355 clutch life, what are you getting? | FerrariChat

355 clutch life, what are you getting?

Discussion in '348/355' started by gixer69, Feb 8, 2010.

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  1. gixer69

    gixer69 Rookie

    Sep 5, 2007
    28
    Canada
    Full Name:
    Rick
    I did a search and found one driver that got 41k out of their clutch, others mentioned 6-11k on the low side.... what sort of life are you getting out of yours and how much does it cost to replace the 355 clutch? thx.
     
  2. AceMaster

    AceMaster Three Time F1 World Champ

    Feb 6, 2009
    34,777
    Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Mike
    Although I am not a 355 owner, I would think this is the typical rationale - depends on your driving habits, whether or not you have a steep driveway that is hard to climb and hence you end up riding the clutch, etc...I would say the guy that got 41k did not drive the hell out of it
     
  3. saw1998

    saw1998 F1 Veteran

    Jun 8, 2008
    8,237
    San Antonio, Texas
    Full Name:
    Scott
    #3 saw1998, Feb 8, 2010
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2010
    Well stated, Mike.


    I'm at approximately 30K and still on the original clutch, with no issues.
     
  4. pacificcavallino

    Oct 28, 2004
    5
    I have 22k miles and the only time I have heard the dredded warning chirp is when I was stuck in traffic going up the hill into Laguna Seca last August... otherwise, works great...Pacific Cavallino
     
  5. AceMaster

    AceMaster Three Time F1 World Champ

    Feb 6, 2009
    34,777
    Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Mike
    You do not have a steep driveway :)
     
  6. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    9,728
    I have a 95 F355 that I bought in mid-01. I know nothing about the clutch life prior to this point in time. However:

    For the first 6 years of ownership, I had to back up a long driveway 130 feet long two stories high while making an S-bend to avoid scraping the nose.

    I have put 46K miles (58K total miles) on the clutch, 5K of which have taken place at race track, 2K of which were laping withn a couple seconds of the lap record. I have eaten the Dual-mass flywheel twice, eaten the hydraulic throwout system once, and yet I still have over 50% of the life left in the clutch that arrived with the car. That is the disk in the car right now is the same disk that arrived with the car.

    Clutch life is a function of the driver*, not a function of the design or manufacture. Do not use Ferrari clutches for drag race starts, and you (too) can have a long life of bliss and harmony.

    (*) F1 systems cannot be expected to get this kind of life from a clutch.

    I have yet to own a car that I did not get 80K+ miles from the clutch.
     
  7. gixer69

    gixer69 Rookie

    Sep 5, 2007
    28
    Canada
    Full Name:
    Rick
    Thats useful info, what was the cost to replace those parts?
     
  8. AceMaster

    AceMaster Three Time F1 World Champ

    Feb 6, 2009
    34,777
    Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Mike
    Excellent point Mitch. My first car was a Ford Mustang GT, the previous owner owned it for 2-years and admitted he drove it hard. I owned it for 9 years, on the same clutch I got the car with, and sold it...and to be honest, I felt little difference in the clutch from the time I bought it to the time I sold it. I put about 80,000-90,000km on it in that time.
     
  9. F355Bob

    F355Bob Formula 3

    I got more than 42,000 and still had more material left.
     
  10. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 29, 2001
    18,044
    USA
    #10 f355spider, Feb 8, 2010
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2010
    I think I got around 43k, when the throw out bearing cracked and leaked out all the fluid. The disc could have easily gone another 9 or 10k miles otherwise. New Hill Engineering throw out bearing, new seals, resurface flywheel, repack fly wheel, new bearing on flyhweel and pumpkin, new disc, new pressure plate, I think I was in around $4500 with labor at the dealer. I sent the flywheel out for resurfacing, and they were okay with me supplying the throw out bearing.
     
  11. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jun 10, 2007
    6,767
    Lake Villa IL
  12. UConn Husky

    UConn Husky F1 Rookie

    Nov 11, 2006
    4,425
    CT
    Full Name:
    Jay
    I put a new clutch in when I purchased the car a few years back, currently at 7k miles (F1 transmission). Only did 2 standing start launches, but lots of WOT shifting 1-2 and 2-3 :D
     
  13. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    100,220
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    You naughty boy Jay! :eek::eek:
     
  14. Monteman

    Monteman Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 9, 2006
    2,345
    Santa Barbara, CA
    Full Name:
    Monte
    I replaced my clutch last year with about 22K miles. The guys at Competizione advised me that around 17K to 20K is about average. Anything over that is likely a gift. Total cost with Hill Engineering TO bearing and triple seal replacement was around $4K.
     
  15. Vegas-Guy

    Vegas-Guy Formula 3

    Nov 25, 2007
    1,828
    Austin, TX
    Full Name:
    Reg
    I just had a new clutch put in when they put in a new pilot bearing I had 13k on the clutch and was at about 60%. I was also told about 20k on average...
     
  16. Pengster355

    Pengster355 Formula Junior

    Mar 9, 2006
    269
    Singapore
    Mine is manual, Have done 32,000 km since I bought the car and previous owner probably did few K before too. Still biting (not as good as before)

    A friend said hill-toe shift down will help the life of clutch as well.

    Best
    P.
     

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