ridofpwrstroke

anyone install the south bend clutch themselves? Is it a hard install? How long does it take to do it? Does it come with all the hardware to do the swap?

ridofpwrstroke

i forgot, where is the best place to buy one?

bulthisl

I just put mine in last nite. No prob if your mech inclined.<br>Just like any other clutch.<br><br> : Eddie : 8)

Superduty12v

I installed mine myself. It's easy. Just ask a couple of Q's if you need help.

ridofpwrstroke

how long did it take to install?

Cat Cracker

What a coincidence, I was just going to ask about the install of a sbc...anyway, I thought there used to be a thread on that subject, with step by step instructions, but I cant seem to find them. I thought I read it here, but perhaps not. I'm waiting on my sbc, and any sugestions would be appreciated. Thanx, Cat Cracker.

Superduty12v

The clutch should come with a input tool. It's basically a plastic input shaft with a loop for your finger. <br><br>WARNING: DO NOT PUSH YOUR CLUTCH PEDAL IN WHILE THE SLAVE CYL. IS UN-BOLTED.<br><br>Starting with your transmission:<br><br>1: Unbolt the slave cyl.<br>2: Remove slave cly. pushrod<br>3: Unbolt tranny and remove it<br>4: Remove the spring clip holding the passenger side of the clutch fork to the pivot ball on the tranny.<br>5: Remove the clutch fork with the throw-out bearing <br><br>Now the engine:<br><br>1: Unbolt the clutch from the flywheel<br>2: Remove the pilot bearing (might have to remove the flywheel to drive the old bearing out. The flywheel bolts are torqued to 101lbs-ft for when you put it back on)<br>3: Inspect the flywheel and decide wether or not to have it resurfaced<br>4: Install the new pilot bearing (I just beat it in with a hammer myself) into the flyhweel<br>5: Put the clutch input tool into the pilot bearing and slide the clutch disc over it and then the pressure plate over it. (make the the clutch disc is facing the right way. There should be a sticker or stamp that says &quot;flywheel side&quot; or something simular)<br>6: Put the bolts in and tighten them in a criss-cross pattern. I don't know the actually torque spec... just put use German torque... Gudentite (Good and tight)<br>7: Pull the installation tool out. Now your clutch is in.<br><br>Back to the tranny:<br><br>1: Remove the old throw out bearing from the clutch fork by disconnecting the springs in between them. (They just slide off) Put the new one on as you saw the old one. It's simple.<br>2: Grease your clutch fork pivot cup on both sides where the rod and pivot ball will be touching. Slide the clutch fork back over the bearing retainer on the transmission. Re-attach the spring clip to the pivot ball on the passenger side of the tranny, and the clutch fork. The spring should hold the clutch fork to the pivot ball.<br>3: Grease the input shaft where the input goes into the pilot bearings. Make sure the pilot bearing is well greased too. Install the tranny. You'll have to make the splines line up with the clutch before the tranny will bolt up. After you get the input shaft past the splines you'll have to get the anlge of the tranny perfect to get the imput shaft to go into the pilot bearing. If you can bolt the tranny up at all then you've done it right.<br>4: Re-install the slave cyl. push rod into the clutch fork cup from the outside of the tranny.<br>5: Re-install the slave cyl. (Takes a bit of force to get the rod back inside. <br>6: You're all done.<br><br><br><br><br>

ridofpwrstroke

Thanks for the input. I thought the SBC was a lot more than just a clutch disk. I thought more involved.

Superduty12v

The South Bend that I bought was actually a &quot;Luk&quot; pressure plate with a generic disc. The only thing that said &quot;South bend&quot; was the bill attacking my wallet.

ridofpwrstroke

so luk makes the clutch. ??? ??? can you buy the clutch from luk?

BradN

Does anyone else think Superduty 12v's instructions would make a great addition to the FAQs? ;D

Superduty12v

I'm not saying all SBC's are like that... but mine was just a Luk pressure plate with a regular pressure disc... nothing brand name South bend wise.


Yeah.. after all that typing I thought it'd make a good FAQ thing myself :P

BriarHopper

Luk doesn't make South Bend Clutches. Many of us were in Mishawaka, Indiana, for Peter's open house much earlier this year, we had a great opportunity to see where the clutches are made in his SBC factory. South Bend has a fantastic shop, and they know their stuff when it comes to clutches. <br> We're very pleased to be an authorized South Bend dealer/installer.

Don M

SouthBend uses a LUK pressure plate and a Valeo clutch disk in many of their clutch packages.<br>Both are very large clutch manufacturing companies.<br>The package is not just a regular old LUK or Valeo offering though. SouthBend modifies the components to their specs. <br>The clutchs are great for nearly all applications.<br><br>Don~

Push Rod

[quote author=Superduty12v link=board=7;threadid=6229;start=0#57580 date=1035582864]<br>I'm not saying all SBC's are like that... but mine was just a Luk pressure plate with a regular pressure disc... nothing brand name South bend wise.<br>[/quote]<br><br>All South Bend clutches start out their lives as stock plates and discs (yep, Luk supplies Dodge with plates), and indeed the pressure plate sees little or no modification.<br><br>However the disc, while appearance wise may look similar to stock, is _nowhere_ near stock tolerance. Spring weights do not change from stock, however the disc materials are radically different, even on the Organic series. And if you have a look at the fins on a South Bend Disc, you'll see another difference: The fins will be rippled, marcelled is the proper term. These fins, as the disc approaches the flywheel, build a cushion of air that cushions the shock of engagement. All South Bend Clutches in the Aftermarket series (you can buy a straight stocker from SB, but they will tell you up front its not a South Bend) use this technology.<br><br>So, it may have looked like a stock cover and disc, and it wouldn't have had a South Bend stamp on it, but it was definitely different. ;D<br><br>Rod