Valeo/Luk ckutch longevity issue
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Valeo/Luk ckutch longevity issue
Just got off the phone with the resident ZF expert we all know and while discussing a symptom a seller was describing he got on the topic of these clutches and problems guys were having. Alarming to say the least.
Apparently these things are only good for about 20-25k cycles as once mfrd the legs on the PP are machined to various depths, that can be .20 or so short sometimes more.
So they work til the warranty is about up then it just slips like mad.
Anyone experience this? Disappointing to hear.
He does have a solution for $140 that makes them perfect..when doing his trans rebuilds for anoter $150 he fully blueprints and perfects them. Anyone who has talked to him at length will know he more than takes things seriously he tries to re engineer. FWIW he is no longer R and R trans you need to drop it off or ship to him.
Almost makes me consider looking at some 4 plus 3 cars, get a short throw shifter and call it good.
Not gaining anything or doing an intentional plug but seen guys complain their new clutch didnt last or had issues
Apparently these things are only good for about 20-25k cycles as once mfrd the legs on the PP are machined to various depths, that can be .20 or so short sometimes more.
So they work til the warranty is about up then it just slips like mad.
Anyone experience this? Disappointing to hear.
He does have a solution for $140 that makes them perfect..when doing his trans rebuilds for anoter $150 he fully blueprints and perfects them. Anyone who has talked to him at length will know he more than takes things seriously he tries to re engineer. FWIW he is no longer R and R trans you need to drop it off or ship to him.
Almost makes me consider looking at some 4 plus 3 cars, get a short throw shifter and call it good.
Not gaining anything or doing an intentional plug but seen guys complain their new clutch didnt last or had issues
Last edited by cv67; Feb 23, 2021 at 10:52 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,356
Likes: 291
From: MA
Well as far as the pressure plate issue being machined poorly, yes I talked to Bill. I bought a remachined pressure plate and new sprung hub disk, throw out bearing, thrust washer, short throw shifter.
I purchased a SPEC SMF 30lb. flywheel to replace my DMF that was shot (too much play and leakage).
I did send Bill my old pressure plate back once I installed all the new stuff. He inspected it and told me my OEM pressure plate from my 1996 Corvette was machined within spec.
My clutch started slipping at about 48,000 miles and I am the original owner. I do drive the car hard but this isn't my first manual transmission. But it is the first that wore out at 48,000 miles , I was hopeful it would last at least 90,000-100,000 miles.
Let's see how long this setup lasts.
By the way you can convert the whole setup to the RAM setup, they even offer a twin disk clutch kit.
I almost pulled the trigger on the RAM single disk kit but there wasn't enough feedback out there on clutch feel and driveability so ultimately I went with Bill.
I purchased a SPEC SMF 30lb. flywheel to replace my DMF that was shot (too much play and leakage).
I did send Bill my old pressure plate back once I installed all the new stuff. He inspected it and told me my OEM pressure plate from my 1996 Corvette was machined within spec.
My clutch started slipping at about 48,000 miles and I am the original owner. I do drive the car hard but this isn't my first manual transmission. But it is the first that wore out at 48,000 miles , I was hopeful it would last at least 90,000-100,000 miles.
Let's see how long this setup lasts.
By the way you can convert the whole setup to the RAM setup, they even offer a twin disk clutch kit.
I almost pulled the trigger on the RAM single disk kit but there wasn't enough feedback out there on clutch feel and driveability so ultimately I went with Bill.
Last edited by grandspt; Feb 24, 2021 at 04:37 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,119
Likes: 1,994
From: St. Charles MO
The pressure plate problems are solvable. IMO the bigger problem is that all the new throwout bearings available today are garbage. The only solution is to try to find a NOS original-manufacture bearing for $300 or more. That's what would push me over the edge to try the RAM conversion.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 557
Likes: 105
I recently went through this. Bill was a pleasure to work with. I opted for $140 work on my pressure plate, I got mine through Carolina. He said mine was so badly out he almost couldn't use it as a core. He sent me one that was good to go. It has been good so far but I don't daily mine so I don't really have many miles on it. But when I do drive it I am getting on it and driving it.
But, after having replaced the clutch, flywheel, TB, ball stud, fork, MC and SC I really wish I would have gone with the Ram. That way I know I am on a much more updated tech and there is good support and I know the TB is not garbage. But I was pretty new at working on the C4 at that point. Now I can get that trans out in my sleep. After all the stuff I went through the cost would have been about the same. Live and learn I guess....
For some reason I want to switch to the Ram anyway. I think I like working on my car more than driving it...hahaha, now if can just figure out a way to sneak $1000 clutch into the house.....hmmm
But, after having replaced the clutch, flywheel, TB, ball stud, fork, MC and SC I really wish I would have gone with the Ram. That way I know I am on a much more updated tech and there is good support and I know the TB is not garbage. But I was pretty new at working on the C4 at that point. Now I can get that trans out in my sleep. After all the stuff I went through the cost would have been about the same. Live and learn I guess....
For some reason I want to switch to the Ram anyway. I think I like working on my car more than driving it...hahaha, now if can just figure out a way to sneak $1000 clutch into the house.....hmmm
