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Date:         Wed, 28 Jan 2004 20:27:16 -0600
Reply-To:     "Warren.K.Lail-1" <wlail@OU.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Warren.K.Lail-1" <wlail@OU.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Which clutch kit for 88 Westy?
Comments: To: ron@busdepot.com
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Thanks for the info Ron. But where were you earlier today??? I just placed my order for a Sachs this afternoon (just before ordering my SA radiator from you). I hope my cheap Sachs assembly works out. I don't want to drop my new engine or tranny for some time to come.

Warren 88 Westy "Billy Bones" (in dry dock) 87 GL "He drank rum very strong all day, looking up somethin' fierce when spoken to."

----- Original Message ----- From: The Bus Depot <vanagon@busdepot.com> Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 8:11 pm Subject: RE: Which clutch kit for 88 Westy?

> > I'm going to replace my clutch, but I'm not sure > > whether to go with a Sachs or Luk. I've used Sachs kits in > > the past with no problems, but a friend of mine said he > > thought his clutch was a Luk. Has anyone had experience with > > both and care to comment on your experience with them? And > > what about size? Are there any options beyond the standard? > > > Since no one's tackled this on-list, I thought I'd put in my > $0.02. > > We sell three grades of clutch kits for the Vanagon... > > 1) Entry Level: $119. Normally this is the Sachs kit that everybody > sells, but we have obtained a small quantity of genuine Volkswagen > brandkits that we're offering for the same price. The difference > is that the > Sachs kit includes a Mexican disc and pressure plate, whereas this > genuine VW kit is German/Austrian (but still Sachs components). On the > other hand the pressure plate is labeled as "remanufactured," whereas > the Sachs branded one is not. But being as it's a genuine VW unit I > wouldn't be too concerned about this, as it's clear that the > workmanshipis first rate. I would expect this kit to be at least > as good as and > almost certainly superior to the Sachs kit for the same price. We have > about 6 of these left. Then it's back to the Sachs for the same price. > > 2) Middle Grade: $149.95. This is LuK's competition to the Sachs kit, > and it is German made (although in some kits the throwout bearing > is OEM > VW/Brazil; still a good part though). For those who are not aware, > LuK,like Sachs, is an OEM supplier to VW. However, their kit is a > littlebeefier than the Sachs, and in my opinion worth the small > difference in > price. The Sachs has also gotten a reputation for susceptability to > clutch chatter (oft mentioned in the list archives), a condition > which I > have never heard of with a LuK. To be honest I have my doubts as to > whether this reputation is deserved, as it's my suspicion that in most > if not virtually all cases the real culprits were worn motor > mounts, an > uneven flywheel surface, or other external factors. But if you are > concerned about it, get the LuK (or, for the short term, one of > our $119 > genuine VW ones). Wost case is you got a slightly heavier duty, German > made kit for an extra $30, so there's no downside. > > 3) Top of the Line: $199.95. In early 1989, VW redesigned the > Vanagonclutch to include a different pressure plate with a > reinforced collar > and slightly different design, the primary goal being to reduce > requiredpedal travel. This kit has erroneously been referred to on- > list as a > "Syncro only" clutch kit, but in fact it was used on all mid-89 up > Vanagons (and fits all years of Vanagons). This is a LuK kit, and we > have to import it ourselves because it's no longer offered here. > (In the > U.S., if you order the 89-91 kit from either LuK or Sachs, they > supercede it to the '80-89 kit and that's what you get.) Frankly, for > the amount of hassle that a clutch job is, my feeling is that it makes > sense to use the best parts you possibly can (especially for the > relatively small difference in price), and this would be it. Why > chanceanything less, when the best is still reasonably priced and > having to > re-do the job is such a major pain? > > Link to all 3: > > http://busdepot.com/view.jsp?model=43&category=10&group=23&prodgroup=303 > > - Ron Salmon > The Bus Depot, Inc. > www.busdepot.com > (215) 234-VWVW > > _____________________________________________ > Toll-Free for Orders by PART # : 1-866-BUS-DEPOT > > >


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