S3 Clutch Replacement

[Matt Titanium]

New RTS HD clutch fitted yesterday by a local VAG specialist and first impressions are very positive.
The biting point has moved from near the top of the pedal to 2/3 of the way down which is much better. The pedal is now slightly lighter than it was and everything is super smooth with no judder at all. Time will tell how strong this clutch is and if it will hold the torque but RTS claim the extra clamping force from their cover plate along with the HD clutch material should hold 30% more torque than the original stock clutch.
I just need to bed it for a few hundred miles.
The old DMF was 'serviceable', the springs felt ok but the plate had quite a bit more wobble than the new one. No blueing, plenty of meat on the friction plate but a little glazing perhaps. But it wasn't holding stock torque and slip getting worse in certain situations.

Total cost for new Sachs DMF, RTS HD clutch, OEM release bearing, labour for fitting, wheel alignment. £838.

 

[NHN]

Tbh that's a fair price, think you did well there.

Who was the Indy?

 

[Damo S]

That's a very good price. should be good for stage 1, maybe a moderate 2

 

[Matt Titanium]

I struggled to find a local garage who would supply and fit anything other than either OEM pattern parts from local motor factors, or a specialist that would supply and fit Sachs organic or RTS twin friction clutches.
I managed to source the parts at very good prices. Indy was Endless Performance in Scunthorpe who were willing to fit them and the job they did was spot on. They specialise in VAG and custom built stainless exhausts. Excellent job and great value.

 

[Mr Freeze]

Glad I went auto paying that amount would brake my heart

 

[Matt Titanium]

Glad I went auto paying that amount would brake my heart

I'm still £1000 up on what STronic would have cost and have a car that's more enjoyable to drive.

 

[Mr Freeze]

I'm still £1000 up on what STronic would have cost and have a car that's more enjoyable to drive.

Oh no I couldn't be bothered with all messing about once I tried an Auto I have never looked back plus they are Faster and more relaxing to drive .

 

[Matt Titanium]

Oh no I couldn't be bothered with all messing about once I tried an Auto I have never looked back plus they are Faster and more relaxing to drive .

Audi lent me an S3 saloon auto that I had for six weeks and drove it 1200 miles when they had my old car in with issues. Yes, clever stuff and great if all you want to do is accelerate off the line but pretty witless in auto in most real world situations. The worst being pulling out of junctions, too much Corporal Jones delay and "oh sh1t" moments. I was pleased to get my manual back afterwards thinking how great it was to drive after the auto.
Liked the S3, not the STronic experience. Ordered an S3 manual. We used to call it "driver engagement".

 

[Mr Freeze]

Audi lent me an S3 saloon auto that I had for six weeks and drove it 1200 miles when they had my old car in with issues. Yes, clever stuff and great if all you want to do is accelerate off the line but pretty witless in auto in most real world situations. The worst being pulling out of junctions, too much Corporal Jones delay and "oh sh1t" moments. I was pleased to get my manual back afterwards thinking how great it was to drive after the auto.
Liked the S3, not the STronic experience. Ordered an S3 manual. We used to call it "driver engagement".

Fair enough I guess we will have to agree to disagree .

 

[Damo S]

Yes the weak clutch is annoying and expensive to fix, but with the auto that needs a TCU tune if you go stage 1 or more which obviously costs (although a tcu tune is still less than an uprated clutch).
I test drove both the manual and an auto (6 speed) and I found the auto box was just clunky. Maybe the car I drove had a knackered box but I found the jerky-ness irritating especially when slowing down. It always seemed to be in the wrong gear as well, especially when driving slowly. Perhaps I could have used the paddles more and with time and use it would lead to a better experience, but I went for the manual. Not to mention the terrifying prospect of how much a new auto box costs if it breaks. But there are times, particularly in traffic, where I wish I had an auto with that heavier uprated clutch and the leg ache it offers.
Horses for courses I guess.

 

[Matt Titanium]

Yes the weak clutch is annoying and expensive to fix, but with the auto that needs a TCU tune if you go stage 1 or more which obviously costs (although a tcu tune is still less than an uprated clutch).
I test drove both the manual and an auto (6 speed) and I found the auto box was just clunky. Maybe the car I drove had a knackered box but I found the jerky-ness irritating especially when slowing down. It always seemed to be in the wrong gear as well, especially when driving slowly. Perhaps I could have used the paddles more and with time and use it would lead to a better experience, but I went for the manual. Not to mention the terrifying prospect of how much a new auto box costs if it breaks. But there are times, particularly in traffic, where I wish I had an auto with that heavier uprated clutch and the leg ache it offers.
Horses for courses I guess.

The loaner S3 had only 200 miles on it when it arrived and drove just as you describe. Straight through the gears in auto, clinging on to high revs for dear life in sport. Had an unpredictable good think at some junctions before responding to the accelerator and actually setting off. Clunky changes, especially when changing down to unsuitably low gears around town.
I didn't warm to the paddles or learn the "rolling on the accelerator" technique in 1200 S3 STronic miles.

The auto box in the A3 SE 2.0 tdi 150 they lent me was even worse and the seats excruciatingly uncomfortable after 100 miles.

As you say Mr Freeze, we'll agree to disagree.

If only Audi had a car in their current line-up that appealed and that I preferred to my 5 year old S3...

 

[Audicfc]

New RTS HD clutch fitted yesterday by a local VAG specialist and first impressions are very positive.
The biting point has moved from near the top of the pedal to 2/3 of the way down which is much better. The pedal is now slightly lighter than it was and everything is super smooth with no judder at all. Time will tell how strong this clutch is and if it will hold the torque but RTS claim the extra clamping force from their cover plate along with the HD clutch material should hold 30% more torque than the original stock clutch.
I just need to bed it for a few hundred miles.
The old DMF was 'serviceable', the springs felt ok but the plate had quite a bit more wobble than the new one. No blueing, plenty of meat on the friction plate but a little glazing perhaps. But it wasn't holding stock torque and slip getting worse in certain situations.

Total cost for new Sachs DMF, RTS HD clutch, OEM release bearing, labour for fitting, wheel alignment. £838.

How many miles did your original clutch last and does the clutch feel light to press ? I see most people usually say an aftermarket clutch is usually heavier than the original clutch

 

[Matt Titanium]

How many miles did your original clutch last and does the clutch feel light to press ? I see most people usually say an aftermarket clutch is usually heavier than the original clutch

The clutch had done around 28000 miles before it started to slip going back on the power after up changes. At 31000 miles it would sometimes slip in 4th/5th burying the throttle at 3000 rpm. It was pointless replacing with a stock clutch as I intend keeping the car and going to a Stage 1 tune.

As far as peddle feel, it is as light (or slightly lighter) as the old stock clutch.
The biting point on the original S3 clutch was always near the top of the pedal from new. It is now much lower down, more where it was on my old 1.8 TFSI.

I believe the RTS clutch achieves a greater clamping force with stronger springs but a lighter feel by moving the fulcrum point of the levers in the cover to actuate it. This will mean that there is more pedal movement to lift the plate in the cover over the same distance. This difference is barely detectable, especially as the biting point is now much lower down the pedal on my car.

The Sachs HD cover plate results in a heavier pedal, I'd guess just stronger springs. I didn't like the idea of extra force on a dry crank thrust washer and increased wear that could have resulted with this clutch every time the car was started from cold.

The DMF was serviceable but certainly past it's best, but for £200 it was worth fitting a new one whilst in there. In some ways, I wish I'd been brave enough to go for the RTS "heavy" SMF but I really couldn't have lived with a rattly gearbox and unsure of the stresses/harmonics the extra directly connected mass could have put on the crankshaft. Or the clutch judder that many report with the RTS twin friction clutch plate.