Clutch Kit - Which one? - How much? - Where?

[ash_s3]

The frigging clutch is starting to slip on the S3, toe down in any gear and when it reaches about 4k rpm the revs shoot up a bit but the car doesn't! Im pretty sure its clutch slip from reading previous posts.

Just wondering whats best to go for?
Standard replacement, after-market, etc..
Dont want anything mad like paddle clutch, just something that will handle the power, last me and wont cost a bomb!

The car is standard apart from a remap and will be staying at that sort of power, no big turbo conversions or anything for me!

How much have you guys paid in the past? Where have you had the work done? Just wondering what i can expect to pay!

Thanks
Ash

 

[jojo]

The standard clutch is good for standard and remapped power as far as I'm concerned, unless you like launching your S3 for 1/4 miles and do a lot of trafficlights grandprixs, don't really see the point of getting a hardcore clutch. I'm running a Valeo item which is OE spec or slightly better, and it has no problems dealing with my AmD stage1 power, didn't miss a beat on my 2 sessions of CastleCoombe action neither.

 

[jcs356]

Sachs Organic in mine, copes with up to 330lb/ft (which is slightly more than the standard one). Bought mine from JBS nearly a year ago as part of a Group Buy on SeatCupra.net. More expensive but as I'm keeping the car will hopefully be worth it in the long run.

 

[ash_s3]

Sachs Organic in mine, copes with up to 330lb/ft (which is slightly more than the standard one). Bought mine from JBS nearly a year ago as part of a Group Buy on SeatCupra.net. More expensive but as I'm keeping the car will hopefully be worth it in the long run.

How much did you pay out of interest mate?

 

[ash_s3]

My car is running 432Nm for torque which i think is about 320ft/lb
Is the standard one only rated to 300ft/lb??

 

[jcs356]

The 'word on the street' I've heard is that the standard clutch may struggle with more than 300 lb/ft. I know some people have got away with it, others haven't. My car has 311lb/ft and I got clutch slip after 55k miles, of which 25k had been on a remapped engine. Having gone through a clutch and intending to keep the car long term, I thought it was worthwhile making the investment.

Cost was about £650 including fitting from memory. That was with a 20% GB discount.

 

[ash_s3]

A SACHS clutch kit is £125 on eurocarparts.com, does that sound about right?
Ive had a quote of £300 (cash) for the fitting too..

Its says is 240mm, is that right? Just want to make sure i get the right one!!
is there only one type of SACHS clutch or not?

 

[jcs356]

No, that's a different kit. The eurocarparts kit is the equivalent of the Valeo O/E one that Joe was on about - i.e. rated to 300 lb/ft.

There is another range of Sachs stuff. The Organic is the next step up the range, then the Ceramic is the one higher than that (approx 360 lb/ft).

I've trawled through some old emails, and found the original quote from JBS:
The RRP on the Sachs Organic is £551.65 delivered or £844.27 fitted.

So the uprated item is nigh on four times more expensive than the eurocarparts item. When you look at it that way, that's a lot of money for 30 lb/ft

 

[jcs356]

OH, and factor in at least 5 hours of labour to fit plus a re-alignment as the front subframe has to be dropped.

 

[ash_s3]

Im still no-further with my clutch searching!!
People are now suggesting the flywheel may need changing too! which is about another £250 ontop
Did anyone find you needed to replace your flywheel when changing the clutch? Im not getting any judder or anything as its only just started slipping.

Can anyone reccomend me a kit - links would be usefull too,

Thanks

Ash

 

[jcb]

hi, some people change the flywheel as a matter of course when changing the clutch. personally I would give it a good check over and refit. if it has 100k on it it might be worth a new one.

I am distributing Southbend clutch kits with a 10-15% discount. shipped in from the US they have a range of stages and lightweight flyhweels.

check here http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=50244
and here http://www.dxdracingclutches.com/

If you ever get onto VWvortex the US tuners rate these cluchs very highly

pm me if you have any questions

 

[JBS Sales]

If it helps we could look at the Spec clutch kit for the Audi S3

You will be looking around the area of £696.31 all in fitted for the Stage 1

Regards
Mike

 

[ash_s3]

If it helps we could look at the Spec clutch kit for the Audi S3

You will be looking around the area of £696.31 all in fitted for the Stage 1

Regards
Mike

Sorry Mike, what clutch kit is this then? do you have any more details on it?
Many thanks
Ash

 

[madvw]

i'd replace the slave cylinder while you're in there too...

 

[jcs356]

How much is a slave cylinder? I'm having my flywheel done later this month so makes sense to do it at the same time if it saves a bob or two

 

[ash_s3]

I think the part is about £50 and is definetly worth doing if the gearbox is coming out.

What flywheel you going for? standard dual mass? how much are you paying and where is the work being done?

Cheers mate

 

[Jacko4130]

How much is a slave cylinder? I'm having my flywheel done later this month so makes sense to do it at the same time if it saves a bob or two

Paid £48.15 for a slave cylinder today. just need to find a clutch kit now. Jabba have a kit in stock for £500 is or a stock kit for £200 ish, any one removed the dual mass flywheel and fitted a standard item before?

 

[ash_s3]

Paid £48.15 for a slave cylinder today. just need to find a clutch kit now. Jabba have a kit in stock for £500 is or a stock kit for £200 ish, any one removed the dual mass flywheel and fitted a standard item before?

Whats the kit that Jabba do?
Are you on about changing the dual mass for a normal flywheel as ive been told this can make the gear box noisey and cause vibration

 

[jcs356]

I was going for the standard dual mass flywheel. The Phirm near Hindhead, Surrey, are doing the work in a couple of weeks time so still got time to be persuaded onto an alternative!

 

[Stewart]

When I had mine done at JBS, they used a recon flywheel on an exchange basis which they had in stock, I cant remember how much the surcharge was but not massive amounts.

 

[Jacko4130]

Whats the kit that Jabba do?
Are you on about changing the dual mass for a normal flywheel as ive been told this can make the gear box noisey and cause vibration

Unsure what to do thit my flywheel, going to phone Jabba again today and get more details on there kit, think he said it was rated to 380 ft/pounds but don't quote me on that. Having to do all the work my self after being let down by JBS not even getting back to me 3 days later!

Will be taking photos as i go and post a guide when all is finished.

 

[jcb]

£500-600 for a clutch kit sounds expensive, fitted or not!
The spec Stage 1 is also only rated to 350ft/lbs IIRC


I just got a Stage 4 Southbend with a torque cap of 450ft/pounds only comes to $585, even with shipping and tax (if you are unlucky!) you still have lots of change for their steel single mass flywheel at $475 if you are going that route. they do OEM dual mass ones too.

Stage 5 is rated to 576ft/lbs at $650

http://www.dxdracingclutches.com/images/dscf1358.jpg

they have great reviews from users with a variety of turbo/big turbo upgrades

 

[JBS Sales]

Sorry

Mike, what clutch kit is this then? do you have any more details on it?
Many thanks
Ash

Hi Ash

It is the Spec Stage 1 clutch kit - rated to 350lb/ft

Unsure what to do thit my flywheel, going to phone Jabba again today and get more details on there kit, think he said it was rated to 380 ft/pounds but don't quote me on that. Having to do all the work my self after being let down by JBS not even getting back to me 3 days later!

Will be taking photos as i go and post a guide when all is finished.

As much as we do try to cover the forums and call back as many people as possible, sometimes we can get snowed under.

Do you recall who you spoke with?

With clutch kits we can usually quote over the phone, not needing to call back.

Please do feel free to give me a call on 01246 455005

Best Regards
Mike

 

[ash_s3]

Phoned Jabba today, i was quoted £200 ish for an OEM, and £700 for an uprated one!! why they huge price gap?? this is ridiculous.

 

[ash_s3]

I just got a Stage 4 Southbend with a torque cap of 450ft/pounds only comes to $585, even with shipping and tax

Cant see this on their website, which kit is it?
Ive just never heard of them before which makes me very dubious

Ash

 

[Jacko4130]

Hi Ash

It is the Spec Stage 1 clutch kit - rated to 350lb/ft



As much as we do try to cover the forums and call back as many people as possible, sometimes we can get snowed under.

Do you recall who you spoke with?

With clutch kits we can usually quote over the phone, not needing to call back.

Please do feel free to give me a call on 01246 455005

Best Regards
Mike

I spoke to you mike, i fully understand you get busy but you did say you would call me back, you did phone me for my reg number but that was the last i heard. Never mind as the car is in bits now as i will be doing the work my self.

 

[patrick swayze]

south bend make great clutches.

i ran one in my 11 sec gti, and in fact reinstalled it in two other cars that were 400+ whp and it outlived both cars motors and the clutch is still going.


also for what its worth, spec clutched are garbage, and they chatter like no other.


assuming they aren't too hard for you guys to get over there i'd definitly go south bend.

 

[jcb]

Cant see this on their website, which kit is it?
Ive just never heard of them before which makes me very dubious

Ash

if you check out the 1.8t forum on Vortex, (mostly US users) they love them. lots of GT28-35/40 turbo users using them or Cluthcnet products.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zeroforum?id=27

If you go into the southbend site site
http://www.dxdracingclutches.com/home.html
click on "catalog" top left of menu bar.

click on "audi" in the middle of the page.
click on "A4" they are listed for all 1.8t from Seat to Golf same product they just overlooked the "A3"!

first box is the lower end of their products up to around 300ft/lbs torque. still good but I am guessing most people who uprate have either got a chip or bigger turbo.
second box down shows stage 3 and 4, only difference if you run OEM f/w or lightweight f/w

clutch kits/flywheels are shown in product section and are priced as on site with 10-15% discount through me. shipping is $75 ($120 if with a flywheel).

I would listen to the man on his comments about Spec cluthces/flywheels as well.
I spoke to a well know tuner in the UK who had "a pile of them in the corner".
They don't like AWD applications apparently

 

[ash_s3]

if you check out the 1.8t forum on Vortex, (mostly US users) they love them. lots of GT28-35/40 turbo users using them or Cluthcnet products.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zeroforum?id=27

If you go into the southbend site site
http://www.dxdracingclutches.com/home.html
click on "catalog" top left of menu bar.

click on "audi" in the middle of the page.
click on "A4" they are listed for all 1.8t from Seat to Golf same product they just overlooked the "A3"!

first box is the lower end of their products up to around 300ft/lbs torque. still good but I am guessing most people who uprate have either got a chip or bigger turbo.
second box down shows stage 3 and 4, only difference if you run OEM f/w or lightweight f/w

clutch kits/flywheels are shown in product section and are priced as on site with 10-15% discount through me. shipping is $75 ($120 if with a flywheel).

I would listen to the man on his comments about Spec cluthces/flywheels as well.
I spoke to a well know tuner in the UK who had "a pile of them in the corner".
They don't like AWD applications apparently

They defiantly fit the S3? thought the golfs and seats were smaller, the S3 is 240mm i believe??

 

[god_thats_quick]

I'm not sure that the A4 ones will fit and S3 (they probably all would if you bought the matching flywheel etc.) but they also list the 6speed AWD TT which will definately fit as it's the same box - I might drop them a line as I'm half thinking of getting a new clutch / flywheel but I'm getting fed up with the total lack of information / options for the S3.

 

[ash_s3]

...but I'm getting fed up with the total lack of information / options for the S3.

Too right!
Ive been to every company i can think of and the only one thats been any help was Kim at QST - the furthest away!!
They all try and sell you something you dont need, fed up with it.

 

[jcb]

Hi, sorry for the delay.
spoke with Southbend last night.
The 1.8t S3 with the 02M 6sp gearbox uses the same clutch kit as the TT listed as model number K70287. With or without the lightweight flywheel option.

 

[ash_s3]

cheers, bit more expensive then!
whats the difference between rally, tz and ofe series? are they all capable of 270ft/lbs??

cheers
ash

 

[jcb]

They are getting back to me about the price differences between 1.8t clutches on different cars

Rally is "Stage 1" torque >220 ft/lbs heavy duty organic disc.
TZ is "Stage 2" >290 ft/lbs heavy duty Kevlar® lined disc
OFE is "stage 3" or "4" depending on plate choice
Stage 3 >300ft/lbs
Stage 4 > 450 ftlbs
( Stage 3/4 come with "a Feramic full face lining on the flywheel side and a "Medium Metal" content Organic lining on the pressure plate side. This combination runs cooler and significantly extends clutch life. Stge 4 has a higher plate load than stage 3 ")

FE "Stage 5" - >570 ftlbs (Feramic on both sides of the disc)

hope this helps

 

[jcb]

Discovered the reason Southbend clutchs are more expensive for S3's
The TT/S3 with the 02M gearbox is a different, larger clutch than the Audi/VW 5 sp.
Also the K70287 clutch includes the concentric slave cylinder.

 

[patrick swayze]

the ofe, although rated high is totally streetable, and suitable for everyday use.

a gti i built has an ofe on a 6pd with about 450 whp, and the guy drives it everyday to school in downtown chicago, stop and go.

great clutch.

 

[jcb]

as a request southbend just updated the TT product page to list torque limits on all products.
315 ft/lbs is the lowest rising to 500+

 

[ash_s3]

as a request southbend just updated the TT product page to list torque limits on all products.
315 ft/lbs is the lowest rising to 500+

Thanks, PM'd

 

[jcb]

replied

 

[S3Steve]

Phoned Jabba today, i was quoted £200 ish for an OEM, and £700 for an uprated one!! why they huge price gap?? this is ridiculous.

I think the £700 one will probably be a helix one, my mate had one from Jabba about a year ago which we fitted to his S3. Its that sort of price because it comes with the flywheel aswell as the normal, plate and cover clutch kit.