ZF six speed clutch replacement question
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Pro
Joined: Apr 2016
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ZF six speed clutch replacement question
As some of you know, I recently purchased a '96 LT-4 car that's had its original dual mass flywheel and clutch replaced with a Fidanza Aluminum flywheel and a Carolina Clutch pressure plate and clutch disc and because of that the transmission is noisy as hell, I cant stand it. I picked up a good original dual mass flywheel and now I want to buy a new clutch disc and pressure plate for it. I don't need anything spectacular and costly, all I want is something that would be equivalent to an OEM disc and pressure plate. The car is all stock, I don't plan on racing it so I don't need an all out race clutch and pressure plate. With that being said, I'm looking at these two clutch kits on ebay, one is made by LUK and the other is made by Valeo. Which one of these two would be the better choice? I'm assuming it would be the one made by LUK because that's who made the OEM dual mass flywheels for the corvette but then again maybe the Valeo one is better, I don't know. Here are the two kits I'm looking it, any advice is appreciated.
The LUK kit:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Clutch-Kit-...8/292680866997
The Valeo kit:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-OEM-VAL...3/273194314795
The LUK kit:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Clutch-Kit-...8/292680866997
The Valeo kit:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-OEM-VAL...3/273194314795
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2016
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The LUK pressure plate is made in China? I thought that LUK stuff came from Germany. Anyway, are there any other reasonably priced clutch kits out there that are at least OEM quality besides the LUK and Valeo?
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 14,683
Likes: 753
From: NEwhere Ohio
Since this noise is so bothersome to you, be sure to install a slightly thicker shim on the countershaft of the transmission. This is the way to ‘fix’ most of the noise at its source.
the dual mass flywheel is a ‘band-aid’ fix that works but it doesnt stop the noise from being created, just muffles/absorbs it.
the dual mass flywheel is a ‘band-aid’ fix that works but it doesnt stop the noise from being created, just muffles/absorbs it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,120
Likes: 1,997
From: St. Charles MO
For these pull-type pressure plates, the OE ones used to be made by Valeo in the US and then Brazil. Both of those were good. They don't exist anymore - the molds are apparently gone. All such pressure plates come from China, probably from the same plant, regardless of brand (even new Valeo ones). If you find a Valeo that says "made in US" or "made in Brazil," that's one to get. But they are few and far between, and expensive. So unless you find an old one like that, it doesn't matter what brand you get. Probably all kits come with Chinese throwout bearings, too. The original OE TOBs were branded INA and made in Europe (Germany iirc). Those are also extremely hard to find and very expensive if you do.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 14,683
Likes: 753
From: NEwhere Ohio
For these pull-type pressure plates, the OE ones used to be made by Valeo in the US and then Brazil. Both of those were good. They don't exist anymore - the molds are apparently gone. All such pressure plates come from China, probably from the same plant, regardless of brand (even new Valeo ones). If you find a Valeo that says "made in US" or "made in Brazil," that's one to get. But they are few and far between, and expensive. So unless you find an old one like that, it doesn't matter what brand you get. Probably all kits come with Chinese throwout bearings, too. The original OE TOBs were branded INA and made in Europe (Germany iirc). Those are also extremely hard to find and very expensive if you do.
For my 93...in 2012...I bought a spec stage 3+ kit and jerami (from spec) swore up and down they made their own pressure plate. However it looked just like valeo made in china, except painted blue with a spec sticker. They had either scratched out or x’d out the casting numbers seen on chinese valeo pressure plates.
I took it to the machine shop and it required a lot of drilling to balance it.
the ‘spec’ (likely usa made) pressure plate fromthe clutch swap i did in 2006, required much less drilling to balance it.
Now heres where it gets weird:
the throwout bearing
the 06 kit’s throwout bearing (from Spec) was marked made in china and was sloppy with lots of off axis play. I took a risk and installed it. It worked but i saw at least one internet photo of a chinese throwout bearing that peeled apart.
the kit in 2012 came with what appeared to be a high quality machined throwout bearing that someone made specifically for the car. It was tight and did not have off axis play.
i would have used this but i got lucky and found a NOS made in usa INA throwout bearing and used it instead.
both clutch sets i installed (in ‘06 and ‘12 ) were spec stage 3+
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,120
Likes: 1,997
From: St. Charles MO
I did clutch changes in 06 and 2012 . The parts in the kits were somewhat different...
For my 93...in 2012...I bought a spec stage 3+ kit and jerami (from spec) swore up and down they made their own pressure plate. However it looked just like valeo made in china, except painted blue with a spec sticker. They had either scratched out or x’d out the casting numbers seen on chinese valeo pressure plates.
I took it to the machine shop and it required a lot of drilling to balance it.
the ‘spec’ (likely usa made) pressure plate fromthe clutch swap i did in 2006, required much less drilling to balance it.
Now heres where it gets weird:
the throwout bearing
the 06 kit’s throwout bearing (from Spec) was marked made in china and was sloppy with lots of off axis play. I took a risk and installed it. It worked but i saw at least one internet photo of a chinese throwout bearing that peeled apart.
the kit in 2012 came with what appeared to be a high quality machined throwout bearing that someone made specifically for the car. It was tight and did not have off axis play.
i would have used this but i got lucky and found a NOS made in usa INA throwout bearing and used it instead.
both clutch sets i installed (in ‘06 and ‘12 ) were spec stage 3+
