Luk clutch = expensive junk $1,200.00

[Jed]

glhs That thread is a good read. The bottom line is that we all go with the information that we trust from the sources that we know and trust. At the time of my install I would have paid for a S B but my best source of information (local distributor Southland Clutch in San Diego) said "do not trust internet bs Luk is the way to go and it will hold more power than you will ever have. "

The worst part is, I now know that they gouged us on the price, and when contacted, they told us that you have too much power, you pull too heavy of a load and you must be drag racing.



By the way I am still waiting for someone from Luk or one of their distributors to comment on this. I know you are keeping up with this thread. Come on, call bs on me ... ... ... ... ...

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

By the way I am still waiting for someone from Luk or one of their distributors to comment on this. I know you are keeping up with this thread. Come on, call bs on me ... ... ... ... ...

You'll not get any meaningful input from Luk - WAY to many individual variables in various installations and applications for them to offer MEANINGFUL response. They don't know how the install was done, how the truck is actually driven/used - and a whole raft of similar issues.



Put yourself in their place as a maker/distributor, you KNOW that in "typical" use, the clutch WILL deliver reasonable service - what you DON'T know, is whether ALL the specific recommendations as to installation and actual daily use were followed or not, how many sledpulls were done every week, how many trips down the dragstrip, or how heavy those regular loads were up over the Colorado Rockies. Naturally, the customer will claim he only drove the truck to church once every week - and THAT trip was all downhill BOTH ways...



If you charged what you considered a fair price for your product, and KNEW from a broad base of experience with other customers what your product was capable of, what would you do if one failed early with no reasonable explanation? These guy sorta like to stay in business like any outfit does, and can either price their stuff competitively, or INCREASE prices to allow for random "FREE" replacements - for what is then considered "Excellent customer service"



NO company can "give" significant amounts of their stuff away and stay in business, unless they mark up prices to allow for that method of operation - and that pretty much means ALL of their customers end up paying more to allow for that "excellent reputation", just as excessive warranty issues at local Dodge dealerships end up costing ALL their buyers MORE for the vehicles they buy - there STILL is no "free lunch" - it IS being paid for, somewhere, somehow! :-laf



Seems to me, your issue is NOT with LUK, but with your local distributor/installer, who was FAR closer to you, your truck and your needs and expectations - all LUK does is SELL the basic goods, they don't know you or your truck!

 

[Jed]

gary point taken i will pipe down

 

[lmills]

Jed- there is no need to worry about piping down. The reason you will not get any input from LUK is becuase they are the typical big brand "X" company. They do not have time for the little people like us. I will gladly pay South Bend more than LUK for my clutch any day just so I can pick the phone and actually talk to someone that knows what I need and is there to help me.



Gary, if you think LUK is in business selling these clutches and they are not making money... . then you are only fooling yourself. They could easily give replacements out when there are failures. The difference is they have gone the way of some of the big auto manufacturers and would rather tell you "tough luck" then replace the parts. Saying that their product only fails when abused is nothing but hilarious. What if your engine blew under warranty and Cummins said, "we never had any failures, too bad for you"



Call it what you want, but the bottom line is Peter and the gang at South Bend have customer service that is second to none. And so what if they do give you a replacement clutch when one fails! Some people stand behind there product!

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

gary point taken i will pipe down

NO NO!



Don't get me wrong - absolutely NO reason to be quiet about the performance of your clutch, OR the response from those in a position to help you with your complaints!



My only point was that there are too many variables to expect a reply direct from Luk - OR a "no questions asked" replacement over an installation that they didn't participate in directly - THAT is more of a "service" you might expect from the guy who recommended the clutch, and then installed it.



Your comments and expectations are WELL within reason as far as I am concerned, and we can all learn from your experience!

 

[oneshotkyle]

need we say any more... ... ... ... ..... SOUTH BEND CLUTCH... ... ... ... ... ..... PETER you are a man like no other. thanks for the countless hours you spend to make us the parts we want. and handle the power we thrive for..... kyle

 

[RobertP]

see the difference here is that. peter would have contacted you way before it got this far and made everything right again. the only post you would have made was wow, that Peter at Southbend is something else. and that he took care of you the best way possible. thats why all you here about Southbend is how great they and Peter really are.



Robert

 

[Jed]

To me, the proof that that is true, is the fact that he actually bothered to post in this thread. I mean who the hell am I. If his parts are as good as everyone says then at the most I will only need 4 or 5 of them for the rest of my life. He is not going to retire off me, but he took the time to write a couple of lines. Nobody from the previous manufacturer did that. Could it be that he actually cares about his customers?



Installed today Clutch feels much smoother less leg required very smooooth engagement taking it easy for this week going to put 5 or 6 hundred easy miles on before... ... ... ... ... . well you know. . will post real results in a week or so but it feels like it will hold it

 

[jchapin]

SB clutches & San Diego

Hi Folks,



I'm in [desparate] market for new clutch for my blessed ETH/DEE and have also been very impressed by the opinions of South Bend to the point of prolly ordering one tomorrow.



I'm in San Diego and don't know any quality shops to do the work as I don't have the time or space/tools to perform replacement.



Could anybody please provide me with a transmission/Clutch shop in San Diego area they would trust to do the job?



Thank you very much in advance. -Jack

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

IF you are planning on using a SBC clutch, I'd suggest contacting Peter at SBC direct for his recommendations as to shops in your area known and proven to be experienced in proper installation of his clutches - I'm sure he has that info at his disposal.

 

[Mad Bomber]

I went with a S/B OFE and lovin it. We have had NW Bombers that tried the luk and in less than a year were replacing it again. BTW from talking to Peter our stock clutch is a Luk or a part of a Luk. Do it right a do a S/B. Peter is the man for a clutch IMHO

 

[glhs]

Gary; I told the seller EXACTLY how I would use it and they said it would be fine. At the time I was making 425 hp with a 21% correction factor (350 uncorrected) It didn't last 10 passes. The rest was empty normal driving. As I said they took no responsibility whatsoever.

Good Luk with yours. :-laf

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Gary; I told the seller EXACTLY how I would use it and they said it would be fine. At the time I was making 425 hp with a 21% correction factor (350 uncorrected) It didn't last 10 passes. The rest was empty normal driving. As I said they took no responsibility whatsoever.

Good Luk with yours. :-laf

HEY - I need ALL the help I can get - and all contributions are greatly appreciated! :-laf



Keep us posted on the replacement...

 

[CTait]

Several months ago my truck made the transformation from auto to manual. Before buying my clutch I called and talked to Peter at SBC. He was most helpful and steered me to a CON OFE. I like it alot. I would buy from him again for two reasons. #1 they work. #2 they are made right,made here. " (USA) Thanks,Peter.

 

[Jed]

Well the good news is that it holds all that my puny little setup will put out.



The bad news is that I have had to change my style of driving; no more feathering the throttle and easing out the clutch to get moving, no more bucking and jumping in reverse, no more fighting the shifter to shift. THIS SUCKS.



I do not remember how the truck shifted stock but I think that it is way smoooother than stock and compared to the luk, never mind.

Oo.

I do not care if it only lasts 40,000 I will just buy 2 next time



Many thanks to Afarmer Farm Boys diesel



and Gary if you do not try one you will not know what you are missing



Thanks to all

Jed

 

[Mad Bomber]

I do not care if it only lasts 40,000 I will just buy 2 next time



Thanks to all

Jed

Going on about 80K the OFE is abused all the time and holding strong

 

[ILIANBG]

jchapin, hi I'm in Los Angeles,and I will be ordering a ConOFE for my truck too. On their website- southbendclutch.com, I think, I found a list of installers for each state. I will be doing mine in Placentia, El Maistro Transmission, I think was, the guy's name is Robert. I hope you find a location that works for you. Good luck.

Ilian