Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
This mess all started back in Jan/Feb, when I ordered the "CON-FE" ETH clutch from South Bend Clutch. I chose this clutch because of the price (approx $950), and because of all the good
feedback SBC had received... particularly that SBC was willing to cover the labor in the event of a problem. I even told Peter this on the phone when I placed the order, and he did not refute it.
I had a local transmission shop, called Schuck's Transmission, in Dublin, California, do the installation. This is a shop that I trust, as they have done work for me in the past, and hvae also done work for a number of friends. Everybody who had dealt with them has been happy with their work.
They charged me $650 in labor. Now remember, this is the SF Bay Area. Everything here is more expensive. So the total so far is $1600.
Upon picking up the truck, the pedal effort was noticeably higher, and the clutch chattered and grabbed like mad. After driving with it for a week, I discussed it with Peter, who said something wasn't right, and to have the shop look at the fork, which he said could have been put in backwards. I took it back to the shop and they checked it out and said it was fine.
I later learned that there is NO WAY the fork can be put in wrong. It simply is not possible. Not even a monkey could install the fork improperly.
Peter decided to send me another clutch to have the shop install, since something was obviously wrong with the first one.
The shop removed the old clutch and installed the new one. The flywheel and pressure plate had blue marks all over it from overheating. The clutch disc was very shiny in spots. You
can see photos at http://www.f-body.org/rob/01ram/badclutch/
The clutch disc did not appear to be warped. The throwout bearing moved freely on the input shaft, and the input shaft was not scored or damaged in any way. The fork, as mentioned
earlier, was fine, and very obviously not installed incorrectly.
The new clutch appeared to work as advertised. Pedal pressure was normal once again, and the chatter was mostly gone. The clutch is VERY grabby and takes some getting used to.
The shop charged me $550 for the swap (I talked 'em down $100), but Peter was unwilling to help until he received the old clutch. So much for his guarantee. I spent some time discussing the situation with the various people who visited the TDR Chat Room, and despite my better judgement, I reluctantly agreed to return the old clutch to Peter. What I should ahve done was take it to various other transmission shops and even other clutch manufacturers for a second opinion. BUT, again based solely on his good reputation on TDR and his apparent willingness to do the right thing, I sent it back to SBC.
The shop and many people that I spoke to felt that the pressure plate was bad. After two weeks, Peter sent me email asking me to call so we could discuss the problem. He insisted the pressure plate was fine (no surprise there) and that it was installer error. He insisted that lack of lubrication on the input shaft was the problem, yet you can see in the photos at the URL I posted that there was lubrication used.
Nevertheless, he DID say he would take care of me, and the discussion drifted to a clutch for my Camaro. He said he'd build me one at a really great price, but I also interpreted the discussion to mean he'd still be refunding what I paid for the second labor charge.
Another two weeks passed and no checks arrived in the mail, and no credits were made to my card. I emailed him again to ask what was up.
HE said he thought his "taking care of me" would be to build me a clutch for my Camaro if I provided a core. I told him that wouldn't be happening anytime soon (budget reasons) and I could really use the money instead. He said to send him the invoice number from the original clutch order and he'd take care of it. I interpreted this to mean he would be covering the entire $550. No mention was made of any other amount.
I was unable to locate the invoice number, and Peter was also unable to locate it (so much for their filing system, huh?). After a couple of weeks, I get an email from him "offering" $200. This is after telling him at least several times that the labor charge was $550. I replied and asked where that number came from, and why he had led me to believe that he would cover the entire labor charge. I have yet to receive any further communication from Peter or SBC. This email was sent via the TDR Forum Email System, so I know it wasn't lost in transit.
The other problem is that the SBC clutch (the CON-FE or whatever the hell it's called) is so grabby that I really don't like driving my truck anymore. My girlfriend wanted to drive it last weekend, so I said sure. When she got out she said she'd never drive it again, because the clutch absolutely SUCKED. And this from a girl who refuses to drive any vehicle with an automatic transmission.
So here I am with a $2200 clutch that absolutely sucks. Now what? It's obvious by now that SBC has no intention of helping. Peter just keeps going on about how he sent me a new clutch at no charger and blah blah blah, and makes it sound like I'm being unreasonable in expecting him to cover the entire labor charge that he TWICE said he would cover. Instead he comes up with this arbitrary number that isn't even HALF of what ONE of the labor charges was. And I'm supposed to like it? I'm supposed to continue along all happy?
The point is this: The first clutch WAS defective. It's very convenient for SBC to insist that it's installer error, especially since they now have the evidence. And even if it wasn't, Peter did, in fact, say on two separate occaisons, that he would cover the second labor charge. Now he's going back on that promise. And THAT is where the problem lies.
Rob
feedback SBC had received... particularly that SBC was willing to cover the labor in the event of a problem. I even told Peter this on the phone when I placed the order, and he did not refute it.
I had a local transmission shop, called Schuck's Transmission, in Dublin, California, do the installation. This is a shop that I trust, as they have done work for me in the past, and hvae also done work for a number of friends. Everybody who had dealt with them has been happy with their work.
They charged me $650 in labor. Now remember, this is the SF Bay Area. Everything here is more expensive. So the total so far is $1600.
Upon picking up the truck, the pedal effort was noticeably higher, and the clutch chattered and grabbed like mad. After driving with it for a week, I discussed it with Peter, who said something wasn't right, and to have the shop look at the fork, which he said could have been put in backwards. I took it back to the shop and they checked it out and said it was fine.
I later learned that there is NO WAY the fork can be put in wrong. It simply is not possible. Not even a monkey could install the fork improperly.
Peter decided to send me another clutch to have the shop install, since something was obviously wrong with the first one.
The shop removed the old clutch and installed the new one. The flywheel and pressure plate had blue marks all over it from overheating. The clutch disc was very shiny in spots. You
can see photos at http://www.f-body.org/rob/01ram/badclutch/
The clutch disc did not appear to be warped. The throwout bearing moved freely on the input shaft, and the input shaft was not scored or damaged in any way. The fork, as mentioned
earlier, was fine, and very obviously not installed incorrectly.
The new clutch appeared to work as advertised. Pedal pressure was normal once again, and the chatter was mostly gone. The clutch is VERY grabby and takes some getting used to.
The shop charged me $550 for the swap (I talked 'em down $100), but Peter was unwilling to help until he received the old clutch. So much for his guarantee. I spent some time discussing the situation with the various people who visited the TDR Chat Room, and despite my better judgement, I reluctantly agreed to return the old clutch to Peter. What I should ahve done was take it to various other transmission shops and even other clutch manufacturers for a second opinion. BUT, again based solely on his good reputation on TDR and his apparent willingness to do the right thing, I sent it back to SBC.
The shop and many people that I spoke to felt that the pressure plate was bad. After two weeks, Peter sent me email asking me to call so we could discuss the problem. He insisted the pressure plate was fine (no surprise there) and that it was installer error. He insisted that lack of lubrication on the input shaft was the problem, yet you can see in the photos at the URL I posted that there was lubrication used.
Nevertheless, he DID say he would take care of me, and the discussion drifted to a clutch for my Camaro. He said he'd build me one at a really great price, but I also interpreted the discussion to mean he'd still be refunding what I paid for the second labor charge.
Another two weeks passed and no checks arrived in the mail, and no credits were made to my card. I emailed him again to ask what was up.
HE said he thought his "taking care of me" would be to build me a clutch for my Camaro if I provided a core. I told him that wouldn't be happening anytime soon (budget reasons) and I could really use the money instead. He said to send him the invoice number from the original clutch order and he'd take care of it. I interpreted this to mean he would be covering the entire $550. No mention was made of any other amount.
I was unable to locate the invoice number, and Peter was also unable to locate it (so much for their filing system, huh?). After a couple of weeks, I get an email from him "offering" $200. This is after telling him at least several times that the labor charge was $550. I replied and asked where that number came from, and why he had led me to believe that he would cover the entire labor charge. I have yet to receive any further communication from Peter or SBC. This email was sent via the TDR Forum Email System, so I know it wasn't lost in transit.
The other problem is that the SBC clutch (the CON-FE or whatever the hell it's called) is so grabby that I really don't like driving my truck anymore. My girlfriend wanted to drive it last weekend, so I said sure. When she got out she said she'd never drive it again, because the clutch absolutely SUCKED. And this from a girl who refuses to drive any vehicle with an automatic transmission.
So here I am with a $2200 clutch that absolutely sucks. Now what? It's obvious by now that SBC has no intention of helping. Peter just keeps going on about how he sent me a new clutch at no charger and blah blah blah, and makes it sound like I'm being unreasonable in expecting him to cover the entire labor charge that he TWICE said he would cover. Instead he comes up with this arbitrary number that isn't even HALF of what ONE of the labor charges was. And I'm supposed to like it? I'm supposed to continue along all happy?
The point is this: The first clutch WAS defective. It's very convenient for SBC to insist that it's installer error, especially since they now have the evidence. And even if it wasn't, Peter did, in fact, say on two separate occaisons, that he would cover the second labor charge. Now he's going back on that promise. And THAT is where the problem lies.
Rob
