ddogg777 said:Hmm, explain how you came to that opinion. We decided that the main support plate could be used more effectively if we evened out the load over the entire bearing face by using the top thrust. You might be being overly cautious here, that "lever arm" would correlate with horizontal deflection at the top of the cap, the main support plate helps in keeping the caps from moving. edit: I can see why this would worry you if the top thrust stuck had less clearance than the bottom. For example, mine was binding and would have put all the thrust load on the top washer, that is why I had to get the cap machined some more so that the clearances of the top and bottom were the same.You lost me here...please explain, what float and why do you want it Wow, that sucks, mine has close to .006" clearance all around the thrust face. I guess only time will tell if it was a worthwhile mod. Of course, my full-face Spec3 clutch can't be good on any thrust face in this little engine...
The upper plate is too flexible relative to everything else... and there is enough play around the bolts that they can move.. so it the cap would have to a number of thousandths before it would hit the structure of the plate, that allows torque to be applied to the mains and can result in twisting and cracking. If all tolerances were tight then sure the plate will offer some support... but overall it isn't likely to lend a lot of help.. and the torque/lever arm is the concern. Unless the tolerances are perfect you will end up with some additional load getting applied... or the extra plate will do nothing.. so it is awfully hard to get it perfect... and if it is at all out of parallel with the crank you are also going to have issues.
I don't fully understand the cap float issue... but my engine builder was trying to explain it to me and the man knows his stuff... basically you have to allow everything to move together.. and there is slop in the thrust washers as stock anyway... so you have to match that float for everythign to be effective... I don't follow it all, but it required machining for it to work out basically... also likely has something to do with the fact that to get everything lined up it is easier with the caps floating.. I dunno!
As far as your stage 3... that won't do anything to be worried about... unless you specifically request it... all spec clutches regardless of stage area 30% over pressure plate.. they make up the torque with good materials on the friction disc. ACT and Clutchmaster and everyone else uses between and 30 and 35% pressure plate... therefore everyone that has an aftermarket clutch would have a problem to deal with as well... but no one really does... so no worries.. higher horsepower isn't going to change that clutch load either.. and it only gets applied dearing the time you apply the clutch... so unless you ride the clutch it additionally doesn't matter.
