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Clutch Suggestions?

vdubDave

New member
Location
Vermont
Car(s)
2017 GTI
So, I’ve been running stage 2 for a while now. I started getting clutch slippage almost immediately. Not a lot, just a little at high gear low rpm, so it was super easy to manage.

But now that I’m pushing 60k, and driving A LOT, the slippage struggle is real. I had gotten on it a bit the other day to pass a few tractor trailer trucks, and it slipped HARD. My epic light came on for turbo overboost.

So I need to do my clutch.

Im planning on eventually swapping to my IS38. I already have one. But I’m trying to wait until I’m no longer driving 30k miles a year before I do that swap. So I want something that’s going to support the power.

But it will still be my daily driver. So I don’t want something that’s so stiff, it’s not enjoyable to drive, but again, a clutch that can support the torque.

It feels bad knowing that I can blow by STIs without a struggle, but I can’t because my clutch won’t l catch at max torque.
 

vdubDave

New member
Location
Vermont
Car(s)
2017 GTI
Oh, also, I’m not trying to break the bank.

Which, let’s be honest… I broke the bank the day I decided to buy a GTI.
 

El_bigote_AJ

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas
Car(s)
2019 GTI bunny
Oh, also, I’m not trying to break the bank.

Which, let’s be honest… I broke the bank the day I decided to buy a GTI.
Ringer stage 3 with a dual mass flywheel will give you the comfort and holding power easily for a pump is38

Ringer racing stage 3

Also interesting enough - an is38 stage 2 is actually easier on the clutch than a stage 2 is20 because the way the the TQ curves hit so aggressive on a is20
 

Ezekiel81923

Autocross Champion
Location
Royersford, PA
Car(s)
2019 Volkswagen GTI
Ringer stage 3 with a dual mass flywheel will give you the comfort and holding power easily for a pump is38

Ringer racing stage 3

Also interesting enough - an is38 stage 2 is actually easier on the clutch than a stage 2 is20 because the way the the TQ curves hit so aggressive on a is20

Do you run the stage 3 or stage 4?

I was looking into a Sachs clutch but Sachs basically told me not to use the DMF with their racing clutch, which I found odd. So I've moved on to Ringer w/DMF and I'm trying to decide if stage 4 is overkill (EQT Vortex on 93) and if the pedal is going to be unbearable. I will continue to daily the car.

Thanks
 

hans611

Lost
Location
Miami
Car(s)
'16 Golf R 6MT
The Ringer Racing Stage 3 and Stage 4 clutch kits use the same pressure plate. From what I understand, they use the same pp as the Clutch Masters FX 350 kit but with different discs, but I'm not 100% sure...
There is a "Stage 3+" clutch kit that uses the Stage 3 disk with a Stage 5 pressure plate.... you probably don't want that one lol

The Clutch Masters FX 350 kit comes with a "Fiber Tuff" pp and is rated fro 480 lb ft.... The Stage 3 Ringer has a 2 material "Organic/Cerametalic" disc and is rated for more than enough, 575 lb ft.

However, I don't "understand" discs with 2 material on each face... how does it work? one of the materials must bite before the other... so there is always one material slipping more??? I cant see how else it would work.
Maybe get the Stage 4, which has a disc with "Full Face Cerametalic Material on both sides" and be done with it...

I would probably get the Stage 3 or 4 like @El_bigote_AJ recommended once my stock clutch dies....

edit: Also from what I gathered the PP from the FX 350 kit is 2,300lb to 2,500lb, which is pretty much around the amount of clamping force the TTRS or the Sachs SRE does, from what I have gathered... it shouldn't be any worse on the crank that the other popular options...
 
Last edited:

El_bigote_AJ

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas
Car(s)
2019 GTI bunny
Do you run the stage 3 or stage 4?

I was looking into a Sachs clutch but Sachs basically told me not to use the DMF with their racing clutch, which I found odd. So I've moved on to Ringer w/DMF and I'm trying to decide if stage 4 is overkill (EQT Vortex on 93) and if the pedal is going to be unbearable. I will continue to daily the car.

Thanks

The Ringer Racing Stage 3 and Stage 4 clutch kits use the same pressure plate. From what I understand, they use the same pp as the Clutch Masters FX 350 kit but with different discs, but I'm not 100% sure...
There is a "Stage 3+" clutch kit that uses the Stage 3 disk with a Stage 5 pressure plate.... you probably don't want that one lol

The Clutch Masters FX 350 kit comes with a "Fiber Tuff" pp and is rated fro 480 lb ft.... The Stage 3 Ringer has a 2 material "Organic/Cerametalic" disc and is rated for more than enough, 575 lb ft.

However, I don't "understand" discs with 2 material on each face... how does it work? one of the materials must bite before the other... so there is always one material slipping more??? I cant see how else it would work.
Maybe get the Stage 4, which has a disc with "Full Face Cerametalic Material on both sides" and be done with it...

I would probably get the Stage 3 or 4 like @El_bigote_AJ recommended once my stock clutch dies....

edit: Also from what I gathered the PP from the FX 350 kit is 2,300lb to 2,500lb, which is pretty much around the amount of clamping force the TTRS or the Sachs SRE does, from what I have gathered... it shouldn't be any worse on the crank that the other popular options...
I have the stage 5, so the stage 4 disc with the CM extreme pressure plate (it’s heavy and instant - lol)

Dual face materials - Yes that’s exactly how it works you get more slip from the non ceramic face for smoother engagement (same reasons oem will try to use a compound with least amount of slip coefficient that is needed for the stock power so it’s a smooth as possible when the plate/disc/flywheel engage). But in reality the dual cerametalic is still a pretty smooth engagement due to being full faced.

The first clutch I ran was the CM fx500 with the 8 puck ceramic plate - that was an extremely grabby clutch and that one even used the softer HD pressure plate.

If you’re goal is to have the most oem like setup and still feel confident it’s gonna hold xl type power I would go with the stage 4 and the modified fsi pressure plate (ttrs) option direct from
Ringer racing with the dmf in the end. Just don’t expect to dump the clutch for launches as the dmf don’t like it and I’m sure that’s why a Sachs rep said not to use it with a grabby race clutch.

Cause from my experience with using brand new dmfs on both the fx500 and the current ringer clutch - 1 of 2 things will happen over time - you break the springs/dampers in the flywheel and get lots of noise and fucked up emgagment (broke mine on the fx500 , haha) or wear the dmf springs/dampers quicker than normal ( it’s been like 20+k on the ringer and while the dmf is still working fine it it’s noticeably noisier now than at the beginning at start ups) still much quieter than when I had a SMF though.
 

Ezekiel81923

Autocross Champion
Location
Royersford, PA
Car(s)
2019 Volkswagen GTI
If you’re goal is to have the most oem like setup and still feel confident it’s gonna hold xl type power I would go with the stage 4 and the modified fsi pressure plate (ttrs) option direct from
Ringer racing with the dmf in the end. Just don’t expect to dump the clutch for launches as the dmf don’t like it and I’m sure that’s why a Sachs rep said not to use it with a grabby race clutch.

Yea I just need a clutch that will hold the power without being unbearable to daily. I'm not going to track the car and I'm not drag racing it so just trying to find that happy medium.

Was originally going to go ACT but I've been shying away SMFs and have been looking for a good option that retains the stock flywheel.
 

El_bigote_AJ

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas
Car(s)
2019 GTI bunny
Yea I just need a clutch that will hold the power without being unbearable to daily. I'm not going to track the car and I'm not drag racing it so just trying to find that happy medium.

Was originally going to go ACT but I've been shying away SMFs and have been looking for a good option that retains the stock flywheel.
I’ve driven the ACT, it’s such a lovely DD clutch even with the smf, but I don’t believe for a second it will actually hold hybrid power for long…. It’s a very soft complaint pedal (= lower clamping force) and very smooth complaint friction material on the disc. I feel they used very aggressive math for the “TQ rating” and didn’t account for how at e888.3s TQ hit is much different than it’s predecessors. Mix that with the limited number of high power mqbs running it, they don’t have lots to go by in regards to what is real world taxing the kits (ie: rsr revising thier TQ ratings to lower number when running it on a e888.3 )

9C29B730-BD24-418A-86B9-A620579ACE8F.jpeg
 

Ezekiel81923

Autocross Champion
Location
Royersford, PA
Car(s)
2019 Volkswagen GTI
I looked into the RSR too but I was afraid those torque ratings didn't leave much headroom, if any.

Ringer seems like the choice. The Stage 4 disk/pressure plate w/ stock DMF and stock hardware (all new, but stock) should do the trick?
 

hans611

Lost
Location
Miami
Car(s)
'16 Golf R 6MT
If you’re goal is to have the most oem like setup and still feel confident it’s gonna hold xl type power I would go with the stage 4 and the modified fsi pressure plate (ttrs) option direct from
Ringer racing with the dmf in the end. Just don’t expect to dump the clutch for launches as the dmf don’t like it and I’m sure that’s why a Sachs rep said not to use it with a grabby race clutch.

Well @El_bigote_AJ is recommending the stage 4 disc from the Ringer Mk7 kit: https://www.ringer-racing.com/product.sc?productId=666&categoryId=1126

But the TTRS Pressure plate from this MK5/MK6 kit? https://www.ringer-racing.com/product.sc?productId=671&categoryId=1126
That's definitely the TTRS pressure plate in that picture with the self-adjusting fingers....

But what PP is on the normal Ringer MK7 kit? Is it the Clutch Masters "HD" pressure plate? It looks like it from the pictures, with the "precision balanced" sticker...
but normally the CM ones also have a "Clutch Masters" sticker where the Ringer one has a "Sachs" branding... Maybe Sachs is the OEM for both?

I had noted down that the Ringer kits came with the CM FX-series "HD" (Heavy Duty) pressure plate.....? Or that may be the Single Flywheel versions?
 
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