Date:         Mon, 3 Aug 1998 14:08:44 -0400
Reply-To:     Derek Drew <drew@INTERPORT.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Derek Drew <drew@INTERPORT.NET>
Subject:      Clutch part research & machinations
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com
In-Reply-To:  <000083EB.CW21041@presray.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Should I go for the better clutch?

The fiche shows a different clutch beginning somewhere in the 89 model year.

I called Ron this morning and he said the clutch kits from Sachs, if you
specify a post '89 kit, come back with the same list of parts as would be
in a pre-'89 kit. Ron says Sachs is basically supplying pre-'89 clutch kits
to people who order post-'89 clutches. That means Sachs is also supplying
2WD clutches to people with Syncros.

I asked about what if I insisted on the post '89 clutch, thinking that it
is in some way superior to the pre-'89 clutch or more suitable for syncro.
Ron said I could try to order the specific parts for a post '89, but that
it would not be in a kit form, and would therefore be about $40 more
expensive. Moreover, he said that the only part that would be different
would be the clutch disk (I think) and that even if he ordered a post-'89
clutch disk, Sachs was likely to send the other disk anyway and so I would
have spent $40 for nothing.

Part numbers:

Clutch Disk: 025 141 031 K is the part number shown in my syncro fiche for
post '89. But apparently many clutches carry the same part ending in the
number B instead. Apparently, the K may designate the LUK brand, according
to a notation in the fiche.

What does everybody think?  Should I pay $40 extra for a clutch disk that
might be the same disk as the pre-'89 disk just to see what comes in the
box? Or should I go ahead and stick a pre-89 non syncro clutch into a post
-89 syncro and hope for the best?

Dennis Haynes earlier had told me the hub was beefier on syncro clutches.
_____________________________________________________
Derek Drew                           New York, NY & Washington DC
ConsumerSearch
drew@interport.net
212-580-6486, 202-966-7907 (W)
212-580-4459; 202-966-0938 (H)