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Let's Discuss Clutch Options (Disc, Pressure Plate, Flywheel) - Summary of discussion

Mr. Squiggles

New member
I'm in the market for an upgraded clutch and trying to explore my options. Right now Im between a South bend daily clutch or the BFI. I went back and read through this thread and I see that nobody really has any reviews on the BFI kit, except one guys post, so I was curious if anything has come up recently. I'm planning to go k04 and was also wondering if I should do stage 2 or 3 since I feel stage 2 would be a little close to the threshold that it's rated for. Any input would be appreciated

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 

marylandgti

Passed Driver's Ed
Still very happy with my HS RSR clutch. About 3-3.5 years and 40K miles and still very much like the stock clutch with a stage 2 tune.
 

joebrowntech

New member
Such a lucid and clear explanation of issues relating the Flywheel, Pressure Plate and Disc Plate etc. And with videos embedded, it turns the text yet more interesting.

However, if you wish to get any specialized information relating the clutch system in your vehicle, you can consult the user manual of your vehicle. It contains all the information relating vehicle’s clutch controls and can help you out effectively.

And suppose if you do not contain the user manual, you can get it online easily on manuals.co.
 

snidehockey

Passed Driver's Ed
Hey all - quick addition to the thread...

So my '12 had 80k on it. I upgraded straight from stock to Stage 2 and quickly found that the stock clutch (which wasn't previously slipping) wasn't able to hold above a hard 3k rpm after the tune, downpipe etc.

So after days of research, I had a shop drop in a South Bend Stage 3 with the stock flywheel and pressure plate...

Yeah, no.

Got it back and it slipped as bad, if not worse.

So I thought maybe the pressure plate needed to be 'reset'. Shop took it back apart and found that I had a Sachs setup...no reset needed or possible. What they did find though was that the flywheel was really warped from the stock clutch and the new disc was only contacting it on maybe the outside 30-40%

I ended up finding a used Flywheel / Pressure plate combo that had low mileage, and all is now well. Holding strong vs everything I've thrown at it.

So if you try to drop in a SBS stage 3 disc MAKE SURE the Flywheel is inspected before putting everything back together.
 

Alejoms

Passed Driver's Ed
Hi Guys,

Unfortunately I have to sell my car and on top of that my clutch started to slip last week.
I'm stock, just running a CAI..

I need to address the clutch issue cause no one will want to buy a car with a clutch that is slipping.

So, I was doing some research and I found the OE Clutch Kit for around $300 in ECS, then I found it in other two websites at a much lower price, partsvortex has it at $25 and pelican parts has it at $36. Those prices seem to good to be true to me..

I'm looking for part number: 06J141015J

Partsvortex already confirmed that it is the correct part I'm looking for and that the price is correct...

Has any of you purchased these parts from any of them before?

Thanks for your help.!!

EDIT:

So parts vortex just sent me an email saying that the part on their website (06J141015JU) is different from the one I need (06J141015J) and that it is "the part number of a core. it isn't something that you can buy"
So I'm not buying from them..

Here is the link of the clutch link they advertise just so you know how confusing their information is..
https://www.vwpartsvortex.com/oem-parts/volkswagen-clutch-kit-06j141015ju
 
Last edited:

Theocdgamer

New member
There seems to be lots of discussion regarding various clutch options in the forum. I will attempt to sum up (and maintain) what I have gathered through my research through many discussions. A question which still appears to be unanswered is, what is the bottleneck/weakpoint(s) in our transmission?

Is it just the clutch disc that is failing to hold the increased power? The pressure plate (pp) not strong enough? Both of these? Well there are
plenty of photos/examples on the forum of clutch discs that have been pulled for slipping showing little signs of wear. Makes it difficult to point
the blame at the disc. The other part of the equation is the pressure plate. There are several kits in various combinations that will help solve this problem.


FAQs:
My clutch is slipping, can I continue to drive on it?
Yes. It slips in higher gears at WOT. Maybe it slips in 3rd in the colder weather. You can either switch back to the stock tune or ease up on the throttle. Whichever you decide, its drivable.

How long will my clutch last while slipping
Depends on how you drive on it. If you're pushing it where its slipping all the time, I don't think it would last all that long. There is no exact answer to this question. If it only slips on WOT on high gears, I think its safe to say that you shouldn't have too many issues in daily driving.

How do I know if my clutch is slipping
Get on the highway, shift into 6th (doing about 50mph) and go WOT. If you see your RPM's jump, it's likely clutch slip. That being said, this is just for a test. You should NOT be driving like this normally.


Which stage tune or hardware mods will cause my car to slip?
There is no proof showing what will cause slipping. I want to say most users report clutch slip once they go stage 2. Although, its not uncommon for someone with a stage 1 tune to have clutch slip. This also greatly depends on the way you drive the car.



Available Combinations/Options:
1) Drop In - Replacement Clutch Disc (South Bend)
2) Replacement Clutch Disc & Pressure Plate (Clutchmasters, HS Tuning)
3) Replacement Clutch Disc, Pressure Plate, and Lightweight Flywheel (South Bend, Clutchmasters, SPEC, SACHs)

Keep in mind the install for all options is the same. So if your shop tells you its going to cost you $5-600 to install a kit, the same price will apply for just the disc.

South Bend Stage 3 Drop In Disc
There have been a good amount of folks on the board who have gone with a disc replacement from South Bend (drop in disc only). Allset has been using his for 30k+ miles (and is K04) with no issues. This alone leads me to believe that a stickier disc material will solve the problem. That makes me ask, what about the pressure plate? Will it eventually go? If I replace just the pressure plate, would that solve the problem (not something I'd do, just curious)? The South Bend Stage 3 Drop In Disc goes for about $380.
Pros: Reusing OEM DMFW and pressure plate should retain OEM pedal feel and similar engagement feel (whilst grabier). The engagement point should be the same. Cheaper than full kit & partial disc & pp kit.​
Cons: Will still have SOME chatter because the clutch disc will not have springs in the hub (with this specific setup). As to how much/little, thats relative, and I have no first hand experience. Long term reviews/data of this clutch are almost non-existant. I'm not sure if the pressure plate will eventually give in this setup (and/or flywheel).​
Note from Andy @ South Bend [credit: Mike Hood @ Ringer Racing]​
Fresh install of South Bend Stage 3 Drop In Disc [credit: A_Bowers]




Clutchmasters FX350/400 Replacement Disc & Pressure Plate
Clutchmaster's (CM) replacement disc & pressure plate. It is more expensive than South Bend's (SB) disc only option; but it also comes with an aftermarket pressure plate (retaining the stock dual mass flywheel (DMFW)). This setup goes for about $800.
Pros: Reusing OEM DMFW should retain a somewhat OEM feel on engagement (and sound). Cheaper than full kit. Assuming the clutch disc and pressure plate are the weakpoints, you've just replaced the problem parts and retain an OEM-like setup.​
Cons: Will still have SOME chatter because the clutch disc will not have springs in the hub (with this specific setup). As to how much/little, thats relative, and I have no first hand experience.​
[No video yet; awaiting Lou Maiuri to post a video]


RSR (Road/Sport/Race) Replacement Disc & Pressure Plate
Similar to the Clutchmasters kit mentioned above, this retains the stock dual mass flywheel (DMFW)). I belive it is constructed of mostly all OEM components--pieced together from various platforms. It is essentially a stronger pressure plate with an organic clutch disc. Since the OEM MK6 clutch is organic, it retains a similar feel/engagement. The difference being a firmer pedal feel (a positive thing in my opinion; more feedback) and quiet operation. This is claimed to hold stage 3 power (tested on Stg 3 Golf R). This setup goes for $1050 (with hardware kit).
Pros: Reusing OEM DMFW should retain a somewhat OEM feel on engagement (and sound). Assuming the clutch disc and pressure plate are the weakpoints, you've just replaced the problem parts and retain an OEM-like setup.​
Cons: Price. This is an expensive option for what you get. You can get a full light weight flywheel & clutch kit for a little bit more. Sometimes even cheaper when on sale. The reception has been pretty good.​
[No video yet]



Full Clutch Kit
Then of course, you always have the full clutch kits that are offered by both of several companies (Clutchmasters, South Bend, Sachs). There may be one or two more that I cannot recall. Full clutch kits are typically over $1000. I would say the average clutch for a stage 2 or higher vehicle is around $1200.
Pros: Lightened flywheel = faster revs, reduced/eliminated rev hang, weight reduction​
Cons: Typically noisier than an OEM setup. You will hear about gear noise and chatter when discussing clutch options. Some applications may not be so smooth on initial engagement of the clutch.​

Stock Weight of Transmission Components [credit: realcyberbob]:
Clutch Disc: 1.5 lbs.
Pressure Pate: 11.5 lbs.
Dual Mass Flywheel: 28.5 lbs.
Total Weight: 41.5 lbs.

Torque Rating at the Flywheel (South Bend):
Stage 2 Daily = 400 ft lbs
Stage 2 Endurance = 450 ft lbs
Stage 2 Drag = 520 ft lbs
Stage 3 Daily = 470 ft lbs
Stage 3 Endurance = 485 ft lbs
Stage 3 Drag = 575 ft lbs
*Revised in January 2013 - Stage 2 = SB Hub, Stage 3 = Exedy Hub

Torque Rating at the Flywheel (Clutchmasters):
FX100 - 350 ft lbs
FX250 - 390 ft lbs
FX300 - 480 ft lbs
FX350 - 480 ft lbs
FX400 - 570 ft lbs
FX450 - 635 ft lbs
Source

Rating at the Flywheel (Spec):
Spec stage 1 - 350 ft lbs - Link
Spec stage 2 - 410 ft lbs - Link
Spec stage 2+ - 450 ft lbs - Link
Spec stage 3 - 500 ft lbs - Link
Spec stage 4 - 500 ft lbs - Link
Courtesy of Mustache rash

Fresh install of Clutchmasters FX350 [credit: realcyberbob]


Fresh install of Clutchmasters FX400 [credit: kern417]


Fresh install of South Bend Stage 2 Daily Kit (revised) [credit: Dave @ HS Tuning]


Gear lash from South Bend Stage 2 Daily Kit (revised) [credit: Fleron230]

It's worth noting that this has been reported with both Clutchmasters and South Bend kits.

Fresh install of South Bend Stage 2 Silent (revision 2) [credit: Hulman100]


Fresh install of South bend Stage 2 Endurance Silent (revision 2) [credit: dadasracecar]



More videos from Dadasracecar, click here

Fresh install of South bend Stage 2 Daily (revision 2) [credit: Mustache Rash]

**Checkout Mustache Rash's review thread (another video inside). Check it out out here,
http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55505

Sachs SRE OEM+ Clutch Kit [credit: carsfeverguys]

*I found a review of SACH's stage 3 daily kit. I'm not sure if its a 100% kit from Sachs as it uses other manufacturers:




Closer look at clutch disc springs from various manufacturers:



Informative Threads I've bookmarked:
HYDE16's List of Members & Purchased Clutches
A_Bowers review thread on the South Bend drop in
Lou Maiuri's build thread; including review of Clutchmasters FX350 unsprung disc + pressure plate (incomplete review; pending)
Clutchmasters offerings; information thread by Allset
Informative Thread on South Bend Stage 2/3 offering from Dave @ HS Tuning
Mustache Rash Review of South Bend Stage 2 Daily (rev 2)
Bender's review of the Clutchmasters FX400 8 Puck Kit
Sach's OEM+ (SRE) Clutch Kit by Carsfeverguys
South Bend Stage 2 Daily Review by Fleron230
Sach's Stage 3 Daily Kit Review
Cold weather slipping on Clutchmasters FX400
How to choose a clutch material

Let's try to keep this thread as useful/technical as possible.
Thank you so much for all this info and the time it took you to write it All up . It is much appreciated !!
 

Artimas02

New member
https://www.moddedeuros.com/products/south-bend-clutch-stage-2-daily-clutch-kit-tsi
This is where I'm headed. I have a '13 with a APR Stage 1 tune and need to keep it hooked up.
With that in mind I used that as a spec with a couple of sites and came up with this. Now I am looking around for the best price.
Maybe some of the other guys might have other ideas ....
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-dkm-parts/stage-3-performance-twin-disc-clutch-kit/ms-034-060~dkm/

That's what I went with. The south bend one seems like a really good kit and there are good reviews of it. My thought was once (if) I go K04 I would rather pay a little bit more now to make sure there is never a problem with the clutch. Apparently because of the organic disks, the clutch is pretty smooth, and because there are two of them it can hold all the power you could really want out of the GTI.

Just my $.02
 

ruanj0302

Ready to race!
i have 120k milesage on my car, i want to replace my clutch, it is my DD car, i don't want to spend too much on clutch, any good clutch recommend for DD?
 

Andsum

New member
https://www.moddedeuros.com/products/south-bend-clutch-stage-2-daily-clutch-kit-tsi
This is where I'm headed. I have a '13 with a APR Stage 1 tune and need to keep it hooked up.
With that in mind I used that as a spec with a couple of sites and came up with this. Now I am looking around for the best price.
Maybe some of the other guys might have other ideas ....
Hi 9ermike, I just got my apr stage 1 and in need of a new clutch. Did you end up with the south bend stage 2 daily? how do you like it? Could you notice a noise or vibration moving from a dual mass flywheel to a lighter single mass? My shop is recommending this unit and I’m simply doing some reseach. Thanks in advance!
 

smanierre

Autocross Champion
Hi 9ermike, I just got my apr stage 1 and in need of a new clutch. Did you end up with the south bend stage 2 daily? how do you like it? Could you notice a noise or vibration moving from a dual mass flywheel to a lighter single mass? My shop is recommending this unit and I’m simply doing some reseach. Thanks in advance!
Not the person you're asking but I have a stage 2 endurance with all solid mounts and there is definitely more noise when i'm idling and at slower speeds in lower gears. Also when I turn on the A/C the car turns into a vibrating brookstone chair, but thats mostly due to the mounts. Besides that it held power no issue on a maxed out stock turbo
 

Andsum

New member
Not the person you're asking but I have a stage 2 endurance with all solid mounts and there is definitely more noise when i'm idling and at slower speeds in lower gears. Also when I turn on the A/C the car turns into a vibrating brookstone chair, but thats mostly due to the mounts. Besides that it held power no issue on a maxed out stock turbo
Appreciate the answer. Thank you!
 
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