Valair vs South bend

[7.3 Cowboy]

I am in the market for a new daul disk clutch. Does anyone have any expericnce with either clutch?

 

[jaybuller]

I had a the sb 3250 DD street clutch. it was nice! light pedal pressure, very smooth engagent, no noise whatso ever, and held whatever I could through at it. This was all in a 97 5 speed 4x4 12v truck. I had 5x14 sticks with a benched pump and a 64mm turbo. so it had some balls.

 

[strokin'_tatsch]

I'm running a Valair 3850# ceramic DD. Been a great clutch. Done a bunch of 3rd gear launches at the track with it, towing (15k gross max), and it's a daily driver. Been in there for a year with no problems. It shifts surprisingly well with the exception of my bad 3rd gear syncro.. All other gears shift great. It is a little bit jumpy backing up trailers, but not sure what you would expect concidering the first time the clutch was used was at the drag strip doing 4000 RPM launches on it.. If I was towing heavier I might run an organic DD, but I love my ceramic for how I use the truck.

 

[Josh@DirtyDiesels]

Had a valair dual disc in my old CR cummins. Clutch held up great. Truck only made 525/1000 but I launched it, 3rd gear burnouts, you name it... beat the piss out of the clutch and it never had an issue in over 30k miles. Valair customer service was great as well. Can't speak for their ford clutches but I would imagine they are on the same level...

 

[7.3 Cowboy]

Is the ceramic very jumpy when loaded to 35,000 ish or in 4x4?

 

[strokin'_tatsch]

Is the ceramic very jumpy when loaded to 35,000 ish or in 4x4?

35,000 I bet the ceramic would be a bit jumpy taking off from a stop or backing up, but if you have 4x4 and can put it in 4 low to back a trailer then it's not a big deal. My reverse is pretty fast, so I have to slow down and let back off the clutch here and there so I'm slipping on the clutch quite a bit backing up hills and corners. So it's jumpy for me trying to slip on the clutch all the time, but for you with the option of using 4 low, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[OldschoolPSD]

I had a Valair DD in my 1st gen. It was a good clutch, took everything I threw at it.

35,000lbs? Get a real truck dude...

 

[Lowdown89]

We have busted 2 south bends in a 6.7 mega cab, when it works it is nice besides being noisy and they have fixed it for us no questions asked but while the truck is driven hard its not beat on really and this last time when it broke it took out the bell housing

 

[7.3 Cowboy]

I have a real truck to. I've only weighed that twice normally no more then 26 usually but most of them time is just a t650 bobcat on a 32' gooseneck or 18' trailer. But it allot spends alotta time in 4x4.

 

[Josh@DirtyDiesels]

I have a real truck to. I've only weighed that twice normally no more then 26 usually but most of them time is just a t650 bobcat on a 32' gooseneck or 18' trailer. But it allot spends alotta time in 4x4.

Ceramic wasn't too jumpy in mine towing a deck over with a cclb 7.3. Backing up threw it in 4lo and it was not bad at all.

 

[Bobby@cp]

We are a valiar dealer if you need some prices.

 

[JHILL]

Been thru 3 SB clutches. 1 single OFE, 2 ceramic DD, and currently a SI DD
OFE single, roll over noise in neutral , backing a 31' 5th wheel was fine if you put in 4LO.

Ceramic DD same thing backing up, usual floater plate noise clutch depressed.
1st one had well over 50 hooks sub 4k, many 4k+rpm 4HI dirt drag launches.

2nd one didn't like the way i left the line @4k+ with the sled. ointlaugh:

SB has been great to work with and makes a great product, with customer service being top notch.

Driver induced issues on all 3 :shocked:.

35,000# gross wt :shrug:
IDK what to say - not my truck!
DOT might have something to say though

No experiance with Valiar or others, other than what I have seen posted, seems to be a good as well.

 

[7.3 Cowboy]

Thank you for the input. It doesn't see 35,000 very often and when it does it's not more then a twenty mill trip.