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Dkm stage 3 clutch

2slowvw

Moderator
Location
VA
Car(s)
2022 Tesla Model 3
Got way further in one day than I did.
I got rained out. I supermanned the transmission back up off my chest, but i cant get it seated properly and it was down pouring and all my tools are out everywhere so i packed up. If it stops raining ill go back out tonight. Not gonna lie, im not as much of a man as i thought i was because trying to roll that transmission on my chest and push it up there by myself sucked.
 

JerseyDrew77

Autocross Champion
Location
Virginia & NC
Car(s)
2016 TR GTI S 6MT
I got rained out. I supermanned the transmission back up off my chest, but i cant get it seated properly and it was down pouring and all my tools are out everywhere so i packed up. If it stops raining ill go back out tonight. Not gonna lie, im not as much of a man as i thought i was because trying to roll that transmission on my chest and push it up there by myself sucked.

Do you even bench, brah??? Lol...

If you waited till the weekend, I could have helped you out.
 

Ridebjj

Autocross Champion
Location
lasVegas
I got rained out. I supermanned the transmission back up off my chest, but i cant get it seated properly and it was down pouring and all my tools are out everywhere so i packed up. If it stops raining ill go back out tonight. Not gonna lie, im not as much of a man as i thought i was because trying to roll that transmission on my chest and push it up there by myself sucked.

Ugh. I tried that for longer than I should have for the sake of my ego and then after realizing no one was watching, I let my brain handle it. Benching the weight itself, not a problem. Holding it while trying to mate the shaft (giggle), yes problem.

I'd benched it up and rotated such that the lump where the lsd goes in was resting on the inner subframe.

After that I used the engine support bar with a ratchet strap and some climbing rigging above and a jack below for three points of contact. Took about 30 or so minutes that way.

Good luck
 

c31561

Go Kart Champion
Location
East Coast, USA
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport
After that I used the engine support bar with a ratchet strap and some climbing rigging above and a jack below for three points of contact. Took about 30 or so minutes that way.

I basically did the same, used the engine support bar to handle most of the weight. I lifted it up with the engine support and then when it was high enough, I crawled under and benched it the last bit. Not pretty but it worked.
 

GTI Jake

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Another useful tool is an alignment pin. I bought a long M16 (I think) bolt and cut the head off. Once the head was off I cut a notch for a flat head screwdriver in it incase it was hard to get out.

Pop that in the 11 o clock bolt hole and it helps guide the transmission right into place.
 

2slowvw

Moderator
Location
VA
Car(s)
2022 Tesla Model 3
Just wanted to post and update. So i finished the install yesterday in between rain storms. Not ideal but i wanted to bust it out. I didnt have an engine support mount or tranny jack. Just used a jack to hold the engine up from below and pure determination to put the tranny back up and in.

Few thoughts about the install.

1. A lift would make this job 10x easier. Using jack stands didnt get the car high enough for me to have good room to remove/reinstall.
2. Make sure you bench bleed the tob. I installed the tob and then hooked it up to a bottle with some tubing and made sure i got as much air put as possible, then rubberbanded a finger of my rubber glove over the end to keep fluid in.
3. 27 bolts holding the whole kit together is alot and kindof a pain to keep track when tightening everything up in a star pattern. I did my best then went around and made sure i hit everything.
4. I bleed out the clutch to where there was no air at all and to be honest, the clutxh is heavy but no where near as bad as i thought. Pretty much the same feel as my ttrs clutch felt when new.
5. I dont hear any chatter at all from the clutch right now, i hope it stays that way.
6. The tshirt is pretty sweet.

20200802_164638.jpg
20200731_150035.jpg
 

GTI Jake

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Just wanted to post and update. So i finished the install yesterday in between rain storms. Not ideal but i wanted to bust it out. I didnt have an engine support mount or tranny jack. Just used a jack to hold the engine up from below and pure determination to put the tranny back up and in.

Few thoughts about the install.

1. A lift would make this job 10x easier. Using jack stands didnt get the car high enough for me to have good room to remove/reinstall.
2. Make sure you bench bleed the tob. I installed the tob and then hooked it up to a bottle with some tubing and made sure i got as much air put as possible, then rubberbanded a finger of my rubber glove over the end to keep fluid in.
3. 27 bolts holding the whole kit together is alot and kindof a pain to keep track when tightening everything up in a star pattern. I did my best then went around and made sure i hit everything.
4. I bleed out the clutch to where there was no air at all and to be honest, the clutxh is heavy but no where near as bad as i thought. Pretty much the same feel as my ttrs clutch felt when new.
5. I dont hear any chatter at all from the clutch right now, i hope it stays that way.
6. The tshirt is pretty sweet.

View attachment 181459View attachment 181460

I wish they would’ve sent me a t shirt lol
 

JerseyDrew77

Autocross Champion
Location
Virginia & NC
Car(s)
2016 TR GTI S 6MT
Just wanted to post and update. So i finished the install yesterday in between rain storms. Not ideal but i wanted to bust it out. I didnt have an engine support mount or tranny jack. Just used a jack to hold the engine up from below and pure determination to put the tranny back up and in.

Few thoughts about the install.

1. A lift would make this job 10x easier. Using jack stands didnt get the car high enough for me to have good room to remove/reinstall.
2. Make sure you bench bleed the tob. I installed the tob and then hooked it up to a bottle with some tubing and made sure i got as much air put as possible, then rubberbanded a finger of my rubber glove over the end to keep fluid in.
3. 27 bolts holding the whole kit together is alot and kindof a pain to keep track when tightening everything up in a star pattern. I did my best then went around and made sure i hit everything.
4. I bleed out the clutch to where there was no air at all and to be honest, the clutxh is heavy but no where near as bad as i thought. Pretty much the same feel as my ttrs clutch felt when new.
5. I dont hear any chatter at all from the clutch right now, i hope it stays that way.
6. The tshirt is pretty sweet.

View attachment 181459View attachment 181460

I have the same t-shirt plus a big 3 x 5 flag that they sent me with my kit that I bought couple of years ago.

Did you put some Loctite on each of those 27 bolts?
 

2slowvw

Moderator
Location
VA
Car(s)
2022 Tesla Model 3
I have the same t-shirt plus a big 3 x 5 flag that they sent me with my kit that I bought couple of years ago.

Did you put some Loctite on each of those 27 bolts?
Yup i did per other peoples recommendation
 

IceBerg4k1

Ready to race!
Location
Chicago, IL
Car(s)
2015 GTI
Just had mine fail after 2 years and 20k miles. At first it became extremely difficult to get into gear. I could tell the clutch wasn't fully disengaging when the pedal was depressed. That lasted for about a week until one night the TOB began absolutely screaming. I parked the car and ordered up a new Luk TOB thinking the originally installed one may have been the FTE unit. Pulled trans out and sure enough, I found the FTE unit completely separated into 3 pieces on the input shaft.


The clutch itself, without complete disassembly didn't appear to have any issues. In with the Luk TOB and trans goes back in. Guess what...same TOB screaming issue.

Trans comes back out and I remove clutch to inspect. Very surprised to see a couple serious issues. First, the two intermediates plate had completely seized up on the guide pin. See the left two guide pins with the clutch in the released position with the pin on the right still in the compressed position.


No wonder the TOB destroyed itself. It was applying pressure unevenly on the pressure plate which also explains why I couldn't get into gear. Diving a little deeper, I inspect the problem guide pin to see that the spacer washers had begun eating into the pin material causing the hang up.


Some serious wrenching on it with a pry bar and I was able to get the clutch to release. During the inspection of friction disks, I identify failure point #2. The rear friction disk hub spline had been 2/3 eaten away by the end of the trans input shaft. The disk itself, due to poor design, was never 100% engaging the input shaft spline. When the clutch is released, the disk is sliding even further if not completely off the input shaft causing its own destruction.


Thank goodness the input shaft itself was relatively unscathed otherwise I'd be raising some serious hell. I provided all of this information to DKM support with no expectation of any response. Fortunately they did respond and asked that I send them the clutch for inspection although it is out of warranty at this point. Given how big of a disaster the install of this clutch was initially with 4 trans removals by the installing shop and incorrect parts sent with kit, they did cover under warranty. They also admitted that the FTE has since been replaced as we know and they have also redesigned the rear friction disk hub due to the issue being reported by not only myself.

At any rate, I will not being putting a DKM product back in my car. It has caused way too many headaches. Poor materials, wrong parts, bad design etc. I elected to go with an Xclutch and have been very happy with it thus far. Fingers crossed it lasts longer than 20k like the last 2 clutches.
 
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