Dragging the clutch and wheel spin... - Page 2 - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

sg333e · 15th July 2003, 05:23

Someone mentioned that if you drop it at 5K RPM's the clutch hooks up almost instantly and really doesn't do too much damage....TRUE.

Someone else mentioned that 100 5K RPM launches later, they cannot feel the difference...MAYBE.

While the car may be able to take that abuse, I wouldn't lay money on that clutch making it much further.

I would question the 5K launch for racing. Unless you're doing an exhibition where the biggest burnout wins, this will not produce a quicker 60 foot time ever. It WILL make you side step the clutch longer than say a 2k launch, which will lead to my theory that the clutch in that car is not long for this world.

Wasn't PhillyM5's car for sale a while back?

greg · 15th July 2003, 08:18

Need4 and SG - valid points all around. And once again, I would simply never do this - it just huge shock load on everything and NOT NEEDED!

Still, if the hookup occurs in, say, 1/4 second as the tires break traction - this is MUCH easier on the clutch than, say, a driver-induced slip in a 1-2 shift (engine revs way up, full throttle before hookup, driver allows enough slip that tires do NOT break loose, lets the clutch take ALL the power for A FULL SECOND OR MORE UNTIL RPM's are finally matched.) It is HEAT that is the problem - and it takes both slip AND time to build up damaging heat.

So - not disagreeing - its a matter of degree. A launch from 5K is hard on the car, and certainly harder on the clutch than one at 2000 - but not nearly as hard as driver-enabled, prolonged slip under power.

phillym5 · 15th July 2003, 16:20

sg33e,

my car has never been for sale. also, i dont launch it a 5k. i just said ive done a fair share of burnouts. its a "rev and pop". clutch is still mighty strong.

josh.