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2G southbend clutch failure

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pauleyman

DSM Wiseman
9,304
3,543
Nov 19, 2011
oklahoma city, Oklahoma
I finally got a burst of enthusiasm and dropped the trans after the car sitting for a year. As expected I found a spring popped out.
This clutch saw about 7000 miles of use on a t25 equipped daily driven car. Yes it was launched but infrequently and saw no track use. I'm out of warranty period but I'd like some feedback here. The hub physically broke at one of the springs and it's cracked in two other places. It drove flawlessly until that spring popped out. Never felt weird. No noise. This is the TZ/B disk with the lighter SS plate and OEM TOB. No shims. CC lightweight flywheel. Nothing was out of place upon removal. I used a fresh pivot, fresh fork. It's as good as it could get I think. I've used just about every clutch ever made for these cars and this was my favorite. I liked it well enough to buy another but before I install I want to feedback. Personally I think southbend needs to step up on this one.
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It looks like something came into contact with the spring shroud breaking it off? the springs even look polished at the edges like something was touching them, maybe just from compressive forces but maybe from contact, I am interested in this since I use these clutches also and am very happy with them.
 
I was aware they were I've been to the factory, in south bend. Very helpful, contact them, I'm sure they will help
 
All sprung disks come apart in my experience. But I will say south bend is the only pressure plate I’ve broken. I’ve had about all the sprung disks fail.

I use act 4 puck disks now. They last an entire season.
 
It's definitely a problem on their end. I've never used a South bend clutch, but I've also never had a pressure plate failure like shown, I have exclusively used zoom pressure plates and disc.
 
It looks like something came into contact with the spring shroud breaking it off? the springs even look polished at the edges like something was touching them, maybe just from compressive forces but maybe from contact, I am interested in this since I use these clutches also and am very happy with them.

I think the springs have just been rotating over time with vibration and clutch disengagements, and the ends are where they are most "pinched" by the disc and plate causing a bit of smoothing/polishing. That is, if we are talking about the same areas.
A plate failure like that is pretty sad. Can you see any stress fractures around the other 3 springs on the plate or disc oneither side?

My Fidanza kevlar 4 puck has been going strong for many years and over 25k km and I have been wondering how long it will continue to last.. SB was one of my options I was considering. Granted 1 of 500 failures is not bad; more people probably have had problems with Fidanza and I have had none.
 
They are junk. I have replaced four that have blown up and have done the same thing. Anywhere from 16g cars to 800hp cars. If it is a single plate is is ACT or nothing for me. I would never install one of someone walked me to.

the last car(800hp) we moved to a Quartermaster twin disc and never looked back. His disc literally blew into a million pieces and left him stranded far from home.
 
Those hubs are made by exedy, it's stamped on the face somewhere. On flip side, I've ran my southbend clutch for 20k miles of pretty aggressive driving and then it started to slip. I sent it back to southbend, they relined my old clutch with a new material and send it back to me. Another 2k miles later and a handful of launches and my clutch is still golden. This is just my experiance
 
Seems to be a fairly common failure point on these disks, I had one fail the same way, 2 of the other spring retainers were cracked. I replaced the disk and went on for another year or so before upgrading to a twin disk.

I've seen 2 others fail the same way as well.
 
Parts of them are made by Exedy which made the factory clutches, South Bend just modifies the factory parts, I have not really seen many fail vs the amount of them out there, I suppose springs on any sprung clutch can pop out if they are compressed hard enough and enough times, I tend to believe that an aluminum flywheel speeds up wear on things myself, I am wondering if they would hold up better if the springs were welded on both ends to the hub?
 
This is seriously why I ran an un sprung street disc with my act 2600, obviously I never had any springs pop out LOL, once I installed a fluidamper I never even had any chatter what so ever...

This is steering me away from the ssx-b series I was going to run, being that the full face ceramic disc also has springs I think I’ll pass, might just run the act 2900/street disc combo, but I just want to re iterate that I think those springs are a liability, your car won’t stutter on an unsprung disc with a fluidamper, their like the balance shafts of clutch discs, they serve a purpose but your damned if you do and damned if you don’t
 
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The spring failure can happen on any brand clutch. This is not as common as you think to ONLY South Bend Clutch.

In Paul's case, he purchased the clutch March 14th, 2017. I got a clutch disk warranted nearly 2 years past its warranty limit by simply contacting SBC and discussing the situation with them.

Still, this is the clutch disk hub for HD and SS series disks, and the hub and pressure plate are Exedy OEM level parts. The SSX pressure plate and disk hub are Exedy heavy duty components and have a more durable clutch disk hub than the SS and HD units.

As well, you guys completely forget the amount of abuse you put through your clutches doing AWD launches and track launches, then blaming it failing on that the clutch sucks instead of its main issue of the driver, followed by drivetrain harmonics, input shaft or crank runout, input shaft excessive bearing endplay, dumb stuff like over or under adjustment of the clutch hydraulics, missing bellhousing bolts, and numerous other variables.

This shouldnt scare anyone away from buying one. It should simply make you aware that things can happen. Take care of your stuff and it will likely last longer.
 
The spring failure can happen on any brand clutch. This is not as common as you think to ONLY South Bend Clutch.

In Paul's case, he purchased the clutch March 14th, 2017. I got a clutch disk warranted nearly 2 years past its warranty limit by simply contacting SBC and discussing the situation with them.

Still, this is the clutch disk hub for HD and SS series disks, and the hub and pressure plate are Exedy OEM level parts. The SSX pressure plate and disk hub are Exedy heavy duty components and have a more durable clutch disk hub than the SS and HD units.

As well, you guys completely forget the amount of abuse you put through your clutches doing AWD launches and track launches, then blaming it failing on that the clutch sucks instead of its main issue of the driver, followed by drivetrain harmonics, input shaft or crank runout, input shaft excessive bearing endplay, dumb stuff like over or under adjustment of the clutch hydraulics, missing bellhousing bolts, and numerous other variables.

This shouldnt scare anyone away from buying one. It should simply make you aware that things can happen. Take care of your stuff and it will likely last longer.
This kind of stuff is why I bought a whole new setup from south bend. Same setup. The warranty disk is just icing on the cake. I found no issues anywhere and only 7k miles. I should have pulled it 18 most ago when it broke but dang I just didnt want to do it again so I put it off. It was the best feeling clutch I've ever had. Hoping for even better with a stock flywheel. I've tried a bunch over the years too.
Thank you Tim for going above and beyond.
 
I have about 5k on my SSX, no clutch drag, engages nicely had no issues till we try to dyno tune the car this past Saturday. I was only able to get TWO pulls on the car and both times the clutch just slips at 299ft lbs of the. Anyone have a similar experience? Called Tim twice and emailed him. He responded by email and it appears he may be saying indirectly it’s install error!
Clutch pedal was adjusted over a year ago by Raif of RRT Motorsports. I have a lot of confidence in Raif. He also built my transmission. I have no clutch drag whatsoever. Or any engagement going on clutch seems normal. No slipping driving on the street under moderate boost.
Anyone have slipping issues at such low mileage on a clutch rated for 695 ft lbs of tq?
 
The clutch disengagement range should be around 0-2" from the floor. Like I said in the email, it may be a hydraulic system / adjustment issue that it could be preloading the slave / pressure plate and it is partially disengaging at pedal-up.

It could be a flywheel that is out of spec with too much step height.

Or you completely glazed the Kevlar side of the disk and it is not properly bedded in.

If you can't adjust it out and get street mileage on it, then pull the transmission and inspect the clutch disk.
 
There is obviously something wrong there. No offense, but it's usually install error like damaging the clutch on install ( I let the trans hang on the input shaft too long) or improper step height.
 
The clutch disengagement range should be around 0-2" from the floor. Like I said in the email, it may be a hydraulic system / adjustment issue that it could be preloading the slave / pressure plate and it is partially disengaging at pedal-up.

It could be a flywheel that is out of spec with too much step height.

Or you completely glazed the Kevlar side of the disk and it is not properly bedded in.

If you can't adjust it out and get street mileage on it, then pull the transmission and inspect the clutch disk.
Going to have it checked out tomorrow! Thanks

There is obviously something wrong there. No offense, but it's usually install error like damaging the clutch on install ( I let the trans hang on the input shaft too long) or improper step height.
None taken going to hopefully find out asap.!

it may be a hydraulic system / adjustment issue that it could be preloading the slave / pressure plate and it is partially disengaging at pedal-up.

It could be a flywheel that is out of spec with too much step height.

Or you completely glazed the Kevlar side of the disk and it is not properly bedded in.

If you can't adjust it out and get street mileage on it, then pull the transmission and inspect the clutch disk.
getting the disk checked out tomorrow. The ACT fly wheel and clutch kit where all new when installed. Hopefully we will figure it out thx again Tim.
 
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