Valair here as well. Have drove 2 modded CR's (1-3500 4x2 and 12500-4x4) and they have taken a serious beeting from the owener. I hammered on the clutch and it never slipped once on both rigs. Got to talk to them at Buda, TX in 2008 and Cus.Ser. is outstanding. I have not driven in a truck with SB but have friends that like them. When my 6.7 needs a clutch a Valair will go in.

 

I'm a vote for SB. The DD in my 02 has handled great. It's a little grabby, which I knew it would be, but man is that thing stout. If you don't do any pulling, a single disk would probably work great, not be as grabby, and you'd get quicker shifts (My DD is slow to shift). I don't know much about Valair, but call and talk to Peter at SB before deciding. He sold me.

BTW, SB makes every effort to insure that every part to their clutches are made right here in the USA. Thats parts of the reason for the higher price, plus the customer service is outstanding. I'm not sure of the CS for Valair overall, but I have read (no personal experience remember) more bad about Valair than I have about SB.

 

thanks for all the replies guys. i think im goin with a valair. found a guy here local that deals with them.

 

well i ordered the full ceramic facing single disc valair that is said to support 600 hp. i know i maybe shoulda went dual disc but i needa clutch asap and dont have al kinds of money. cant wait to get it in an see how she does.

 

its going to be pretty grabby, make sure you do the proper break in for it so it doesnt "glaze over"

 

My 06 goes in Monday for a SB ConOFE; Valair is a fairly new company and perhaps has not had adequate time to establish a reputation among our contemporaries, however: the shop I'll be going to said he wouldn't put a Valair in his granny's beater; that he's replaced many with South Bend for customers who have sworn off of Valair.

Remember, however, what is often said about opinions...the Valair may be a good-quality clutch if used for its designed purpose; few products available today can be expected to withstand much abuse. Over the years many of my co-workers who have observed my satisfaction with the diesel-powered Rams have bought them only to be dissatisfied with them, mostly because they expected them to perform like gassers...with the new, high-output turbodiesels, this has not been an issue, but I do still believe that to get the most of these vehicles you MUST have reasonable expectations; this is a downsized semi we're driving, not an overgrown Lamborghini.

 

I have the full ceramic valair single disc in my truck, about 15,000 miles on it now. It's been to the drag strip, dragging stuck trucks out of the ditch, and hauling full size trucks on a car trailer and not a single problem thus far. I love it, well worth the 800 bucks saved over the competition.

They are great guys to deal with too, as mentioned before, their help over the phone was excellent. The clutch is grabby, as they will tell you. Worst I can say that when I back a heavy trailer up my fairly steep driveway I have to use low range so it doesn't buck when I try to go slow and somewhat "feather" the clutch

 

If our single disc FE runs $800 and you saved $800 you got the clutch for free??

Peter

 

It definitely wasn't free lol sorry about the price typo, late sleepless night posting isn't a good idea. For the price I paid i'm very satisfied with the product I received is moreso what I was trying to get at.

 

i actually know the guy who is the single biggest distributor for valair and he told me it would be grabby but i was hopin its not to bad.. thas where i bought it from. just waitin for it to get here!

 

You will love it trust me

 

If you install it yourself 2 friendly reminders, the tranny crossmember has to go up before it can come back, and if memory serves me, the pilot bearing has a flywheel side, and a clutch side

 

Hopefully he has upgraded to the 13" flywheel, which should come with the pilot bearing installed.

 

yes i am gettin the 13" but i dont think il be doin the install since i got some other things goin on the truck at the same time.

 

Sout Bend is my vote. Not only the clutch is great, but the people and service is unreal! They are GREAT people to deal with. I've got the DD 3850 12CB in the 12v, and a single con ofe in the 05. Both are holding up great!!