20 GEARSMay/June2008

There are a number of automatic transmission clutch manufac-turers in the world, and each

one has its own special niche. But when it comes to high performance or racing clutches, no other company can catch up with Raybestos® Powertrain. They wrote the book on high performance clutches, beginning over a half century ago. It’s no wonder that when you think of building a high performance or rac-ing transmission, the first — and maybe the only — name you’re likely to think of is Raybestos®.

“To understand our introduction to the performance industry, you have to go all the way back to the ’50s, when the automatic transmission was just gaining acceptance,” explains Frank Slocum, Raybestos®’ VP of Sales and Marketing. “The Raybestos® 3672 clutch plate — which was a red clutch material — was exceptionally durable in performance applications. That red color became synonymous with offer-ing great performance.

“Back then, we weren’t really try-ing to address the performance mar-ket,” Frank went on to say. “We were just doing our job: making great clutch-es. It just happened that our clutches performed very well in performance transmissions, and the red color got them noticed.”

So when the racing community started to consider the benefits of switching from a manual transmission to an automatic, they naturally turned to Raybestos® to provide something more.

Up till then, the “performance” clutches that Raybestos® offered were actually nothing more than a really

durable OE clutch material. Sure, they held up better than other lines, but they were really designed to provide the shifts that regular drivers wanted from their cars.

The racers wanted more… a lot more… and they asked Raybestos® to engineer it for them.

The next leap forward came in the mid-80s. Raybestos® engineers were tasked with developing a clutch that could withstand the demands of the turbo Buick Grand National: the first of the new breed muscle car to hit the streets in nearly 20 years.

The requirements were specific: Build a clutch that could stand up to the power requirements of the turbo-charged engine, without consideration to cost.

Their solution was an entirely new clutch material; one engineered to withstand extremely high power and high RPM shifts. As with many new products, they were just a few days too late to meet the production release date and become standard issue for the Grand National. But it could hardly be considered a failure, because it was the birth of a new type of clutch: The Blue Plate Special®. And it was the begin-ning of an awakening direction for Raybestos®… the world of racing and performance.

The Raybestos® Performance Line

The line of performance clutches and bands that Raybestos® now offers looks something like this:

• gen2™ Blue Plate Special®

• Stage-1 Performance Frictions• Z Pak™

• Pro-Series™ BandsThe original Blue Plate Special®

was, quite simply, a true racing clutch. It was designed for high power, high torque, and high speed. In general, if the engine created more than 500 horse-power, you needed a Blue Plate®.

Today the Blue Plate Special® has evolved into the gen2™, a second gen-eration product: Still tough as nails to handle the drag strip or track, the new gen2™’s offer 30% more holding power than the original Blue Plates®. But today’s gen2™’s also offer improved heat transfer characteristics, to make them more durable for the Baja track or longer races that require repeated upshifts and downshifts throughout the race.

For heavy-duty applications, the clear choice is the new Raybestos® Stage-1. Equally suited to a street rod or a construction pickup, the Stage-1 offers holding power that’s supe-rior to the OE clutches, while offering the smooth shift feel that consum-ers demand. It’s the perfect balance between high performance and high comfort, for not much more than an OE replacement clutch.

“Generally speaking, if it has a license plate, choose the Stage-1’s; if it’s strictly for use on a track, you’ll want to go with gen2™’s,” claims Slocum.

“The Stage-1 clutches are an excel-lent choice for today’s diesel pickups, because they can handle the extra load, while offering a smooth shift and excep-tional durability,” says Raybestos® Applications Engineer, Chris Horbach.

The Z Pak™ clutch kits were never really designed for the high perfor-

Raybestos® PoweRtRain: innovation in High Performance

and Racing Clutches

GEARS May/June 2008 21

mance market. Their original intent was to offer greater reliability in high demand clutch applications, where the factory clutch configuration just wouldn’t hold up.

So why are we listing the Z Pak™ under Raybestos®’ performance line-up? Because in many cases, high per-formance has a lot to do with how well the clutches can withstand high stresses and temperatures. The Z Pak™ was designed to provide superior heat and stress dissipation under the most demanding circumstances, while evenly loading all friction facings. It’s their exceptional ability to withstand extreme temperatures that has turned the Z Pak™ into the product of choice for many rebuilders who are looking to milk every ounce of performance out of their transmissions.

Of course, high performance fric-tion material doesn’t end with the clutches: Raybestos® Pro-Series™ bands offer exceptional holding power, while their unique friction material and design enables them to handle the addi-tional stress and heat created in high performance applications.

Better Track TimesWhile improved holding power

and durability are important factors in any high-performance applica-tion, they’re not the only benefits of using the gen2™ Blue Plate Special® clutch plates. These exceptional racing clutches have been shown to improve times at the track. You read that right: Raybestos® gen2™ clutches can actu-ally make your car go faster.

How can a clutch improve accel-eration or speed? More consistent acceleration throughout the shifts and higher friction values. Factory clutch material may be designed for a shift that can take as much as 7/10ths of a second or more, from beginning to end, such as Kevlar® material; depending on transmission calibration, Stage-1 and gen2™ clutches can both reduce the shift duration and absorb high speed/high power input in as little as 2/10ths of a second. And races are won by frac-tions of a second… those few tenths can be all that’s necessary to put a car in the money.

In addition, gen2’s™ and Stage-1’s are designed to perform without creat-

ing a “bump” at the end of the shift. “When you hear the tires squeal during a shift, it’s because the car is spinning the tires; the car is losing momentum, in addition to creating a shock to the drivetrain.” explains Slocum. “Stage-1’s and gen2’s™ have been engineered specifi-cally to prevent the end-bump on the shift. The tires don’t squeal, so the car accelerates harder and

more consistently.”

High-Performance Clutches Demand High-Strength Plates

A lot more goes into a quality steel plate than just being steel.

“First, the plates have to be properly flattened, with the right finish on the surface,” explains Chris Horbach, Applications Engineer. “They have to provide enough mass to provide adequate heat transfer during engage-ment. And they have to be compatible with a wide range of materials, includ-ing the friction plate and the drum. If the steels are too hard, they’ll beat into the drum; if they’re too soft, the drum will wear the engagement splines.”

Heat transfer is a critical issue in every transmission. But nowhere is heat

dissipation a more important consider-ation than in high performance appli-cations. That’s because the demands placed on the high performance clutch-es generate more heat than a standard clutch pack. That heat energy has to go somewhere.

The extreme temperature condi-tions are a big part of why it’s critical to match those performance clutches to a

Raybestos® PoweRtRain: innovation in High Performance

and Racing ClutchesRaybestos® V.P. of Sales & Marketing, Frank Slocum enjoys a customer call.

Applications Engineer Chris Horbach just heard the Allison Stage1’s are ready!

Al Avila (center) sits with the backbone of Raybestos®’ outstanding service - Irvin Gers, Nancy Irvin, and Kim Stevens.

22 GEARSMay/June2008

quality steel reaction plate at the proper thickness.

“It’s important that the steel plates come from a knowledgeable manufac-turer, whose business is to build steel plates,” claims Slocum. “The steels should be processed to erase a coil memory and remain flat. That’s not something you get from a manufacturer who just stamps them out.”

Surprisingly, even something as simple as the number of splines on the steel plate can have a dramatic differ-ence in its ability to handle extreme temperatures. The splines provide a path for heat transfer; some steel plates are available with fewer splines, which reduces rotating mass, but they won’t transfer the heat as efficiently as a per-formance plate will, because there’s less area to dissipate the heat. Heat transfers

from the interface into the steel, and to the splines and housing before being carried away by the oil.

Presently Raybestos® is work-ing on a new, performance steel plate. These plates will offer better heat transfer characteristics than the factory plates. They’ll hold more oil on the surface — a critical part of heat transfer — and they’ll withstand the extreme stresses created in the most demanding transmissions.

The actual development for these plates is nearly complete. Look for these new steel plates to be introduced at this year’s Expo, in Las Vegas.

Raybestos® Announces Total Performance Kits

For now, performance is ordered a la carte: You have to choose each clutch and steel you want to use on an individual basis, one clutch pack at a time.

But that’s all about to change: Raybestos® is nearing completion of a new performance box kit, to be avail-able for most performance-capable transmissions. Each kit will include all the recommended clutch and steel plates for that unit, along with a Raybestos® paper-and-rubber kit. Raybestos® cur-rently provides friction modules that include all the plates you need for each specific application.

Providing superior technical support is important to Raybestos®; you can call the toll free line (800-729-7763) or send an e-mail to

raypt@raybestospowertrain.com for any questions you may have regarding Raybestos® products or their use.

The only additional piece of the performance puzzle you’ll have to choose is which brand of valve body modification kit you want to use. But the Raybestos® performance kits will be compatible with all of the major modification kits on the market, so you can choose the kit you’re most comfort-able with, and have the most experience using.

As with the new performance steel plates, look for the Raybestos® perfor-mance kits to be introduced at ATRA's Powertrain Expo in Las Vegas.

Better Performance Creates Better Replacement Products

The racing world has long been regarded as the test track for innovation in the automotive market. From this crucible has come independent suspen-sion, disc brakes, fuel injection, turbo-chargers, and a host of other advances in automotive technology. Today’s cars run better, last longer, and drive faster, thanks squarely to improvements that owe their inception to racing.

And there’s little doubt that the improvements in clutch technology that were first tested for use in racing and performance clutches have filtered down into the clutches that Raybestos® manufactures for the consumer mar-ket. Their designs have been race test-ed, to offer superior durability and

Raybestos Powertrain: Innovation in High Performance and Racing Clutches

Alcohol dragster running Raybestos® Powertrain gen2 Blue Plate Specials®.

Raybestos® quality can be found from production to packaging.

GEARS May/June 2008 23

performance.The Z Pak™ is a terrific exam-

ple of how performance research has improved the clutch technology avail-able for the aftermarket. While not specifically a racing or performance product, the Z Pak™ was created based on engagement discoveries made dur-ing the development of the Blue Plate Specials® and many other precursors to today’s gen2™ and Stage-1 clutches.

When GM needed a front band for the paddle shift Volvo 4T65E, it was easy: Just put the friction material from the race track band on the original strap. Pro-Series™ is standard on a number of transmissions, such as in the Viper-powered SRT-10 Dodge Ram, and it's the recommended upgrade for many others.

Another place where perfor-mance has made an impact is with the Raybestos® PowerTorque™ con-verter clutch material, available from Sonnax. These converter clutch wafers exceed manufacturers’ requirements, to last longer while offering a smooth clutch apply. They’re designed specifi-cally to hold up in diesel and high per-formance applications. Ask your con-verter rebuilder to include Raybestos® PowerTorq™ converter clutch wafers in every heavy-duty converter you pur-chase.

So, while racing may not be your cup of tea — or can of beer — there’s little doubt that the research and inno-vation that helped take the win light at last weekend’s race will find its way into every Raybestos® clutch plate.

Not Just PerformanceWith all the attention that

Raybestos® gives its performance line of clutches and bands, you might be tempted to think that’s all they do. But performance is just a small part of the Raybestos® product line.

Raybestos® is also the worldwide leader in OE replacement clutches and bands, with a full line of replacement parts designed to meet or exceed the factory requirements. No great surprise here, as Raybestos® is also one of the largest clutch suppliers for auto manu-facturers in the world.

They also offer OE steel reaction plates, and a complete line of OE and OE-equivalent filters. And Raybestos®

recently introduced a new line of elec-trical sensors and solenoids. These new electronic components have been specifically redesigned to exceed OE reliability, while meeting performance requirements.

“The speed sensor is a common complaint on Jeep and Chrysler units,” says Slocum. “Rebuilders are always looking for those sensors. But once they install a Raybestos® sensor, it’s the last one they ever need to buy.”

Raybestos® is so confident in the quality of their new electronic compo-nent line that they offer a 5-year, 50,000 mile warranty on every sensor and sole-noid they sell.

For a complete listing of all of the products that Raybestos® offers, stop by their new web site, at www.raybestospowertrain.com.

The number one question Raybestos® gets from callers is “Which friction plate should I use in my appli-cation?” In response, Raybestos® cre-ated the Powertrain Application Guide for Technicians. The guide provides all the information required to tailor the transmission build for a specific appli-cation. You can download a copy right from the Raybestos® web site.

So whether you’re looking for a way to make your rebuilds last for years and years, or just get a really astounding 6 second time down the strip, there’s just one name you need to remember: Raybestos®.

Acquisition Won’t Affect Raybestos®

Products“It won’t have any effect on the

quality of our products, our level of ser-vice, or our commitment to the transmis-sion repair industry.” That’s the word from Raybestos® General Manager Al Avila about the recent acquisition of Raybestos® Powertrain by Sun Capital Partners, announced in the April 2008 issue of GEARS.

“Sun Capital is an investment group,” explains Frank Slocum, VP of Sales and Marketing. “They bought Raybestos® because they saw it as a good value; one where they could expect to see their assets grow. It only makes sense that they would allow us to continue to do what we do best.”

And not just their product line: According to Avila and Slocum, we can continue to expect to enjoy the indus-try participation that Raybestos® has always been known for. That includes a strong presence at Expo, including the traditional luncheon that so many of us look forward to as the official opening of the trade show.

Sun Capital is an investment group, with a wide variety of compa-nies including such respected names as Friendly’s, Boston Market, American Standard, GMAC, Hickory Farms, and others. And they’re no stranger to the automotive market, with interests in Chrysler, Big 10 Tire Stores, DriveSol Worldwide, Fluid Routing Solutions, and now Raybestos®.

Irvin Gers explains the benefits of Raybestos® Stage-1 clutches at ATRA's Powertrain Expo.