I have the stock 12 1/4 unit, I believe they have is listed as 0090 on there website. At first it was not real bad, but now you can hardly start with out the whole truck jerking, the clutch is super grab and makes the truck almost hard to drive, it seems like a trailer makes it worse, any thoughts. I had the flywheel resurfaced and followed the install directions. My OEM clutch was super smooth both load and unloaded. I bought southbend due to all the recommendations and the fact that I had good luck with a clutch for a car in the past from them.

 

How many buttons and what type are they?

 

Call Southbend and talk to Peter, I think he can help you out on this issue

 

Peter @ SB is one of those guys that has bent over backwards for people. A call should have been placed before "Hate My SB clutch, any thoughts" thread was created. SB is a great place with customer service superior in the industry.

 

x2...

 

I actually have to agree. My Con OFE was installed 2 years ago and I have hated it from day one. Since it was installed it has chattered like crazy and makes my pickup sound terrible when idling. Also the clutch is a bear to keep depressed.(which I expected but I still hate it) and it was really grabby. When we talked to Southbend they said that the chatter would lessen as the clutch got broken in and the pedal pressure was due to the high hp clutch. (I also had the upgraded hydraulics installed) I can appreciate their answer as it is designed to hold more TQ and HP. As the clutch aged the grabbiness increased as well as the chatter. Then last Fall it started slipping HARD while pulling 4 horses up a 6% grade with the Edge on level 2 (it was never set above level 3 due to EGTs) anyway I was WAY below the advertised HP. When I called and asked about it I was told that I was under the Mileage but over the time period for the warranty and thier was nothing they could do. Now I am not company bashing I am just sharing my experience and that I was not as pleased with the clutch as most on this board.

 

If you have the clutch you say, definitely call Peter, that clutch should be smooth.

 

Funny, I have the FE and thats supposed to be at least 2x more aggressive than the OFE. I have not had any of the issues here with regard to chatter. It grabs hard and I expected that.

The only clutches that made the idle sound different were the dual disk versions without the sprung center.. I suspect something was not right with that OFE making noise and chattering from day 1.

 

My SB is real grabby too But I could go back to stock and de tune or live with it to hold the power the only thing that has me concerned is when I dropped the 6sd I looked a my clutch and it was in good shap but WOW my fly wheel is gettin the crap eaten out of it by the clutch , maybe next time I will ask Peter for advice on it as I pull loads as high a 35,000 lbs and it might not be the right clutch for that .I also notice that if I raise the rpms just a little it wont hop at all but I dont do that because I know its just going to eat up my fly wheel more and faster.

 

can i suggest a medium duty truck for those loads. goodness. no wonder your flywheel is gettin eatin alive... lol

 

I've run a SB CON OFE for the better part of 180,000 miles. At first, yes it was grabby and I honestly wasn't to crazy about it.

But the friction material of these clutches is more aggressive than your stock OEM clutch lining and YOU have to adjust accordingly.

Unlike the OEM clutch, you can't just release it from a stop and slip it a little to get going. You have to be a little more aggressive with it on release and you will be very happy afterwards. Give it some fuel and let the clutch out and it won't chatter.

I also found that with the OEM clutch on my 6spd, first gear wasn't used much because the truck would pull away easily in second. It is the same with the SB but again, you have to be a little more aggressive with it and you will be fine. But I tend to use first gear more now just for the sake of keeping my clutch happy and especially use first gear when towing anything behind me no matter the weight of it.

Backing a trailer up can be a challenge at times because of the grabby and chatter characteristics of the clutch, but again, being a little more aggressive on the release makes a big difference. If you have a 4x4, use low range more often.

It's a performance clutch, not an OEM smooth for the masses type of unit. Once you get used to it's workings and adjust to them, you will love it.

I won't use anything else for a clutch. I don't beat heavily on mine but I'm not easy on it and it treats me just fine.

Jeff

 

A high performance clutch will never act like a wimpy stock clutch..end of story. I have a SB CON-OFE in my truck. It is a LOT grabbier than a stocker. It took 2 days to get used to it and I love it. It's been in there for 4 years now and has been worked HARD with zero issues and actually holds the power my engine makes. Maybe there is an issue with yours, call SB and tell them what's up. Their customer service is great and they might have an idea. But again, don't expect it to behave like a stock clutch, because it never will. Also, why did you decide to upgrade to a hi-perf clutch? What mods does your truck have?

 

Both of my 3250 DD clutches have drove and feel like the stock clutch. Why people still use grabby single disc clutches is beyond me.

 

It looks like that 0090 clutch is supposed to be a very smoothly engaging clutch. Why the heck didn't you call South Bend as soon as you noticed it was grabby?

To come here and gripe about it instead of talking to Peter seems pretty silly.

 

I don't know who peter is that you guys are refering to, anyone have contact number. I came to ask if anyone else had the same problem or if maybe I screwed up the install somehow to see if that could be the issue before I call the vendor and complained.