Okay...so I was driving around at the lake last Wednesday and came across some people who needed help.  Long story short, I pulled out an old lowboy F250 and a Prerunner Tacoma with my tracker.  Yes they were very impressed that such a small light car could help out even the big boys.
Pulled out the F250 in 4HI and think I burnt up what was left of my clutch (it's been feeling weak lately), then pulled out the Tacoma in 4LO.  I haven't been driving it much lately since I can't hardly give it any throttle without it slipping.
What's the best clutch to buy?  I do 80% daily driving and 20% off the pavement, and some occasional driving on the rocks.  I need something that's gonna hold up.  Price isn't really a major issue as I've sold a lot of junk and have cash on hand.  I definitely want to get something that's of the best quality.

So far I've found that Centerforce makes two different clutches, one is a dual-friction clutch.  Would it be to my advantage to get that one over the standard Centerforce?

Trail Tough sells a "deluxe" clutch kit for $149.  Anyone satisfied with this?
http://www.trailtough.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=215&category_id=46&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=53

What about the simple OEM-spec ones from auto parts suppliers?

Hope some of you can weigh in on these and give me some feedback and advice.
Thanks,
DJ

I run a standard OEM style in both my DD, the race rig, and my SJ-410.  When you wheel do you ride the clutch a lot?  If not then you might be better just going with an Exedy cluth, they are supposed to be about 20% stronger then stock but not near as tight as the Centerforce.

I just replaced mine with one i picked up at autozone.  think it was about $160.  got it installed yesterday and not too many issues other than some rusty bolts.  the stock oem replacment should do fine.  i called trail tough and lowrange and they said the stock one is all i need.

Only been on the rocks once, and I rode the clutch A LOT because I still have stock gearing.  I don't plan on going and doing it again until I get the reduction in the tcase (which I will probably do right now while the trans is out).  So let's assume I'll be riding the clutch a lot less in the future.

the reduction gears aren't hard to put in. just did mine yesterday too.  just make sure you lay out the pieces that you take out.  A small magnet, lock tight, rtv, and paint marker come in handy.  Also, a good "tree" shaped routing bit will shave the casing fairly easy.   Good luck with it.  Oh, when you put it in low range the first time, you forget you had to pay $650 for those gears.  definately worth the time and money!

I would go with just a stock type one.  I run regular auto parts store clutches in everything I own.  Lifetime warranty and they don't cost much.  And use 4wd low, when you are pulling people out.  

use 4wd low, when you are pulling people out.  

Thanks.  And, FWIW, I knew I should have used 4LO (I did use 4LO for the second truck), but I didn't know how solid the ground was yet...so I wanted to have 4LO as a last resort to pull myself out if I had gotten myself stuck in the same mud in 4HI.

I learned that day, while driving around the lake earlier, and later while pulling those two trucks out, that it would take A LOT to get one of these little trucks stuck.  It seems like they're so light, that they wouldn't "sink" like a heavier truck would in the mud or sand.  Whenever it feels like I'm losing traction I give it more throttle and it pulls itself out.
The best way to describe it is it feels like an overgrown, street-legal, 4-person quad with a bigger engine to boot...cause that's how it handles on the trail!
I was spinning the back end around in the sand while making a turn with little effort and throttle...kinda like I do with my quad.

Anyone have any idea what the stock size clutch is?  Or if there is a chance to "upgrade" if there is a slightly larger clutch that will fit right in?  Just a thought.
I found a stock clutch (full kit) for $130 with a lifetime warranty.  Sounds good to me.  It's a stock type replacement, 7-7/8", but that number sounds kind of small, I don't want to get cheated with a smaller-than-stock clutch.
DJ

Anyone have any idea what the stock size clutch is?  Or if there is a chance to "upgrade" if there is a slightly larger clutch that will fit right in?  Just a thought.
I found a stock clutch (full kit) for $130 with a lifetime warranty.  Sounds good to me.  It's a stock type replacement, 7-7/8", but that number sounds kind of small, I don't want to get cheated with a smaller-than-stock clutch.
DJ

There is only one size of clutch for a samurai....and it should be 7.5", IIRC.  If you were running a trackick tranny, you could run a trackick flywheel and clutch (can't run it with a samurai tranny because the trackick flywheel is bigger diameter and won't fit inside the samurai bellhousing).
Here is the info from an old thread of mine....
190MM (7.5") used behind the 1.3
200MM (7 7/8") used with the 1.6 8V
215MM (8.5") used with the 16V engines

FYI, if you are running a trackick flywheel, you can run either the 7 7/8" or the 8.5" clutch....since the flywheels are identical between the 1.6 8Vs and the 1.6 16Vs.

As far as an "upgrade" to the samurai clutch, the only thing I know of are the centerforce clutches that some of the vendors sell.....they are over $200, IIRC.

I was spinning the back end around in the sand while making a turn with little effort and throttle...kinda like I do with my quad.

Just be careful.  They have a short wheelbase and can roll if your not paying attention.  Just like your quad. 

I'm aware of that...I saw what happened to Project Trouble. 

There is only one size of clutch for a samurai....and it should be 7.5", IIRC.  If you were running a trackick tranny, you could run a trackick flywheel and clutch (can't run it with a samurai tranny because the trackick flywheel is bigger diameter and won't fit inside the samurai bellhousing).
Here is the info from an old thread of mine....
190MM (7.5") used behind the 1.3
200MM (7 7/8") used with the 1.6 8V
215MM (8.5") used with the 16V engines

FYI, if you are running a trackick flywheel, you can run either the 7 7/8" or the 8.5" clutch....since the flywheels are identical between the 1.6 8Vs and the 1.6 16Vs.

As far as an "upgrade" to the samurai clutch, the only thing I know of are the centerforce clutches that some of the vendors sell.....they are over $200, IIRC.

So are you saying a clutch from a 16v would fit my 1.6L 8v Tracker 5spd, and it's slightly larger?

So are you saying a clutch from a 16v would fit my 1.6L 8v Tracker 5spd, and it's slightly larger?

Yes, it will work fine.

Now I'm not too sure about that one for $130 being 7-7/8"...I'd like to get up to the 8.5" clutch that most of the other companies sell.  Exedy sells both.  One is 7-7/8", and the 8.5" one is listed for "CA emissions vehicles and heavy-duty"

Now I'm not too sure about that one for $130 being 7-7/8"...I'd like to get up to the 8.5" clutch that most of the other companies sell.  Exedy sells both.  One is 7-7/8", and the 8.5" one is listed for "CA emissions vehicles and heavy-duty"

The 8.5 is a stock replacement for any trackick that came with a 16V engine.  It has nothing to do with CA emissions or being "heavy duty" (although technically it would be a "heavier duty" clutch than the 7.9 clutch that came behind the 8Vs).
Remember, the only option (size wise) you have with a samurai (with a samurai tranny) is the 7.5" clutch.  But for trackicks you can run the 8.5" clutch on any flywheel, even if it originally had a 7.9" clutch on it.

Thanks for all the advice thus far