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Need clutch and opinions. Valair or SB?

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Old 05-21-2009 | 03:32 PM
  #1  
lvmknsmoke..'s Avatar
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From: Latham, Missouri and now Goshen, Indiana
Need clutch and opinions. Valair or SB?

hey guys yal have really helped me out already. got another question. my clutch is about to go. it shifts hard into gear wen downshifting and it hops wen i go from a start. i plan on slowly buildin my truck to 500 hp. now i know valair and southbend are both supposedly good. but iv heard valair is cheaper. am i givin away quality then? prob just do a big single disc for now. who has these clutches and wat opinons do u have for me? o and my truck has a NV4500 5 speed. thanks
Old 05-21-2009 | 03:50 PM
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From: ColoRADo
I havnt started bombing my 98 yet. I have similar questions, and I dont know much about picking out a new clutch...with that said, I went to southbends website yesterday and read a little. Here's a start to your question but not an answer...sorry.
http://www.southbendclutch.com/rightclutch.html

Scott
Old 05-21-2009 | 03:57 PM
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from everything i've read on here SB is the way to go. remember that you can have too much clutch for your truck, and the more power you are putting down with a single disc inhibits your pulling ability on heavy loads, this is because a big single to hold 500 HP will most likely be a ceramic clutch (SB does not sell a single disc ceramic clutch). your best bet in my opinion would be to go with a dual disc if you tow anything with your truck, they are kinda spendy but the manners you get out of them compared to a single disc is amazingly better.
Old 05-21-2009 | 04:13 PM
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lvmknsmoke..'s Avatar
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dont tow a thing never wil tow much. maybe a dueal disc in future if i go with twins.. but i in need of a clutch anytime. and would like to get one picked out. anyone run the con fe from southbend??
Old 05-21-2009 | 06:44 PM
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What ever you do don't get a 12" clutch, only get a 13" clutch. There's no such thing as a upgraded 12" clutch.
Old 05-21-2009 | 06:57 PM
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I ran the valair fe never had a single problem/shifted great..
Old 05-21-2009 | 07:16 PM
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lvmknsmoke..'s Avatar
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Originally Posted by apwatson50
What ever you do don't get a 12" clutch, only get a 13" clutch. There's no such thing as a upgraded 12" clutch.
thank u i was curious about that.



also does anyone know where a good place is to buy valair?
Old 05-21-2009 | 10:49 PM
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I have the truck in my sig. and I brush pull it on the weekends and pull a gooseneck all week with it and love it in both applications.
Old 05-21-2009 | 11:36 PM
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I put my vote in for the SB I have never had a Valair but the SB has been a flawless working clutch for the past 2 years. It was well worth the money. I would go with a dual disc though so you have something to grow into.

JMO
Old 05-21-2009 | 11:51 PM
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From: Fridley, MN
I have been running a valair 13'' single organic/feramic (ofe), rated at 500HP it has 2 winters of snowplowing with a 5 speed, and after recent upgrades (mach 4's and a HTT62/71/14) i am surprised its still holding.
Old 05-22-2009 | 02:30 AM
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I'm running SBC DD's in both my trucks. The 3250 non SFI cert. clutch in my 12v drives like stock, but it holds great. The 3600 SFI is a lever styel unsprung clutch, stiffer pedal (which I like) and has the bronze inlay in the flywheel, so you don't need to replace it when you rebuild it. Never had a problem with slippage with either.
Old 05-22-2009 | 09:49 AM
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if you have ever even thought about doing a truck pull you must have a dd
i had a single valair forever then i got a dd valair for pulling
good guys to deal with
Old 05-27-2009 | 10:53 AM
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i've got a 13" valair ceramic, yes its a little grabby starting out but i was told that upon purchase. i found best thing to do was call the company in my case valair, i said "im 20 hopefuly, will have a 500hp truck and drive it hard, no towing" he explained my options and what might be best. so far been down the track a few times, 3 pulls and some burnouts i can't complain its doing what i wanted.

if you are going to pull lots or expect your clutch to do 3rd gear launches do not get a single disk.

southbend sells a great clutch i just dont have any experience with them.
Old 05-27-2009 | 11:39 AM
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I have one Valairs ceramic singles. Good grabby clutch has held everything I've through at it. Good people to deal with.
Old 05-27-2009 | 02:09 PM
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Just put a SB Con Ofe in, great so far about 500 miles.



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