When my second clutch blew apart I started searching for some info on the DD's, and I couldn't find a whole lot... so I called South Bend and installed one anyway, and figured I would post my results.

My origional clutch blew apart at 150k, in a rush I bought an OE from Ford. After a 9.5" lift, new 38's, and a couple beers one night I decided to fiddle with the tuner and crank it up a bit...30k later it blew apart again.

So I called SBC, estimated my HP, told them about the lift, tires, tuner, and that I like to drive fast. (I don't really, but if I do I don't want the clutch to slip or fail) They said that I needed the DD, so I had to explained to my wife that we can spend the 2k now or spend the $600 every 30k miles or so... reluctantly she agreed and I ordered, and had it in 2 days.

The clutch itself is pretty bad a$$ looking in general, 2 disk's, 12 buttons on each side, 3500# plate load, and the whole thing weighed 118lbs!

When I first installed it, I wanted to send it back... this is my daily driver and I drive 150 miles, or so miles to work and back everyday. This thing had absolutely ZERO slip, it was unbelievably "grabby". Driving and shifting was awesome but I could barely take off from a stop without jerking, shuttering, or peeling out. I was reading through SB's FAQ's and a guy was complaining about the same thing, they told him to drive it more agressively til the clutch breaks in... so I did, to my amazment when I reved it up and dumped the clutch the damn thing smoked the tires like nobodys business! It was an awesome sight to see...

Now Iv'e got about 30k on it and all in all it's still awesome, not near as grabby, and it smoothed out enough that my wife can drive it again, it shifts smooth, and still doesn't slip. The only things I don't like are that it's very noisy at idle, sometimes sounds like it's knocking around in there, and it sounds like a PTO when you push the clutch in (people tend to look over and say WTF?) but that doesn't bother me as long as it does what it's supossed to.

Sorry for the long post, but I figured someone out there, at sometime, will be in this same situation and this info may become usefull...

 

THANK YOU. I just did an 'emergency clutch' because apparently my mods, driving style and towing weight were too much for the standard LUK clutch. At 100k the LUK disc material was almost gone with springs falling out and the stupid pilot bearing was FUBAR, again...

I yanked the trans to inspect pilot and replace with Kevlar bushing (I hope you used this!!!) and found disaster. Couldn't wait for a South Bend OFE (their recommendation), so an autozone set went in there. I'll just baby it for awhile and when I have time I'll upgrade it.

I was really interested in the driving/towing character of the ceramic clutches. The LUK was real 'grabby' at first, but smoothed out in a few 1000 miles. I couldn't stand a clutch that stayed that way!

And with 9" of lift and 38's, didn't you mean 'Look UP and say WTF'? LOL!

 

just a shot in the dark here...could the slave clynder be acting up?

 

Yeah, they kind of look under...lol.

SB said that any single disk I put in will fail, even one of theirs, thats what pursuaded me to spend the money. It was well worth it.