Can you mill down Clutch pistons and pressure plates?

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b4ctrooper

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Had this thought floating around in my head. To install additional clutches for more holding power, can you mill down the clutch packs apply piston or pressure plate to get additional room in there? Wanted to see if anyone has done this. I have a friend with a machine shop so it wouldn't be an issue getting it done. Didn't know if there was a minimum thickness, or if the piston or plate could even survive being thinner and being subjected to higher pressures.
 
b4ctrooper said:
Had this thought floating around in my head. To install additional clutches for more holding power, can you mill down the clutch packs apply piston or pressure plate to get additional room in there? Wanted to see if anyone has done this. I have a friend with a machine shop so it wouldn't be an issue getting it done. Didn't know if there was a minimum thickness, or if the piston or plate could even survive being thinner and being subjected to higher pressures.
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You can, but depending on line pressure you could bend it if its too thin. I would call Brad Poncis and see what he has to say. He saved me a lot of time.

Im going to be running stock clutches and clutch count.
 
b4ctrooper said:
Had this thought floating around in my head. To install additional clutches for more holding power, can you mill down the clutch packs apply piston or pressure plate to get additional room in there? Wanted to see if anyone has done this. I have a friend with a machine shop so it wouldn't be an issue getting it done. Didn't know if there was a minimum thickness, or if the piston or plate could even survive being thinner and being subjected to higher pressures.
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This is advice that your valve body builder should give you. What does he say?
 
I would stay away from cutting the piston. If you had to cut one I would do the backing plate. What rebuild kit are you using? Allot of times companies make thinner fibers and steels for increased holding.
 
i took the apply piston for the clutches under the band to a belt sander and got 5 black clutches and steels in that drum, then i switched the top backing plate out and now have 6 in there, set up has a about 10k on it with no probelms

i just got a quote form dacco for 13 alto reds and steels for both clutch packs-100bux
 
I haven't looked in a while but I think it was a raybestos kit with stock frictions.
 
cumminspwr11 said:
i took the apply piston for the clutches under the band to a belt sander and got 5 black clutches and steels in that drum, then i switched the top backing plate out and now have 6 in there, set up has a about 10k on it with no probelms

i just got a quote form dacco for 13 alto reds and steels for both clutch packs-100bux
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Very interesting. Do you have an aftermarket valvebody or shift kit? Any idea on what pressures you're running in the trans?
 
i moded the vb, full time manual valve, better lock up boost valve, drill out the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts, trans go shift kit, im trying to get a gauge right now so i can go in and set my pressures right but i used a 100psi gauge to make sure i had line rise and i could max that thing no problem

the alto reds are thinner than stock stuff, so without doing any other mods you can get 1 more friction and steel in there, like if you have 4 stock ones in right now and get just the reds and steels you could put 5 in
 
My bad guys!!! Sorry for the reply!! I hate autos and tend to stay away so pardon the interruption! lmao!
 
cumminspwr11 said:
i moded the vb, full time manual valve, better lock up boost valve, drill out the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts, trans go shift kit, im trying to get a gauge right now so i can go in and set my pressures right but i used a 100psi gauge to make sure i had line rise and i could max that thing no problem

the alto reds are thinner than stock stuff, so without doing any other mods you can get 1 more friction and steel in there, like if you have 4 stock ones in right now and get just the reds and steels you could put 5 in
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I found some pressure guage sets on Ebay for reasonable prices. What pressures are you looking to get?
 
b4ctrooper said:
I found some pressure guage sets on Ebay for reasonable prices. What pressures are you looking to get?
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I think 200-210 is the limit for what you want to be running for line pressure in a DD. You need the 300 psi gauge for checking the rear servo pressure in reverse. It will be 230-280 psi at full pressure.
 
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