Looking at Clutches!

lbdodge24v

lbdodge24v

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Jun 23, 2008
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153
Alright, the time has finally come. I am tired of babying my stock clutch and want to get something new. I am pretty sure I am going to go with a Dual Disc Clutch this time around and hopefully that is going to be the right choice. My only problem is which one to get. I am probably going to drag race it some, and might sled pull once (really unsure about that), and work with it hauling whatever needs to be. But most weights are around 10,000 lbs to 15,000lbs, sometimes more. I have looked at Southbend, Val-air, and McLeod clutches. So what is your opinion on this one? I am just looking for some other opinions on it and try to decide what I need to put in it.

Thanks for any info on this one.
 
12-button clutches are best for pulling, and 6-button clutches are best for drag racing.

Seeing as you haul, I would suggest the 12-button.

There are plenty of guys on here who swear by south bend, and others that swear by valair...not sure about McLeod.

HTH.
 
I have a south bend 3600, love it....peter said thats it ok to pull once in a while w/ this clutch, just dont think about pulling every weekend. Need to get the input upgrade also.
 
I've got a Valair single disc. If I ever buy another clutch it will be a Valair again. Great clutch, great company to deal with
 
South bend Double Disc 3600 12Button. Great clutch for starters, no need for a hyd. upgrade (with a good stock setup). And it can handle 650 HP.
 
I've got 3600 6 button unsprung in my dually. Heavier pedal, shifts slow, but it holds great. I went with the 3250 12 button sprung in my 12v, stock pedal feel, shifts good, haven't really thrown much power at it, just a plate. Installed the 3250 last weekend, finally got it going on thursday, very impressed with it so far. I miss the heavy pedal that my other truck has though.
 
Great info, thanks for the help. I know most people around here I talk to say SOuthbend all the way. But I was not sure which route to take. So is the dual disc worth the extra money all the way around? I had been told that a single disc that would hold higher horsepower would be a good bit rougher when shifting than the dual disc. Just wonderin about that also.
 
I'd go with the SBC give Peter a call tell him what you want to do with your truck and he will recommend the proper clutch. Also you will not get better customer service then SBC.
 
customer service is great at both companies, its a matter of personaly preference. too many choices and too many opinions.
 
If you do not plan to seriously abuse the clutch, just do the normal daily driver deal, a Con O will hold what you have now. I would NOT go with the OFE, great clutch, but if you tow alot backing a trailer is not fun with one, they are just a wee bit grabby. If you have a two wheel low kit it's a great choice though.

South Bend recently came out with a DD, the model I can't remember, that is a dual organic compound (I think!) clutch, talked to a couple of folks with one and they loved it. Supposed to be very smooth.

I do agree with the rest though, if you plan to abuse the clutch with racing/pulling/showing of arse, get a dual disc. If all you plan to do is drive the truck, tow a trailer, and maybe race it a couple of times, go with a single.

One more thing, look into your crystal ball down the road, what else do you see yourself doing to the truck? Bigger sticks and turbo? leaving it the same? Answer that for yourself now, and choose the clutch to hold what you WILL have power wise, not what you CURRENTLY have.
 
I just put in an unsprung dual disc Valair 3800. Pedal pressure is higher than stock and it shifts slower than stock. It is grabby taking off in second gear or backing up slowly. There is no slipping this clutch below 2000 rpm. I will hook to the sled at the end of this month, and see how it holds up. I like the clutch, but if you did a lot of stop and go driving it would get old. It holds my 400 hp, and laughs.
 
I would say ValAir, I have their best single disk that they sold at the time I bought it which is a 3800 full ceramic rated at 500hp-1000lb ft. Dan is absolutely the best guy to deal with, very knowledgable and cool to talk to. There have been many times I called to just check on the progress of the dual disks (back when they were in development) and he always answered my call or called me back ASAP. I want a ValAir dual disk and their billet 1&3/8" input but unfortunately money has been tighter than I thought it was going to be.

With as great as Dan and ValAir have been in my dealings with them and especially the great value in their clutches they will be my only choice for a long time to come!

FWIW my clutch is rated at 500hp-1000lb.ft. and it has never slipped in the nearly two years I have had it. I have done everything with it, daily drove, towed 15k+ trailers, done boosted launches, sledpulling style takeoffs while retreaving stuck equipment. I am very confident I am over 500hp now and it doesn't slip at all! I think with tuning I should be able to get 600hp or maybe more....
 
sounds like you want a 3600 DD. I will never replace a clutch with a single disc, even if its stock. Just spend a little extra cash and youll never have to worry about the clutch again. The 3600 is a tough clutch and can hold up to some sled pulling and racing.

Oh and South Bend all the way! Great PROVEN clutches and Peter cant be beat in service!
 
I am most likely going with the dual disc. And it will most likely be mistreated, I have to prove that I can beat a automatic on the drag strip. So I just gotta decide now which route to take, I do know I want it to be able to shift fairly quick. I figured a dual disc would be a lil slower but that is a sacrifice that has to be done. Also would be nice for it to have somethin close to stock pedal pressure would be great and to not have to upgrade the hydraulics and all on it. I am going to probably just call both places and decide from there. Thanks for all the great info!!
 
lbdodge24v said:
I have to prove that I can beat a automatic on the drag strip. So I just gotta decide now which route to take, I do know I want it to be able to shift fairly quick.
Click to expand...

If you want to shift quick and a DD you want Haisley's Street Drag Clutch, I have SBC DD and love it, but its slow shifting, from what everyone says about the Haisely says its the only DD that shifts as fast as you can. So again if you want to drag race IMO this is the only way to go, the only problem its $$$, which is one reason I went w/ SBC.
 
my dual disk shifts slow but holds great. held my 5th gear launch this weekend but didn't get the turbo lit. dan's working on the shifting part but you have to call him to get the details. just ask about the NEW dual disks.
 
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