Ringer Racing Stage 3 slipping

[rtmeikle]

My stock clutch lasted up until about 100k miles (the last 50 with a single-pulley setup) and I replaced it with a RR stage III setup at about 100k. I'm now at about 135K and the other day the clutch slipped under full throttle in 6th gear. It continued slipping on that drive, but a few days later seems to have improved.

Are there other factors that can cause a clutch to slip other than being worn out? I'd hate to have to replace after only 35K miles of daily driver use.

I've owned 4 other manual transmission cars, all but one I kept well past 100K miles and never had to replace a clutch, so I don't think I'm particularly hard on the clutch.

Thoughts?

[BucDan]

Only thing I can think of is the pressure plate not squeezing enough or air in the clutch line? Just ballparking.

[LowKeyLoki]

When they replaced the clutch did they replace the pilot and throw out bearing?

[Cooper993]

Rear main seal leaking oil on clutch?

[mahhdd]

I was set on getting a Ringer Stage 3 or 4 previously; but, I'm tempted to just go with an OEM Sachs or something for longevity since I won't be doing my own wrenching. I couldn't imagine paying the premium for these clutches just for them to be dead within 35-40k miles. This isn't the only time I've heard this (this isn't a Ringer specific problem - it's high performance in general).

I've heard the stock clutch can handle Stage 2 and ported blower power levels as long as you give it a moment to grab and not launch it (which I don't do). Curious about if others have done the same.

[2by2handsofblue]

I thought these so called upgraded clutches suppose to be better than oem?
Hopefully its not a serious issue.

we are the borg! resistance is futile.

[mahhdd]

I thought these so called upgraded clutches suppose to be better than oem?
Hopefully its not a serious issue.

we are the borg! resistance is futile.

They hold more power; but, I've just seen many high performance clutches not last. Higher holding power doesn't mean greater longevity, despite what I once believed.

[misiak]

They hold more power; but, I've just seen many high performance clutches not last. Higher holding power doesn't mean greater longevity, despite what I once believed.

Absolutely correct. The materials used to hold more power wear down faster, it is a trade off. I had a South bend clutch on my old TDI Jetta making a whopping 192WHP and 320WTQ and the clutch held the power awesome but only for about 100k kms.

You could take your old clutch if you still have it and send it to South Bend or Bulley (depending where you are) and have them replaced the friction material and increase the clamping force of the OEM pressure plate. BTW this usually is a fraction of the cost of a full clutch kit.

[BucDan]

I was set on getting a Ringer Stage 3 or 4 previously; but, I'm tempted to just go with an OEM Sachs or something for longevity since I won't be doing my own wrenching. I couldn't imagine paying the premium for these clutches just for them to be dead within 35-40k miles. This isn't the only time I've heard this (this isn't a Ringer specific problem - it's high performance in general).

I've heard the stock clutch can handle Stage 2 and ported blower power levels as long as you give it a moment to grab and not launch it (which I don't do). Curious about if others have done the same.

I'd believe this. On a DP setup with no launch, my stock clutch is holding on just fine into the 6k+ rpm range. I'm at 82.5k miles with 40k of it on dp.

[king_j]

One thing to note, the RR 3 clutch has organic and semi metallic materials.
This may have 1 side wearing out faster as it’s not as robust as the other side.


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[mahhdd]

You could take your old clutch if you still have it and send it to South Bend or Bulley (depending where you are) and have them replaced the friction material and increase the clamping force of the OEM pressure plate. BTW this usually is a fraction of the cost of a full clutch kit.

Had no idea. What's the cost usually? Downtime would suck too, I'm sure.

[misiak]

Had no idea. What's the cost usually? Downtime would suck too, I'm sure.

I had a clutch done by them for a 16v VW to hold 500-600whp and it was roughly $300-350 something in that ball park. I believe they turned it around in a matter of a week or so, mind you car isn't driving yet so I was in no rush at all.

[JRYtheS4]

I had a clutch done by them for a 16v VW to hold 500-600whp and it was roughly $300-350 something in that ball park. I believe they turned it around in a matter of a week or so, mind you car isn't driving yet so I was in no rush at all.

What about the flywheel? Did you just replace the factory fw with OEM on that setup?

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[misiak]

What about the flywheel? Did you just replace the factory fw with OEM on that setup?

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I actually had the OEM flywheel lightened a bit and resurfaced.

[roboto_1337]

I actually had the OEM flywheel lightened a bit and resurfaced.

I was told by a vendor that the oem flywheels couldn’t be resurfaced?


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[mahhdd]

Are there other factors that can cause a clutch to slip other than being worn out? I'd hate to have to replace after only 35K miles of daily driver use.

I'd reach out to Mike@Ringer to inquire if I were a customer; but, I'm not, obviously.

Reach out to Mike and ask the cost for them replacing the friction material that the other user posted, and let us know the cost.

Know what direction you're heading in?

[bakedziti]

I had a S3+ ringer clutch and FW installed this year and just added my crank pulley this past weekend after finally making it through my break-in period. Most of my chatter is finally gone and I swear the change in my 034 tune smoothed things out a bit (could be placebo) but this thread is the first I’ve seen about early failures or failures at all really with this setup. That being said with where I’m at now with working from home, it will take me about 10-12 years to do 35K miles…that’s not to say that I think 35K miles is a long clutch life, but I also tend to think that some of this could be caused by the user, if some are babying stock clutches to 100K at DP power while some are roasting them in 10K or even roasting uprated clutches. Just my 0.02¢.

[misiak]

I was told by a vendor that the oem flywheels couldn’t be resurfaced?


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This was not on an S4.