BRM Clutch Recommendation?

325_Guy

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2011
Location
West Central Texas
TDI
MkV Jetta
So here I am again picking the brains of forum members here for recommendations on a new clutch.

Car:

BRM, 326,xxx miles
Malone Stage 1.5
Mostly highway driving, frequent towing

Noise is important to me. The SMF synchro rattle was cool for a while but now it's just annoying. I'd like to eliminate that if possible.

The last clutch I put in was to replace a bad DMF in 2011, so I imagine there's some updated clutches out there. I'd also like to leave room for a Stage 2 tune at some point.

Ideas?
 

icecap

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Location
Chilliwack & Mission BC
TDI
2006.5 Jetta TDI 5Spd Black Anthracite Pkg 1
I'm in the 3rd year and about 28K Km's since I had my clutch and flywheel assembly replaced with a Sachs SMF Quiet Clutch kit. I replaced the OEM DMF flywheel due to a bad idle speed engine vibration that wouldn't adjust out by changing the torsion setting. The OEM DMF had the dampener springs beat out and had about 3/4" of free movement causing the vibration. I never encountered the gear rattle issue and the clutch has stood up quite well so far.
 
Last edited:

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Thanks for the feedback! Do these DMFs suffer the same failure mode as the OE installed ones that needed replacement? I don't want to be changing this out again at 100k miles.
I think you can reasonably expect to get 200K miles out of that kit, driven properly.
 

325_Guy

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2011
Location
West Central Texas
TDI
MkV Jetta
I think you can reasonably expect to get 200K miles out of that kit, driven properly.

Good to know! I've gotten 186k out of the Sachs G60/VR6 setup I bought from y'all back in 2014. It's not even failing yet but there's some oddities in engagement that are popping up, plus I'm over the rattle noise.



For the kit you really can't beat the price.
 

325_Guy

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2011
Location
West Central Texas
TDI
MkV Jetta
Anyone have experience with the sound levels of the various clutches? I'm starting to lean towards the SBC Quiet Kit but I hear mixed reviews on the noise level. After almost 200k with a SMF, I'm wanting my car to sound more like a purr and less like someone shaking a can full of rocks.
 

325_Guy

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2011
Location
West Central Texas
TDI
MkV Jetta
Time to buy! I haven't gotten it pulled apart yet, but an educated guess makes me think that the "engagement oddities" were the clutch disc coming apart.

I finally got stranded yesterday after trying to pass a truck on the highway. Floored it and vroooommmmmm!! there comes redline. I didn't pass the truck.

Hoping I just tore the center out of the disc. Do input shaft splines strip out on the 5-speed?
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
We can drop ship same day. And you're closer to SBC than us so it may get there faster!
 

325_Guy

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2011
Location
West Central Texas
TDI
MkV Jetta
So the verdict is in- stripped the splines on the clutch disc.

For what it's worth, the clutch, plate, and flywheel look great for 180k of towing and the more-than-occasional hard launch.

Surprisingly the input shaft looks okay.

Figure I probably overtorqued it over the years towing and what not.
 

325_Guy

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2011
Location
West Central Texas
TDI
MkV Jetta
We can drop ship same day. And you're closer to SBC than us so it may get there faster!
As luck would have it, I found a seller on eBay with one brand new in box within driving distance. I did pick up an engine mount and bolt set from y'all though!

For anyone who may be wondering how silent the "silent" clutch is- this car is as quiet as it was with a DMF. Absolutely no transmission gear rattle at idle whatsoever. It's like driving a new car. I love it.
 
Top