X30 Clutch Maintenance

Jesus Vasquez of P1 Engines walks us through a very common question and change that is done during practice days and race events. Whether you are looking to change from an 11 to a 10 tooth driver (or vice-versa), replace a worn driver, or just make sure everything is working properly before starting the race weekend, we will go through the process on an IAME X30 engine, which is the most widely used TaG engine in North America and quite possibly the world. This process is the same for nearly every IAME engine with a clutch and similar to other TaG engines. 

First things first you will need to remove the clutch cover. This is held in place by three 5mm bolts that can be removed with either a t-handle allen or a 5mm socket on an impact. Once this is removed it is time to remove the clutch. Other than a MY09 Leopard, most TaG engines have a nut that holds the clutch drum onto the clutch itself. This is done so with a 17mm nut. The quickest way is to remove this with a 17mm socket and an impact, but this does put stress on the crank. If you are not in an hurry it is recommended to use a flywheel stop and a 17mm wrench. Once this is removed you can take off the clutch drum along with the washers and bearing. If this is your first time doing this we recommend you place each part in order to the side so that you do not forget which way everything gets reassembled.

The next step is to inspect the clutch. Make sure the padding does not have excessive wear and their is no cracks on the clutch. Once the clutch is ok'd, take a bit of brake cleaner and a clean rag and wipe off any grease. If you are planning to change drivers, grab your T25 torx bit and attach it to the impact. You may need a little heat from a torch to help loosen the screws, but first try without. It is very important that you make sure to push down with a good amount of pressure when removing the screws. This is to ensure you do not strip the head of the screw, which can happen easily if you are not careful. When putting on the new driver make sure to use the new screws that are supplied with it. Start them by hand and then finish them with the impact.

Now that you have a new driver on the clutch drum you can put everything back together. You should have placed everything in order when you took it off, but if you forgot, the order is: washer, o-ring (if your engine has one), bearing, clutch drum, washer, nut. Typically the washers will have a beveled edge that will need to be facing towards the engine when assembling. When tightening the nut you can give two zapps of the impact. If you choose to use a stop and a wrench you will tighten it essentially as tight as you would a wheel hub. Lastly put the clutch cover back on and you are ready to hit the track.