Stage 4 clutch.. Really that stiff??

[andyrew]

Driving my new SB stage 4 clutch... God Damn that is stiff! The worst part about it is that feels really springy, so its hard to get used to.

I dont think I can do bumper to bumper in it... I just hope it breaks in a little.

[Militant-Grunt]

Is it full face or pucked?

[andyrew]

full face

[Militant-Grunt]

It still may break in, how many miles on it?

What setup are you running on your car?

[Rico750]

it ll break in and get smooth.. takes few days...

[andyrew]

Erm under 1k miles suposedly, Thus I figured no real break in was necessary...

New 15lb steel spec flywheel though (combination of the two make for a very difficult normal driving start...)



I hope it gets better, Im sure it'll happen on my track day tomorrow... lol

[$teady$upreme]

I am in the same boat, just installed my South Bend stage 4 with Fidanza 10lbs flywheel, it is definitely very hard to get used to.

Hopefully things get better

[$teady$upreme]

Springy is right. Even if you reach the engagement point, you have to slowly release, or else car will jerk badly.

Driving my new SB stage 4 clutch... God Damn that is stiff! The worst part about it is that feels really springy, so its hard to get used to.

I dont think I can do bumper to bumper in it... I just hope it breaks in a little.

[biketsai]

I drove a stage 4 and it felt pretty smooth,granted it has been on there for a while.

[aaronamerica]

lol I was just thing about starting a thread on this....my spec clutch just blew out today so I want to get a southbend clutch but i do not want that the hard pedal feel, so whats the best strong setup for me???

[$teady$upreme]

Hoping the hard feeling goes away once its done breaking in.

lol I was just thing about starting a thread on this....my spec clutch just blew out today so I want to get a southbend clutch but i do not want that the hard pedal feel, so whats the best strong setup for me???

[andyrew]

Aaron, I'll post after my meeting, Im going to simulate about 5k miles today so this should really tell me...

[aaronamerica]

I have a buddy that has that clutch and it did losen up a lil after lots of mile put on it but its still too hard for my likings though...maybe southbend has a lighter pressure plate for that clutch disk???

[seank]

Are you guys sure it is really that bad and that you just are not too used to the stock clutch softness that a 90 year old granny could drive? These are the first opinions that I have heard of a SouthBend Clutch being hard to drive, plus you even have a full face, not a puck design, also a 15lb flywheel isn't that light, I find it hard to believe that it is that horrible.

[pac1085]

I briefly drove a apr stage 3 avant with the OFE stage 4 SS, and the pedal was stiff as hell compared to the clutchnet I used to run...

[bob12312357]

Driven an Audi with a Stage 4 clutch and LWF , not sure of the brand. Didn't think the stiffness made it a bad DD, rather the abrupt engagment, and fact that the bitch loved to stall when not given gas in 1st at 5mph.

[Militant-Grunt]

Aaron, I'll post after my meeting, Im going to simulate about 5k miles today so this should really tell me...

How were you breaking in the clutch before?

Hoping nothing over 4k and no aggressive shifts?

[isleepsober]

yeah it gets smoother

[JumboBlack1.8]

When I got my Stage 4 clutch, i stalled out twice in the parking lot at the shop....the break in period is rough to get used to, but after about a week, ur leg gets a LOT stronger, and you start to like the feel of a stronger, sportier clutch.....I drove a modified 335i the other day and the clutch was SOOOO softer (even worse than a stock a4)....the stiffer clutch makes it feel more fun once u get used to it.....plus, it NEVER slips

[qtek16]

When I got my Stage 4 clutch, i stalled out twice in the parking lot at the shop....the break in period is rough to get used to, but after about a week, ur leg gets a LOT stronger, and you start to like the feel of a stronger, sportier clutch.....I drove a modified 335i the other day and the clutch was SOOOO softer (even worse than a stock a4)....the stiffer clutch makes it feel more fun once u get used to it.....plus, it NEVER slips

haha oh it will slip--just wait till your tranny starts acting up--

I have a stage 4 south bend--I put a brand new dual mass flywheel on it with it though--I love it--I cant stand stock clutches anymore--Hard for me to drive them hehe

[biketsai]

lol I was just thing about starting a thread on this....my spec clutch just blew out today so I want to get a southbend clutch but i do not want that the hard pedal feel, so whats the best strong setup for me???

what did you do!! lol, too many 5k launches?

[badjoke]

I'm getting a Stage3 Southbend, and Steel Lightweight Flywheel soon.

Should I expect similar stiffness?

[aaronamerica]

I'm getting a Stage3 Southbend, and Steel Lightweight Flywheel soon.

Should I expect similar stiffness?

2nd

[NyteEscape]

things will get better. i think you just need to get used to it. i live in nova so i have to deal with dc's 66/495 traffic. its not that bad, and u get used to it really fast.

i used to think the s4 clutch was stiff. now its like a slinky to me...

[HEEPJEEP]

Been DDing my Stage 4 SB for 10K miles now, wouldn't have it any other way, I love it. Isn't any harder to push than my Jeep or trucks I have owned.

[njm23]

you guys are girls.. SB stage 4 and 11lb flywheel. daily driver lots of miles + rush hour traffic. Not one complaint. It gets a lil better but it keeps that springyness. I like it, would rather have that then the stock clutch, that thing was so soft.. and would slip like it was its job if I launched it.

[$teady$upreme]

This is what i concern about most. It is not the stiffness of the clutch, is where if you let go the clutch too quickly, the abrupt engagement that i hate most. You can feel the whole transmission kind of vibrating.

Driven an Audi with a Stage 4 clutch and LWF , not sure of the brand. Didn't think the stiffness made it a bad DD, rather the abrupt engagment, and fact that the bitch loved to stall when not given gas in 1st at 5mph.

[andyrew]

Definately lots more vibration and clutch chatter than I had expected. However the clutch is much easier to use now, Still slightly springy, but not near as bad as it was.

[Siena]

haha oh it will slip--just wait till your tranny starts acting up--

I have a stage 4 south bend--I put a brand new dual mass flywheel on it with it though--I love it--I cant stand stock clutches anymore--Hard for me to drive them hehe

You had your tranny out, replaced your clutch with a stage 4 Southbend, and then slammed in anothe DM flywheel??

That was the ideal time to get rid of the DM!

[sean1.8t]

maybe southbend has a lighter pressure plate for that clutch disk???

yeah, it's called a southbend stg 3 clutch. same organic/feramic disk, but with the lighter pressure plate.


all in all, i've had both stg 4 and 5 southbend clutches on my car. the stg 4 was a BREEEEEEEZE to drive. i liked it better than stock for all types of driving. the stg 5 is just a little bit more tricky. but you get used to it in like a day at most. you guys all need to butch up or something. my 115lb girlfriend only stalled my car once on a 20 minute city drive the first time she tried out the stg 5 clutch

[aaronamerica]

yeah, it's called a southbend stg 3 clutch. same organic/feramic disk, but with the lighter pressure plate.


all in all, i've had both stg 4 and 5 southbend clutches on my car. the stg 4 was a BREEEEEEEZE to drive. i liked it better than stock for all types of driving. the stg 5 is just a little bit more tricky. but you get used to it in like a day at most. you guys all need to butch up or something. my 115lb girlfriend only stalled my car once on a 20 minute city drive the first time she tried out the stg 5 clutch

hey so what stage would you recommend for my setup i have, I've gone through 3 Spec clutches, they just dont last lol

[sean1.8t]

well if you plan on beating on the car with launching and hard shifting i would suggest the FE stg 5 clutch.

if you just want it to hold and last for normal daily driving, then stg 4.

fwiw, there have been a few BT guys that have blown the stg 4. i fused my stg 4 disk to my flywheel on a 5k launch. upgraded to the stg 5 as there has yet to be a failure that i know of. my stg 4 did last over 25,000 miles with prolly 20 or so launches.

[beejohn]

don't be a pussy, i love mine wish it were stiffer. i want a workout when i drive my car :). sb stg4 here

[aaronamerica]

well if you plan on beating on the car with launching and hard shifting i would suggest the FE stg 5 clutch.

if you just want it to hold and last for normal daily driving, then stg 4.

fwiw, there have been a few BT guys that have blown the stg 4. i fused my stg 4 disk to my flywheel on a 5k launch. upgraded to the stg 5 as there has yet to be a failure that i know of. my stg 4 did last over 25,000 miles with prolly 20 or so launches.

thanks so I may go with the stage 5 then

[HEEPJEEP]

I do 6000 rpm launches every day, don't worry about it. If you have chattering you probably needed a new flywheel or to resurface it (good luck finding some one with the correct stones to do it).

[aaronamerica]

I do 6000 rpm launches every day, don't worry about it. If you have chattering you probably needed a new flywheel or to resurface it (good luck finding some one with the correct stones to do it).

lets see some vids of this, what clutch setup you have

[qtek16]

You had your tranny out, replaced your clutch with a stage 4 Southbend, and then slammed in anothe DM flywheel??

That was the ideal time to get rid of the DM!

Yeah i just did not want to deal with chatter--loss of bottom end torque, etc...

[AEB A4]

I just bought a Stage 3 southbend clutch at WF. The guy said i wouldnt need the stage 4 for my application. It looks to be a nice clutch but the guy didnt really tell me what it could hold. I got a k04 with pc-16 and almost all the suporting mods. Will this clutch be strong enough to hold the power or should i upgrade and be safe. What is it rated at?

[andyrew]

AEB,

stage 3 is fine for your use. 300hp I believe is what thats rated at.

GL
Andrew

[AEB A4]

Andyrew, Thats what im hoping. The website says 300ft of torque and the pc-16 makes about that to the crank. Are the torgue figures for the clutch to the wheels or the crank. If its to the crank then i might have to upgrade