Finally installed the clutch!

[TylerO28]

Alright clutchmasters sent my lightweight flywheel and stage 4 Fx400 clutch kit yesterday! I was able to Get it installed last night!

The disc is a sprung hub ceramic puck set up, and the clutch pressure plate is a modified Sachs unit!

Overall the kit installed smoothly! The hardest part was getting the transmission back in with little room. I had to put it on my chest laying on my back and literally bench press it into place...

The test drive went smoothly and all I can say is "why didn't I upgrade this earlier?" It's a significant change in driving! The car spools up quickly, and noticeably has more legs up top! The break in is 500 miles! I'm going to go out today and get some mileage on it to see how much better this unit can handle boost.
I'll post some pictures in a few!

[thygreyt]

how easy/hard was it to drop the tranny??

how did you do so??

if possible, do a written DIY.

thanks!

[DerekH]

how easy/hard was it to drop the tranny??

how did you do so??

if possible, do a written DIY.

thanks!

This!

[kevin FaKiN spLits]

I use the engine lift, remove the bolts, axles, trans mount lower the far end of the trans and pull out the same time, then lower it onto my rolling lay down thingy. Im curious to see how the clutch master stuff works. I used to eat the sh*t out of their clutch discs in my old Talon. Toward then end Bushur Racing got me a Exedy triple disc.

Im going with either SouthBend or FST, but curious to see how the Clutchmaster hold up

[b1aCkDeA7h]

After you break it in, can you give it a more thorough review? I'm pretty sure I want to ditch my unsprung fourseasons setup and get a clutchmasters when I eventually buy a differential for my 6-speed.

Any chatter?

[TheZooKeeper]

how easy/hard was it to drop the tranny??

how did you do so??

if possible, do a written DIY.

thanks!

Grab a Bentley Manual, the procedure is in there. It's super simple.

[thygreyt]

Grab a Bentley Manual, the procedure is in there. It's super simple.

i know, i have the manual... i was just wondering on the tools and on the DIY aspect, since the manual always assume you are working on a full shop... not a garage floor.

[TheZooKeeper]

i know, i have the manual... i was just wondering on the tools and on the DIY aspect, since the manual always assume you are working on a full shop... not a garage floor.

All the same tools are required, but you're going to have to rig up something to hold up your motor when the trans. is unbolted and dropped out, if you don't have one of these



And obviously, a trans. jack would be replaced with you laying on your back dropping the trans. in and out from your chest.

[TylerO28]

Yup it was easy, but not a thing I would wish to do again! The dropping if the Trans was most difficult! Had to pull the CV in put shafts because they got in the way... I used an engine bridge like posted above... Dropped the motor far enough to get the mount off. A diy? Hmmm I can do that!

[kiserhd]

LOL figures I just got mine transmission back in today too.

I only pulled the passenger side CV shaft. I did pull the driver side axle out because it was annoying me. Definitely feels weird, but I threw in the clutch, LSD, HPA core interlock and BSH pendulum mount all at the same time. Can't wait to get 500 miles on it.

[TylerO28]

So far 360 miles on it! Starting to get comfortable with it! This thing grabs and doesn't let up at all! Very happy with the rev ability! Matching revs downshifting is awesome!

This car has come to life again!

[TylerO28]

458 miles down! Its getting much better!I also put some synchromesh in the Trans and its feeling very Nice! I've gotta give clutchmasters big props for developing a very Nice product! Straight forward install zero issues with bolting things up! Very quick revs and by far worth the price paid!

[TylerO28]

Alright officially this clutch is truly amazing!
I'm totally satisfied with it's performance, was the 4 puck necessary? Nope! But overall, oh my GOD!!! This combination of the flywheel and the clutch woke up some sort of an animal in the car! Revs are quick and predictable, Down shifting is effortless, and when slamming down that long skinny pedal on the right? Holy crap this car moves!
I'm impressed with clutchmasters! Good product for sure.
The clutch is a remanufactured Sachs unit.its pedal effort is nothing crazy, only slightly stiffer than stock.it actually feels like there is something there now. The disc is built extremely well, its a non Marcel face...and sprung hub.the Marcel is the part that's between the discs material and the actual disc.it allows a bit of a "cushion" while letting the clutch out... Needless to say, the clutch grabs.its aggressive but completely drivable.

When you're really on it and shifting quickly, the changes Are nearly instantaneous, it'll shift as fast as you can move. No grinds no hold up, just straight up hard shift grab!
A few pics should be Nice how it arrived kit kat didn't make it much longer than after this pic beautiful wrapping.came in perfect condition this is my attempt to show its a Sachs clutch. Now time for my factory unit sitting in the garage hot spots every where

[thygreyt]

wondering if a new clutch (oem) and an aftermarket flywheel would solve the issue for some low boost...

[TylerO28]

You are going to need a much better pressure plate. Clutch disc is prob ok but getting it to hold is where you'll find threw weakness

[LampyB]

how much did you get the clutch/flywheel setup for, and where did you buy? also did you replace the stock setup because it was beginning to slip, or just for the added power? just wondering how much longer i can expect my oem setup to last...75K miles on the clock right now. i'm not really hard on the shifting though, because the oem setup is simply horrible...it's easy as hell to grind gears in this car with a quick shift.

[LampyB]

Im going with either SouthBend or FST, but curious to see how the Clutchmaster hold up

which southbend are you looking at? i'm not sure if the HD is compatible with this car, but i had this in my Audi 1.8T Stage 1+ and i felt like everything about it was crap. super high engagement point, and eventually after about 12K miles on it i ended up selling the car but i swear it was starting to fail already. i've heard only good things about the Southbend OFE SS, though it's pretty stiff with a pretty low engagement. just stay away from the HD!

[TylerO28]

i had to replace the set up because i was seriously spinning the clutch... it was slipping in nearly every gear if i got onto it. so to answer your question... your clutch WONT last with much more power. i purchased my clutch from thmotorsports. they match prices and offered free shipping. overall i paid nearly 800 i believe... i can't recall honestly maybe it was 700. but to compare this to oem is like comparing mila kunis to a colon cleanse lol


as far as engagement. it's very close to the floor, but still drivable

if you need any help or have question feel free to send them

[Anile_eight]

Alright clutchmasters sent my lightweight flywheel and stage 4 Fx400 clutch kit yesterday! I was able to Get it installed last night!

The lightweight flywheel is that the steel flywheel or the aluminum flywheel?

[TylerO28]

Steel. I don't care for aluminum... It's total weight with clutch disc and pressure plate weighs less than the old dual mass flywheel alone

[Anile_eight]

Steel. I don't care for aluminum... It's total weight with clutch disc and pressure plate weighs less than the old dual mass flywheel alone

Yea my thoughts are to go with steel. Thanks.

[darkk]

your clutch WONT last with much more power.

Not entirely true. I've had a C2 Stg 2 turbo in my Jetta for over 35,000 miles with the stock clutch assembly and no LSD. I do not drive like grandma on sunday either. I make full use of the available power the turbo offers and my clutch doesn't slip either. Just avoid to many dump the clutch moments and you'll be fine....

[TylerO28]

I think you have a good point, however I don't have low miles. and the factory clutch is probably not going to last much longer than 80 thousand miles without a turbo. So by adding the kit,I can assure you after you reach a higher mileage in your car, you will be in the same place I was

P.S. You don't know what you're missing with that lump of garbage in your transmission

[redrbt2.5]

are you noticing any chatter? My biggest fear of changing to a single mass being that my car is loud enough with exhaust and full mounts I don't want to add more noise.

[thygreyt]

are you noticing any chatter? My biggest fear of changing to a single mass being that my car is loud enough with exhaust and full mounts I don't want to add more noise.

Come and drive my car. there is chatter, but its more quiet than a diesel!

[Rabbidrabbitt]

Come and drive my car. there is chatter, but its more quiet than a diesel!

same here

[redrbt2.5]

Come and drive my car. there is chatter, but its more quiet than a diesel!

same here

I was afraid of that

[TylerO28]

Yup there is chatter, its nothing to worry about. Mounts, exhaust, etc etc. you're not exactly in a caddy anymore are you? Lol just get in there and do it! Chatter is a welcome nuisance over slip any time

[redrbt2.5]

Yup there is chatter, its nothing to worry about. Mounts, exhaust, etc etc. you're not exactly in a caddy anymore are you? Lol just get in there and do it! Chatter is a welcome nuisance over slip any time

very true, it lost it's quiet and comfortable status long ago

[Schwarz_Jetta]

quick noob question, did you have to drain your tranny fluid when changing your clutch?

[TylerO28]

Nope, but pulling the inner CV spline did have to happen, so in a way it did have to be drained. That flange had to come off to allow enough room to drop out. You don't have to open your slave cylinder either, just remove from Trans and move away. but I did re bleed the system with new fluid just to be safe