APR Presents the Ultimate DSG / S Tronic Clutch Pack Upgrades!

**Arin@APR** · 07-19-2016 10:13 AM

APR is pleased to present the ultimate clutch pack upgrade for the DQ250 transmission!

Product Page

The APR DQ250 Clutch Packs replace the factory transmission’s friction disc and steel plates with an advanced and proprietary design that allows for greater performance. The system goes beyond the norm of simply increasing the disc and plate count, and takes a multi-step approach that not only greatly improves the overall friction engagement area, but does so without sacrificing the total heat-sink material mass of the steel plate. With 40-50% more friction discs, tighter tolerances, carefully specified materials, surface finishes, a proprietary top plate design and more, the clutches hold more torque, prevent premature failure, and provide quick stutter-free high-performance engagement!

Quick facts:

More friction discs
- OEM: 9 discs & 18 surfaces (4 large (K1) / 5 small (K2))
- APR: 13 discs & 26 surfaces (6 large (K1) / 7 small (K2))

Larger friction disc engagement area
- Larger OD / smaller ID for a wider engagement area
- Grove pattern optimized to increase engagement area
- Grove pattern maintains proper cooling channels

Optimized friction material
- Carefully selected material allows for shutter-free high-performance DCT engagement

Improved friction disc tolerances
- Tighter flatness specifications helps prevent premature wear, drag, hot spotting and warping

More steel plates
- OEM: 11 plates (5 large (K1) / 6 small (K2))
- APR: 15 plates (6 large (K1) / 7 small (K2) + 2 integrated top plates)

Proprietary top plate design
- OEM: Unused stamped-steel spacer plates
- APR: Thick steel plates with friction mating surface
- Allows for more friction plates while maintaining critical steel plate thickness

Improved steel plate design
- Thick plates maintain proper heat-sink material mass
- Heat flattened to stringent flatness requirements
- Increased hardness to further assist in rigidity
- Aggressive surface finish matched to friction material
- Design helps prevent premature wear, drag, hot spotting and warping
- Provides smooth shutter-free DTC engagement

Less clutch destroying heat
- Better friction means less required clamping pressure, and that means less clutch destroying heat

Manufactured in the USA by Quartermaster
- Multi-plate clutch experts, founded in 1958

The APR Difference

A balance between increasing friction material surface area and overall steel plate thickness is critical when designing a dual clutch transmission (DCT) clutch pack. To increase torque capacity, transmission manufacturers typically specify larger transmission designs with either more room for more discs, discs with wider surface areas, or a combination of both. However, this is not an option for those simply looking to upgrade their existing transmission.

All too often, steel plate thickness is shrunk in an effort to cram in more frictions discs and plates, but in doing so, the steel plates can become unable to dissipate heat, resulting in premature wear, hot spotting and ultimately failure. However, APR’s design increases the friction disc count by 40-50%, but does so while maintaining proper steel plate thickness and total mass. This is thanks to a proprietary top plate design. By replacing the factory stamped-steel top plate spacers with functional top plates, with integrated mounting surface surfaces, the clutch packs are left with substantially more room to increase the number of discs and plates without sacrificing thickness.

Friction Discs

A three-step approach was taken to increase friction material surface, or engagement area:

- The number of discs are increased 40-50%, resulting in 13 discs with 26 friction surfaces.
- The outer diameter of the friction disc is increases and the interior diameter is decreased, leaving a wider engagement swath.
- The friction material’s surface design is optimized, increasing the physical friction material surface area within the engagement area.

The result is obvious: a larger engagement area designed to hold more torque! Furthermore, less clamping pressure is required to hold higher torque levels, reducing the temperature of the clutch fluid. Heat is a major contributor to clutch failure, making this extremely desirable, especially for higher output vehicles, and vehicles under brutal racing conditions.

Keeping it Smooth

To ensure the clutches engage smoothly and quickly, careful attention was paid to the discs and plates to ensure they resist premature wear, warping, dragging and hot spotting. The discs and clutches remain thick, despite adding more, thanks to the proprietary top plate design. The steel plates undergo a heat flattening process with stringent flatness requirements, and the hardness of the steel was increased, over the factory design, to assist in rigidity. The plates are processed with an aggressive finish, but this finish is appropriately matched to the friction disc material to prevent wear. Likewise, the friction discs use a carefully selected material for optimal shutter-free high-performance engagement, and include tighter flatness specifications, further assisting in their smooth operation.

APR Recommendations and Requirements

APR provides a detailed install manual with each set of clutch packs that covers the installation process. New shims are not included with the clutches and can be purchased separately if needed. The factory shim can be reused if not compromised during removal. Also, APR dealers will have shim kits available if they are performing the install. After install, the transmission MUST undergo a factory TCU clutch adaptation before it’s driven. Failure to do this properly can cause irreparable damage to both the friction and steel plates. This adaption can be accomplished using VCDS (BETA 16.6.0 or higher), ErWin, or the VW Factory Scan Tool.

The transmission uses a micro-slip routine with hard factory torque limits. APR’s standard TCU upgrade is a MUST to ensure proper operation.

The transmission fluid is drained during the installation process so new, factory fluid, is required along with a new filter

More Photos

Application Guide

APR Clutch Packs:
All DQ250 6-Speed (wet) DSG & S Tronic / 02E Transmission
MS100132
$1,499.99

Replacement OEM Shims (OEM part number: 02E98321) - See recommendations tab above.
Z1003061
$29.99

**XLR8 Craig** · 07-20-2016 08:56 AM

Awesome! Finally we can start pushing the limits on these cars! When does a set go into Tylers car? :)

**Arin@APR** · 07-20-2016 09:00 AM

Tyler's had them for a little while. :)

**Dr.Chris** · 07-20-2016 11:37 AM

How much torque can the new clutches handle? Has anybody found the limits of the stock clutches when they start to slip?

**Arin@APR** · 07-20-2016 12:08 PM

Conservatively these are good for 800Nm. I've seen many other clutches on the market in far reaching corners, and I don't think you'll find another setup that these would not rival, despite what rating may be tossed around. Ultimately, there is a bit more to it than just a single number, but that's a good kicking off point.

As for the factory clutches, you can have them slip as soon as stage 1. Low fluid, bad fluid, or just pure bad luck of the draw can be a contributing factor. Heat, abuse, and more are other contributing factors. Assuming all is healthy, (Fluid, disc integrity), DSG software will be the ticket in most cases for most daily driving. When they are going, beyond obvious slip alone, the clutches will get shuttery, and engagement will start to suffer. That's an indication they are on their way out, or that they are severely warped or hotspotted. If your driving style warrants an upgrade, these will be for you. Think road racing, drag strip, high torque, high mileage, bad luck... any and or all of the above would be good candidates for an upgrade.