My SouthBend OFE HD slipped today...

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08-06-2008, 04:50 AM

#11

B56

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FYI, ss pressure plate has a very firm pedal feel.

Too firm IMO for a dd.

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08-06-2008, 06:11 AM

#12

QuattroFan02

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I don't find it to be too firm, breaking it in yes, it was awful, but after 3 weeks it's not bad.

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08-06-2008, 06:54 AM

#13

nanotech

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I disagree. It's no stiffer than any performance car clutch I've driven before.

Not ideal for stop/go perhaps

Much lighter than the clutch was on my 89 Mustang LX 5.0

not that I'm saying that was a performance car by any stretch! haha

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08-06-2008, 09:36 AM

#14

bhvrdr

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Try driving a BMW. My 325i has a much stiffer clutch then even the v8 S4.

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08-06-2008, 11:47 AM

#15

B56

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Everyone has their own preference...This SS pressure plate is stiff to me. I've driven several cars

with clutches and none of them even came close to the firmness of the pedal with this PP.

My only point was there are other clutch companies out there that will hold ko4 power without the insane and unessecary clamping force of the Sounth Bend SS pressure plate. Its overkill.

Try looking at clutchmasters, I have one on the s4 and the clutch pedal almost feels lighter than the gas pedal and it holds 400+ torque and HP at the crank. I havent driven the other car with the ss pp since i started using the s as a daily.

Jet jockey has a clutchmasters, maybe ask him and try to save your left leg from over exertion of driving a dd car.

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08-06-2008, 05:28 PM

#16

MikTip

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S4=240mm clutch...A4=228mm clutch....2 very different animals, separted by millimeters...

I had Spec's 240mm clutch and light-weight billet steel flywheel on my A4.

Never had a problem with it holding, only couldnt shift from 1st-2nd, and my pedal was on the floor...

Much heavier pedal effort required to actuate this Spec stage 2+ 240 LWFW setup!

Removed it installed the SouthBend OFE HD, and clutch was basically back to "stock" feel. The Southbend held for 9 months without issue, until just the other day...

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08-06-2008, 06:25 PM

#17

B56

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So you tried Spec and SouthBend and both failed? Whats your next move?

If you wanted to stay with southbend, you could try the FE clutch which is what i have. I find it a bit jerky, but it holds well and has never slipped.

If I could do it again I would have gotten the HD pp.

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08-07-2008, 12:40 PM

#18

MikTip

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The 240mm Spec didnt really fail...

its light-weight steel flywheel(16-lbs) gave me 2 issues. First, had a hard time shifting from 1st-2nd gear on my 6-speed gearbox. Second, had nasty vibration entering the gearbox at certain rpms. The clutch itself, never failed. I only put 500 miles on the 240mm setup before pulling it and installing the SouthBend.

The 228mm SouthBend OFE HD, uses a clutch disk with one side composite, the otherside organic.

It didnt really fail, just slipped on me recently, while I was trying to excellerate from a rolling go...

Maybe the SouthBend OFE "SS" would of done better, but the one-side organic disk I'm not really certain of at this point.

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