Clutch Masters 97-02 Chevrolet Camaro 5.7L LS1 FX1000 Twin Disc

A fourth-generation Camaro with the LS1 and the six-speed responds to cam, head, nitrous and boost upgrades better than almost anything from that era, and the factory single disc clutch is usually the first part that cannot keep up. Clutch Masters 04173-TDKR-SH is the FX1000 twin disc for the LS1 Camaro: a 10 inch two-disc clutch with a steel flywheel and a hydraulic release bearing, built for cars that see the drag strip or road course and still get driven on the street. If your Z28 or SS flares rpm on the 2-3 shift or slips at the top of third, this is a serious fix.

What the FX1000 twin disc does in an LS1 Camaro

The LS1 Camaro came with the Borg-Warner T-56 six-speed as its manual option, and that gearbox hangs off a bellhousing roomy enough for a 10 inch clutch. Clutch Masters says the FX1000 is meant for large-bellhousing engines such as the GM LS, and it uses that room for a 10.00 inch (254 mm) clutch pack with two discs. In the Race stage (TDKR) it pairs one sprung ceramic disc with one rigid ceramic disc. The pressure plate and the floater plate between the discs are strap driven, which Clutch Masters credits for smooth engagement and minimal chatter, even with hard launches, clutch kicks and high-rpm shifts. The cover is billet aluminum with a Type 3 hard anodize, and the included flywheel is machined from 1045 steel billet and black oxide treated.

Symptoms of a clutch that cannot hold your LS1

• RPM flare on fast shifts, especially 1-2 and 2-3 at wide open throttle
• Slip at the top of third or in fourth that gets worse as the clutch heats up
• Burnt friction smell after a pass at the track
• Chatter pulling away from a glazed disc or a hot-spotted flywheel
• Slip that showed up after a cam, heads, nitrous or a power adder

How to confirm before you buy

Run a high-gear slip test: about 30 mph in fourth, then full throttle, and watch whether the tach rises faster than the speedometer. Check the hydraulics before blaming the disc. The LS1 Camaro uses a concentric slave inside the bellhousing, and a weeping slave or a soft, sinking pedal can keep the clutch from clamping fully; our T56 concentric slave cylinder page walks through those signs. This kit already includes a hydraulic release bearing, so you will not need a separate slave. If the car is mostly a weekend cruiser, Clutch Masters itself warns that a race-intended kit on a street car wears out sooner and is less pleasant to drive. The manual versus automatic repair cost guide helps you budget the job.

Fitment

The listing covers the 1997-2002 Chevrolet Camaro with the 5.7L and the six-speed manual, and the kit is engineered around the LS1. Be aware that the LS1 replaced the LT1 in the Camaro for 1998, so a 1997 Z28 has the LT1. If your car is a 1997, or has had an engine or bellhousing swap, send us the year and VIN, plus what engine and transmission are in it now, and we will confirm before it ships. The kit is for six-speed manual cars only and will not fit a car with the 4L60E automatic. Related parts are in our rebuild kits department.

Install notes

• With the T-56 out, inspect the bellhousing for cracks at the mounting ears and the dowel holes. A distorted or cracked housing throws off alignment; we stock a replacement T56 bellhousing for 1998-2002 LS1 cars.
• Install the supplied steel flywheel with new bolts to the specified torque. Do not reuse the factory flywheel with this pressure plate.
• Assemble the discs and floater in the order in the instructions, center them with the alignment tool, and tighten the cover bolts evenly in a crisscross pattern.
• Set up the hydraulic release bearing as the instructions describe, then bleed the system with fresh fluid until the pedal is firm and returns fully.
• Break it in for at least 500 miles of normal stop-and-go driving with no full-throttle shifts or compression braking.

Does this fit a 1997 Camaro Z28?

The 1997 Z28 used the LT1, and the LS1 arrived in the Camaro for 1998. The listing includes 1997, but send us the VIN and engine before ordering a kit for a 1997 so we can confirm it.

Do I need a separate slave cylinder?

No. This version includes a hydraulic release bearing along with the twin disc clutch and steel flywheel.

Will it fit a Firebird or Trans Am?

The listing names the Camaro. The Firebird shares the LS1 and T-56 drivetrain in those years, but send us the year and VIN and we will confirm before it ships.

Is the FX1000 drivable on the street?

Clutch Masters says it can handle heavy street use thanks to the strap-driven plates, but it is a race-stage clutch with ceramic discs. Expect a firmer pedal and quicker engagement than stock.

What should I replace at the same time?

Inspect the bellhousing, rear main seal and transmission input seal while the T-56 is out. A short throw shifter is an easy add on the same job.

How long is the break-in?

At least 500 miles of normal stop-and-go driving with no full-throttle shifting or compression braking before full power.

• Automatic vs. Manual Transmission Repair Cost: What to Actually Expect