Anyone run a viper clutch?

Dsandlin

Member
Looking at new Clutches. Anyone run a viper 6 spring 2 disc? Looks like a bull copy to me but a good bit cheaper. What’s your opinion? Would be run on an akra or predator stock class.
 
I have been running a 2 disk 6 spring Viper on a LO206 green and red slide for 4 years. Works great.
This year will be on a Box Stock kart.
 
great clutches they will work fine out of the box and even better once gone through by a clutch blueprinter
 
I'm still a fan of genuine Bully clutches. Nothing wrong with the Gator/Viper/Etc clutches. We rebuild them on a regular basis here in our shop.
Either clutch, set up correctly, will serve you well.
They (Gator/Viper/Etc.) are all made in a machine shop in central Illinois under a variety of catchy names and purty colors.


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🏁Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cutz
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com
Carlson Motorsports on Facebook
32 years of service to the karting industry
Linden, IN
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com
 
Brian is correct.

Although he constantly likes to take a jab at the fact that they are available in "Purty Colors"...….. he is missing out on a basic you learn in MARKETING 101 in that you give the customer what they want and charge them accordingly ;)

Silver, Blue, Black, Red, and soon Purple are standard colors of the aluminum parts on the "Baker Designed" clutch we all sell as Viper, Gator, Illusion, Goldilocks, Touch, El Diablo, Surge, Punisher, etc.

While definitely pretty, anodizing does keep down on corrosion, especially when ran on some of these dirt tracks where the dirt contains more than dirt :ROFLMAO:


The nice thing about the Viper style ( since I make those, I get the privilege of referring to them as Vipers) clutches is that they are modular, so you can build anywhere from a ONE disk to a FIVE disk with all the same hard components by simply using the appropriate hub and drum. And the fact, due to one of the BEST distribution networks in the USA, the parts are available at practically every kart shop in the USA.

Being the one who originally developed and named the GATOR clutch back many years ago, I sometimes refer to them as Gators myself, even though the first version on the market was actually the ORANGE CRUSH. Named after the soda, which was Ralph Woodard's favorite non-oat based beverage. The Gator was named after one of my best friends, and mentor, Blaine Ashmore; who originally did all of my grinding work because we were to busy building Yamahas and Flatties to grind clutches in house.

Some of the innovations early on were compliments of David Martin and John Ivers. David still builds his versions, marketed as the TOUCH. They have their distinctive YELLLOW springs and the early models had the gold colored zinc dichromate coated levers. The gold levers were coated two blocks from where I sit, but thanks to the Illinois EPA that company is no longer in business and David's clutches now sport the more familiar black oxide coated levers. John marketed his as the DUNAMIS clutch, but he has since moved on to the enjoy family life and only dabbles in the clutch business these days.

There are many builders capable of building a Bully or a Viper, and a few who shouldn't be allowed to use a pair of pliers, let alone build a clutch. Choose wisely ;)
 
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Actually the bully is a take of smc clutches. I run a 2 disk vortex with roller levers and silver springs on a predator.
I also use a viper on a clone.
Both are very good clutches, with very good customer service.
I prefer the vortex, because in my opinion it doesn't have that hard lock up, it just pulls. Also I don't have to send it out to be rebuilt. I can do it myself in about 10 minutes, for around 100$

If you have any questions I suggest you call smc directly.
 
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