RacerTodd
Veteran Member
I recently replaced my clutch with a new LUK DMF clutch kit and wanted to share my experiences.
Car is a 2001 Golf TDI, original Sachs clutch. Throwout bearing began screaming a couple of weeks back. With 260K on the car, I figured the clutch was likely near the end of its life, so I might as well just replace the whole clutch system now. As it turned out, this was a wise choice. The disc only had about .040" of lining above the rivets. Also, the DMF seemed to be locked up, it wouldn't move even prying it with a pry bar.
The kit is LUKs "Rep-Set" line, part #17-050. I was able to get it at my local auto parts store for close to the online price with shipping.
It comes with the flywheel, disc and pressure plate pre-assembled. This saves a bit of time but it does require a change in the mounting procedure. Flywheel bolts are already in the flywheel assembly, ready to go. The kit includes the throwout bearing as well.
First, your 12mm triple square tool must be long enough to reach the flywheel bolts. There is a round hole in the pressure plate fingers above each bolt. So the bolts are 3 inches or so below the fingers. The type of triple square tools that are designed to be inserted in one of your sockets may not be long enough. Check the length of your tool before you drop the tranny (no snickering at that sentence!). I was using the Metalnerd tool which is plenty long enough.
Second, my normal method for tightening the flywheel bolts the 90 degrees is to make a horizontal line on the bolt with a Sharpie then turn the bolt until the line is vertical. This method won't work because you can't easily mark the bolts or even see them.
What I did was wrap a piece of masking tape around the shaft of the triple square tool. I used a pen to make two marks 90 degrees apart on the tape. I put a "1" by the left mark and a "2" by the right mark.
I inserted the tool through the pressure plate and into a bolt with the "1" mark facing me. I took a another small piece of tape and drew a short line on it. This piece of tape was placed on the pressure plate fingers next to the triple square tool, with that mark lined up with the "1" mark on the tool.
I then rotated the tool until the "2" mark lined up with the tape on the pressure plate - presto, a perfect 90 degree turn.
Since you must leave the tool on the bolt the whole time, a breaker bar isn't the best choice - I find it difficult to make the whole 90 degrees at once when in the awkward position you're in underneath the car. I used my 1/2" drive torque wrench which has the length needed and (most importantly) has a ratchet.
The flywheel has a TDC mark on it. I fastened a temporary marker to the engine and checked the old and new flywheel to make sure the mark on the new flywheel was accurate. It was.
In operation, it's as smooth as the stock unit. Bite point remained unchanged. Once nice feature is that the pedal effort is much lighter. The stock unit was reasonably light, especially compared to the cable-operated clutches in the A2 VWs. As I drive the car for a living and spend much time in stop and go traffic, the light pedal will be a nice benefit.
And to deflect the "why didn't you install a VR6 SMF setup" folks, I've heard too many stories of gear rattle. Comments range from "mild noise" to "thought I threw a rod" to describe the rattle. I simply couldn't stand to listen to any extra noise - I would drive me nuts. Since I haven't had an opportunity to hear said rattle in person, I didn't want to take the chance. I have no plans for huge power increases so I didn't need the holding power of a SMF setup.
So, for me, this was a nice compromise: slightly more torque capacity, moderately more expensive than a SMF (but cheaper than a Sachs DMF setup from VW), quiet action, light pedal.
Car is a 2001 Golf TDI, original Sachs clutch. Throwout bearing began screaming a couple of weeks back. With 260K on the car, I figured the clutch was likely near the end of its life, so I might as well just replace the whole clutch system now. As it turned out, this was a wise choice. The disc only had about .040" of lining above the rivets. Also, the DMF seemed to be locked up, it wouldn't move even prying it with a pry bar.
The kit is LUKs "Rep-Set" line, part #17-050. I was able to get it at my local auto parts store for close to the online price with shipping.
It comes with the flywheel, disc and pressure plate pre-assembled. This saves a bit of time but it does require a change in the mounting procedure. Flywheel bolts are already in the flywheel assembly, ready to go. The kit includes the throwout bearing as well.
First, your 12mm triple square tool must be long enough to reach the flywheel bolts. There is a round hole in the pressure plate fingers above each bolt. So the bolts are 3 inches or so below the fingers. The type of triple square tools that are designed to be inserted in one of your sockets may not be long enough. Check the length of your tool before you drop the tranny (no snickering at that sentence!). I was using the Metalnerd tool which is plenty long enough.
Second, my normal method for tightening the flywheel bolts the 90 degrees is to make a horizontal line on the bolt with a Sharpie then turn the bolt until the line is vertical. This method won't work because you can't easily mark the bolts or even see them.
What I did was wrap a piece of masking tape around the shaft of the triple square tool. I used a pen to make two marks 90 degrees apart on the tape. I put a "1" by the left mark and a "2" by the right mark.
I inserted the tool through the pressure plate and into a bolt with the "1" mark facing me. I took a another small piece of tape and drew a short line on it. This piece of tape was placed on the pressure plate fingers next to the triple square tool, with that mark lined up with the "1" mark on the tool.
I then rotated the tool until the "2" mark lined up with the tape on the pressure plate - presto, a perfect 90 degree turn.
Since you must leave the tool on the bolt the whole time, a breaker bar isn't the best choice - I find it difficult to make the whole 90 degrees at once when in the awkward position you're in underneath the car. I used my 1/2" drive torque wrench which has the length needed and (most importantly) has a ratchet.
The flywheel has a TDC mark on it. I fastened a temporary marker to the engine and checked the old and new flywheel to make sure the mark on the new flywheel was accurate. It was.
In operation, it's as smooth as the stock unit. Bite point remained unchanged. Once nice feature is that the pedal effort is much lighter. The stock unit was reasonably light, especially compared to the cable-operated clutches in the A2 VWs. As I drive the car for a living and spend much time in stop and go traffic, the light pedal will be a nice benefit.
And to deflect the "why didn't you install a VR6 SMF setup" folks, I've heard too many stories of gear rattle. Comments range from "mild noise" to "thought I threw a rod" to describe the rattle. I simply couldn't stand to listen to any extra noise - I would drive me nuts. Since I haven't had an opportunity to hear said rattle in person, I didn't want to take the chance. I have no plans for huge power increases so I didn't need the holding power of a SMF setup.
So, for me, this was a nice compromise: slightly more torque capacity, moderately more expensive than a SMF (but cheaper than a Sachs DMF setup from VW), quiet action, light pedal.