There are a number of ways to come up with a clutch solution and they all work for the right person. Here's some help with the elephant in the room. I sell clutches every day and run into a lot of different scenarios The first consideration is the horsepower rating of the clutch.

The higher the HP rating the heaver the build and the friction pads become tougher and more aggressive using different sub-straights starting with Organic pads and moving up through Feramic (Iron Base), Kevlar, and Ceramic buttons, which have the most aggressive and durable holding power. An organic clutch is known for smooth engagement while the ceramic, on the other end of the spectrum, is known for superior holding power with no slippage. (It Grabbs, Not Smooth)

You would think that if your truck has a high horse power, the Ceramic pads are the only way to keep your clutch from slipping. This is usually the case, however, you can install a dual disk clutch like the South Bend SDD3250 series,

Adding a second disk will also increase the holding power and HP ratting. You can now have a disk with  ceramic and another with kevlar. This is known as a dual friction system and starts to bring in the best of both worlds, giving greater holding power with a slightly smoother engagement and a much greater longevity. The dual friction also gives you a fourth benefit  in making it a usable clutch in trucks with stock horse power. With a little practice you will be able to slip it, but not very much.

We can do you one better, if you like this idea, with the SDD3250-GK-ORG. It is a dual disk, all organic clutch. It is  perfect for hauling campers of all sizes up to 15K Lbs. . Rated at 500 HP,  it is the smoothest dual disk to drive .Nice for the retired guy or the wife because the pressure plate is only 3250 lbs. This means less pedal pressure than a single disk and smooth engagement with the same holding power.

he greatest holding power or highest HP ratting is only achieved by adding a third disk. Triple disk clutches are reserved for competition trucks pushing the highest horse power. You would have a hard time holding the pedal with the pressure plate needed in a single disk rated at 950-1200 HP.

High Performance Triple Disk

So, what about the single disk clutches?

The advantages of a single disk clutches are as follows. To start with, they are less expensive, lighter to operate, not as noisy, with a lighter feel, however, the exception is a high hp single disk clutch can be a bear to drive with a grabby engagement and stiff pedal pressure. So this is why clutches have so many variables. Getting the right clutch for the right application while considering the type of driver can be confusing, however there are some rules to help you get started. 

the basics of choosing a clutch start with horse power ratings. A clutch should be rated slightly higher than the horse power of the your truck.You can always go with a higher HP rating, but never lower.

Also , remember that you will never get every thing you are looking for in one clutch. You can't have your cake and eat it too.It comes down to a question of comfort vs performance, Clutches are built on a sliding scale from comfort all the way up to High  performance. It really helps if you know your main priorities first. A daily driver only needs a small clutch all organic pads or a stock clutch. They will pull a 4k lb. tailor, once in a while just fine. If you are using it for farming  work The new South Bend HD series  is a much better choice.

The medium clutches all deal with horse power and load size. We always switch over to a dual disk clutch when the load size is over 15k. Lbs The maximum load for any light duty pickup is around 35K. When a farmer pulls a full load of round bails, he is usually pulling a gross weight of about 35K.

So pick your max load size, HP rating and how often you want to pull, how long you want your clutch to last and you are almost there.

Here are some variables to consider.

Always upgrade to a bigger clutch with any performance modifications.

Upgrade to a bigger clutch when the driving is more aggressive.

Upgrade to a bigger clutch if pulling loads on steep hills or off road.

Upgrade to a bigger clutch with an increased load sizes.

If you need help in choosing the right clutch, you can always call us at 800 USA 1944