too. Not sure how the accelerator potentiometer has anything to do with the PIS setting, but weirder things happen on Ferraris.

 

I am very far from convinced that it has a measurable impact on clutch life. As Taz pointed out, maybe syncro wear issue but I never give it a second thought. If the difference in fun is $1000 every 8 to 10 years, I really don't care.

 

I may have got it wrong or misunderstood the theory behind it George, but ive now been told this x 2, and both by senior master Ferrari technicians, the first a time served (Italian ) Ferrari master tech who started his career at HR Owen London, and the second the master tech at JCT Ferrari Leeds.
Maybe someone can shed some light on this procedure?, is it beneficial to clutch life or simply an initiation into a secretive Freemason / Masonic Lodge?

 

Thanks Taz for your always informative take and I get it believe me but the car sounds so great downshifting, it’s hard to resist.

 

Nothing wrong in that. Put Fabio's exhaust on her and it becomes even more irresistible.

 

My 599 is in at Ferrari of Atlanta for service. Car has approximately 28k miles on the clock. FoA reported the clutch has 58.2% clutch remaining.

 

FOA? Damn, that’s a hike.


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When i searched a 599 7 years ago, i got some clutch wear measurements from some cars i was interested.

Most had 1% less with each 1000 Km.

for example
I drove a red one with 22500 Km and 21% clutch wearing.

I think under normal driving conditions, 1% each 1000 Km is the standard, same with the brake life.

Daniel

 

I buy that is a reasonable rule of thumb. That means a clutch is 50K miles or more.

 

I will buy into the "we don't drive the ferrari enough" argument to worry too much.

It is good knowledge to know. But just drive it like it was meant to be driven.

I will take it one step further...how many of us will out live our homes or cars anyway? Meaning if we keep the car forever, or live in the house forever, we will all be long gone before the car is laid to pasture. And the house will still be standing.

Lets not forget the bibs and depends we will all be wearing driving the Ferrari...LOL!