Alright. So last season I installed a brand new southbend clutch with a act streetlite flywheel. I installed brand new oem throw out bearing and clutch fork with pivot ball. So after the install I had a hard time shifting into gear. I adjusted the master cylinder rod and it worked great..... until I drove it. After about 10 minutes I kept having my clutch pedals friction point keep moving up on the pedal until it was at the top. Pissed around with it trying to get it to properly adjust, said screw it and parked it for the winter. This season I replaced the clutch slave with brand new oem. Works way better. the only problem now is I get clutch drag at about 6,000rpm. I adjusted the top pedal height all the way out as well as the rod to the last half turn so that the check valve in the master still works (I can push the slave in by hand) and I still am getting drag. Just the other day I replaced the clutch slave with brand new oem and the drag seems to be a bit better, but its still dragging. I bled the shit out of the system as to what the teamrip guide says. im now stumped.

Bro I'm having the same exact issue with my south bend disc and act flywheel combo. Everyone I've talked to said to shim the pivot ball and it will fix it. I haven't tried it yet but I just pulled the motor and trans out tonight so I should have a answer if it fixs mine in the next few days. I originally thought I wouldn't need one because my clutch fork is dead center where it's supposed to be . From what I've found out the south bend disc are a tad thicker than oem I guess, or some crap like that. Your not the only one bro! Don't give up hope just yet haha

My sbc does the exact same thing. I'll have to try shimming mine too. Was about to pull it and just buy an act

Lol crazy ya bro shim it up from what everyone says it will do the trick. Just not sure how big a shim to use? I guess Ill try a reg washer that fits the ball right. Anyone else got any ideas for shim size?

Shimming it won't do shit. You need to take it back apart and verify that you have the correct step height. If this is a TZ style disc, the one I had was vey thick and would need a deeper step height than a act clutch steup.

I have seen a bad step on a brand new flywheel personally. If your dropping the trans to whim it you would be ignorant not to check the flywheel step while your in there.

It is a TMZ southbend set up. The act streetlight flywheel is from extreme psi. The step height is one thing I never checked that I really regret. Tim from TMZ said it should have been fine since it was brand new. But if I am taking the trans back out I will be checking everything to be sure since everyone else had said if the clutch for and ball are new you shouldn't need to shim. My clutch fork as of right now sits a little off center in the hole right now more towards the driver side of the fork hole so I figured that's good. Can you guys please check your step height as well before you shim. I really would hate to pull my trans back out. Getting the trany back in is not easy.

DSMKaui - Know your role dude, and listen when the elders speak. How about you actually take the time to learn how the cluch system works instead of blindly going off anyones suggestions. The only thing that shimming the pivot ball will do is attempt to correct a massively incorrect release system geometry, which you do not have unless your fork is broken.

The fact is a southbend kevlar disc is very thick, couple that with the marcel it's equipped with, and you need every bit of release travel you can get. That means that the step height needs to be correct to place the fingers in the correct orientation to mavimize the release clearance for a given TOB travel. Realizing that southbend sells the same PP for many different discs, including a 6 puck that is definatly thinner than the TZ style, I can guarantee you that the step height is most definatly not a 1 size fits all deal.

Maybe you should search and read about others with the same issue.[DOUBLEPOST=1408980087][/DOUBLEPOST]

eclipse012 said:

It is a TZ southbend set up. The act streetlight flywheel is from extreme psi. The step height is one thing I never checked that I really regret. Tim from TZ said it should have been fine since it was brand new. But if I am taking the trans back out I will be checking everything to be sure since everyone else had said if the clutch for and ball are new you shouldn't need to shim. My clutch fork as of right now sits a little off center in the hole right now more towards the driver side of the fork hole so I figured that's good. Can you guys please check your step height as well before you shim. I really would hate to pull my trans back out. Getting the trany back in is not easy.

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The flywheel should be fine, but it seems that the SB TZ needs a bit more in my experience. This is one of those areas that is a tough call. It really should be a put it in out of the box deal, but it's not. Unfortunatly noone realy cares to help.

I'm also going to go with an incorrect step height. I understand that the flywheel is brand new, but that doesn't always mean that it came stepped to the correct height your clutch requires. It's been known to happen plenty of times, as there quality control hasn't been the greatest.

Have you verified that your hydraulic system is working correctly? I was having a drag issue (actually still am) and I contacted Tim directly about it. He instructed me to inspect my hydraulics because the slave cylinder should have approximately 1" of travel. My system had only 1/2" and upon inspection my master was starting to leak on the inside of the boot. I replaced it but still only have 1/2" of travel. Tim thinks I still have air in the system so I will work through that, but I would suggest you verify that you are getting full travel from your hydraulic system first.

^ not talking to u guy!! And I did research even made a post on it on the galant forums. And guess what everyone who wrote back who had the same setup and same issues said to add a shim!!

please can we keep this thread to helping me solve this issue I have? I've been fighting with this thing all season. At one point I would like to drive my car. The slave and master are both brand new oem from extremepsi just put in the other day. I bled the system according to the teamrip guide page. So if the tmz southbend clutch is too thick. Then how would I go about figuring out what my correct step height should be since id be having to take extra off?

Kaui, that doesn't mean they know anything. Eclipse, I'd start by calling southbend and asking what they suggest. You need to have the step so that the pp fingers are pretty much flat, possibly a little above flat, unless your turning it 8000+rpm. You also need to set the clutch up in a press and push in the fingers and make sure you can get .050" clearance between the disc and pressure place before the fingers touch the disc.

If I still had one of these discs I'd measure it for you so I could tell you what it needs for a step height.

bastarddsm said:

Shimming it won't do sh**. You need to take it back apart and verify that you have the correct step height. If this is a TZ style disc, the one I had was vey thick and would need a deeper step height than a act clutch steup.

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Exactly what happened to me.

Some info I went through. SBC and TMZ were able to fix the issue.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/sbc-clutch-too-thick.467638/

No dude, you gotta shim it! ool. Here's the deal on this whole setup. NONE of the clutch manufactures are worth a shit. Instead of starting from a clean sheet and designing a clutch that works, they take stock pressure plates then modify them. Weather it is a different diaphragm or a modified leverage ratio. We end up with a pressure plate that is a huge compromise. We have a decent clamp load with an acceptable release load, but the clutch doesn't have enough release travel to release the clutch. ACT, uses someone else cover then welds a reinforcement ring into it so it will be "strong enough" You end up with a shit clutch that flexes around so much that you it will not release, and you cant even take the car out of gear if you take it past 8500. Then the clutch companies blame your car or what not, so you send the gopro footage and a log of the TOB position, and they can't bother to respond.

They push the diaphragm design with terms like "more efficiency clutch design" when in reality it's junk. It's cheaper to make, and has a easier pedal load. It's certainly junk from a performance standpoint.

Then there's assholes like PTT and QM that tell you if you can't dump the clutch at 6500 with 20psi and slicks without breaking the driveline, you need to fix the car. They tell you that slipping the clutch to launch is wrong....last time I checked the fastest cars in the world slip the clutch to manage the launch. At least they took the time to design a clutch cover that has clamp load, low release load, and enough release travel.

Anyway off my soap box. OP your fighting a no win battle here. The travel at the finger tips is limited by interference, and you have to give up travel at the pressure plate for clamp load. With a "street" type disc, about half of your pressure release travel is used up by the marcel. I feel like the qc on the sbc disc's isn't great and some have a little more marcel than others, and cause a release issue.

So I ended up calling Tim from tmz where I got my clutch from. He said he thinks it's a bleeding issue, that I may still have air in the line. Well I don't think I do. I just finished putting another liter of brake fluid through this and bleeding it the normal pedal down, open bleed nipple and close, pedal up. I also did a full half liter gravity bleed where I opened the bleed nipple on the slave and kept the master above half. Measured my slave travel and it's still at 11/16". So I had a rage fit and threw some shit around. I'm tired of getting the run around. I'm almost certain this is a step height issue. I'm not a complete retard that after spending 3 hours each time at probably a total of 5 or 6 times now that I can't not be getting this right. I'm sick of this. I'm almost to the point if saying screw southbend completely. Go the act route.

Then take the clutch out of your car, and measure your flywheel step height. If you don't want the clutch, send it back to South Bend Clutch, I can prepare an RMA, and I will repair or refund your money plus restocking fee since it has been over a year since you purchased it.

I have helped as much as I could remotely via telephone. Send me an email if this is the route you are going, and I will prepare the shipping information so you can send it back to SBC. My email is [email protected].

As well, I didn't make the damn clutch, it is South Bend Clutch's product. The ones I have a hand in are the SS-X pressure plates, the dual friction TZ/B, TZ/FE and B-series disks for our platform.

Like I said on the phone, I don't care how many times you have bled the clutch, 11/16" is not enough disengagement or at its limits of drag. As well, I told you it could either be a step height issue, or a clutch disk hub marcel issue. If you want, send back the disk and I will send you a full ceramic disk instead that is thinner and a bit more aggressive but will hold whatever you want to throw at it within the torque capacity of the pressure plate and will still be smooth to drive.

Your call, but I have fielded several phone calls and have responded as much as I can on this subject.

TMZ[DOUBLEPOST=1409102151][/DOUBLEPOST]As well, if you really want to give it a damn try, do what DSMKauai says; he must know. Even though your fork placement is currently proper. Give it a try with a 2mm shim if necessary. Add another bandage to the fix.

11/16" of slave travel? That's a huge amount! I have no idea how you could ever get that much, but if you really have that much it's probably putting the fingers into the clutch disc.

You pretty much have to bolt this stuff together outside of the car and check it. It's to much to ask the clutch manufacturers to do it for you.