Clutch grabbing badly when starting from full stop

I just had installed the Whitbread solid flywheel and Clutch Masters FX300 (Kevlar) clutch. I was looking forward to a nice smooth engagement but it has been the complete opposite. When starting from a dead stop, as I let the clutch out it shudders badly until completely engaged. In order to reduce it to a tolerable level, I need to get the engine up to 2,000 RPM and release slowly. Obviously that is not good for the clutch, and something else is wrong.

Matt Whitbread seems it is likely caused by a bad CV joint or axle, a bad motor mount, or a bad transmission mount. I believe the axles are good as I just replaced outer boots on both. Grease was clean (no grit) and joints were nice and tight. We replaced a bad motor mount about 10,000 miles ago. Transmission mounts seem OK also.

What leads me to believe that it is not a problem of the clutch itself is that the old eBay FX Racing Stage 1 clutch and DMF (installed by the PO during the 5-speed conversion) was grabby also but not nearly as bad.

Any other suggestions as to what could be causing this? The car is virtually undriveable as it is right now.

The fx300 is a miserable ass clutch before it's broken in. I take and drop my kid off daily at his school car line. I felt like everyone was watching the jerk who can't drive a stick.

Resist the urge to ride the clutch. If you glaze a kevlar clutch it will forever slip.

Anyway doing 5th gear hwy pulls will help it break in more quickly. Driving around town for the first 1000 miles expect tons of 1st and 2nd gear chatter. Up to about 2000 it will still chatter in 1st


After 2000 to 2500 miles shes as smooth as any honda b or d series civic stock clutch ive ever driven
Youll find more info in the fx300 clutch on camaro and mustang forums than on here.

I used to daily drive a 300hp boosted ls vtec del sol. 6 puck unsprung racing clutch and solid mounts. This fx300 is rough compared to that.

Thanks for the info PickleRick. I haven't been very happy with how much chatter mine has either. I probably have 500 miles on it is all so far, so I'll try the hard 5th gear pulls up some mountain passes and hope that it smooths out some more over the next 1500 miles or so. I'm really not enjoying the car as a daily driver through the city.
Now to fix my boost leak(s) with my stage 2 tune and get ABS functionality restored. I might eventually get all the lights on the dash to go away.

Once you break it in the clutch will feel as smooth as any factory sedan clutch.

PickleRick said:

The fx300 is a miserable ass clutch before it's broken in. I take and drop my kid off daily at his school car line. I felt like everyone was watching the jerk who can't drive a stick.
Resist the urge to ride the clutch. If you glaze a kevlar clutch it will forever slip.
Anyway doing 5th gear hwy pulls will help it break in more quickly. Driving around town for the first 1000 miles expect tons of 1st and 2nd gear chatter. Up to about 2000 it will still chatter in 1st
After 2000 to 2500 miles shes as smooth as any honda b or d series civic stock clutch ive ever driven
Youll find more info in the fx300 clutch on camaro and mustang forums than on here.
I used to daily drive a 300hp boosted ls vtec del sol. 6 puck unsprung racing clutch and solid mounts. This fx300 is rough compared to that.

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Thanks for that response, Rick. That was the answer I was kind of hoping for. I'm willing to be patient and wait for it to break in. I've only got about 700 mostly highway miles on it so far. I also agree that riding the Kevlar clutch is bad for it. I'm just letting it out slowly at idle and dealing with the violent shaking that occurs as the car gets moving.