Raider's MS3 Southbend Clutch Experience-Updated 2/19!

Raider

Raider

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From the old place: "Time has come for me to replace my clutch . 89,000 miles and 6th slipping dropped to 4th on a freeway merge. Tax returned found way to my car.

Now what makes this different for me than any other thread, is that I need to have one that is not gonna kill my knee. I got my knees all cracked up, so having to jam on it to shift is not really desired. Nothing like 4 heavy car crashes (knees into metal dash), working as a cable tech, and just plain Dollar Tree DNA has left me virtually no cartilage in my knees. Getting old sucks.

Other than the OEM replacement (yikes at OEM flywheel cost!) anyone have aftermarket experience in their swap that is not painful? Google search got nothing.

Oh, I have read enough of the light flywheel chatter. Really don't want that at all.


Update 4/2015. Clutch installed. Here is what I ultimately ended up getting a South Bend Stage 2 Daily Driver clutch kit at EdgeAutosport.com, plus a pile of OEM stuff per recommendations here. OEM parts were also ordered through Edge Autosport (their dealer stocks a TON of OEM!)

. I initially skipped the slave cylinder, only to have it fail in 20 miles after install. It is common. Do not skip that. I had to overnight it, so just add it when you order.

1 x South Bend Clutch Stage 2 Daily Clutch Kit w/ Flywheel Mazdaspeed 3 2007-2013 / Mazdaspeed 6 2006-2007
6 x Mazda OEM Flywheel Bolt Mazdaspeed 3 2007-2013 / Mazdaspeed 6 2006-2007
1 x Redline High Temp Synthetic Grease
2 x Mazda OEM Transmission Seal Mazdaspeed 3 (Makes sure you get 1 driver's side, 1 passenger's side. They are different!.
3 x Redline MT-90 75w90 Transmission Oil Quart (or go Ford synchromesh XM5T unicorn jizz locally)
1 x Mazda OEM Pilot Bearing Mazdaspeed 3 2007-2013 / Mazdaspeed 6 2006-2007
1 x Mazda OEM Release Bearing Mazdaspeed 3 2007-2013 / Mazdaspeed 6 2006-2007
1 x Mazda OEM Release Fork Mazdaspeed 3 2007-2013 / Mazdaspeed 6 2006-2007
1 x Mazda OEM Rear Main Seal Mazdaspeed 3 2007-2013 / Mazdaspeed 6 2006-2007
1 x Mazda OEM Slave Cylinder MS3 (DO THIS OR DO IT IN 20 MILES AFTER IT CRAPS ITSELF!)
3 Gallons of Rotella T6 5W40 full synthetic (used 6 quarts). (locally sourced)
4 quarts of high temp brake fluid. (locally sourced)"

Fast forward 10 months and 8,000 miles later. My original plan in March 2015 did have any consideration that 340 lbs of torque would not be enough. But after i got the clutch, I went Corksport Turbo. Then maxed the MAP, MAF, EBCS. Went to a 3 1/2" intake, upgraded the rest of the bits. Hypnotic tune showed a 357.7 hp /336.7 tq 4th gear dyno pull in September. Maxed on fueling. I am basically seeing I have maxed my clutch too.

Last weekend I swapped the transmission due to a 2nd gear popout issue. Clutched looked ok. The day prior, I did have an issue with 4th being mildly roasted after a 3/4 shift and then WOT. Has not done it since, about 15 4th gear WOT pulls.

So now how do I feel about the clutch? I love it. Even before the trans swap, shifting is easy. I do not have knee issues after driving. That is good.

After the Natorbuilt trans was installed, we I switched to unicorn jizz-Ford synchromesh XM5T. The clutch-out idling with AC on is immensely quieter. The throw out bearing noise is so much quieter. Downshifting too. I do have the Speedformance 1/2 and 3/4 brass forks. I recommend them highly for anyone. Shifting is so much more precise. Love it.

So now what. I plan to go meth injection, and IM upgrade. That is about it. Not sure I will even turn up the power much due to the clutch. But I do not intend to change it any time soon. if I do, it will be a stage 2 endurance. Which is what I considered too. Oh well. I would still buy from Southbend. Great company.
 
I do not. That said, it's not like I am driving like Torretto every day. The slip was just a big shock.
 
Thanks again for the trade @Raider this bad beast will be broken open this Saturday. Its going to be a learning experience for lots of locals and turned into a How-To disassemble and swap forks.

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Yeah I think when/if next clutch goes in, will go Endurance as it takes 500 lbs of torque.
 
Rokusek said:
Thanks again for the trade @Raider this bad beast will be broken open this Saturday. Its going to be a learning experience for lots of locals and turned into a How-To disassemble and swap forks.
Click to expand...

Until you open it to find it genaded.
 
Probably. Just about as much as the desire to restore your headlights.
 
Headlights are holding up pretty well surprisingly. Then again I haven't drove the car in a while

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
Like since a real winter showed up with snow lol. I'm not trying to help plow the roads
 
Well... Good news and bad @the pads on the forks where good. Buuuut the shifter rings on second and third where pretty beat to hell. I'm waiting on the pictures to come from my buddy and I'll post a couple up. But all and all, it's good that we changed yours out. I'll have pics up within 48-72hrs.
 
I need a clutch now, added upgrades and tried to 3rd WOT log and clutch goes WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. I'd seen some slippage in the run-up to this anyway, first in 5th a couple times, then in 4th a couple times - so I thought it might come to this. So much pwar in the Freektoons.

So I have questions:

1. Are you saying you'd go FoMoCo XT for fluid if you were doing it again? I haven't heard any direct comparisons between the fluids. I have FoMoCo now, but have heard MT90 is more recommended for gen2 so I was planning to try it. Open to sticking to the FoMoCo if you're saying it's better, and many say it's better in winter which is a concern up here.

2. I'd like to keep the pedal forces down as well...like you said, old. You said you'd go Endurance, but you also said 500 ft-lbs. The stage 2 endurance is rated 400 ft-lbs. So that seems like the right range for me, since I don't intend to ever build my motor - should hold whatever I throw at it that won't bend rods. Is that the one you're saying you'd do if you were doing it again? Or were you actually talking stage 3 endurance? Because the stage 3 daily is 430 ft-lbs, and the stage 3 endurance is 500.

3. Did you hold an install day, or did you go to a pro for your clutch install?

4. Did you choose SB because the ACT kits that are less costly have higher pedal effort? Because the ACT kit is ~$230 cheaper with Streetlight and ~$280 cheaper with Prolite or whatever, and they claim to hold 415 ft-lbs. That looks like a good walue, but if the pedal effort is stupid high and I do a moderate amount of city driving it's totally worth it for a reasonable pedal effort.
 
You should have felt my ACT 6-puck when we were at ENM John. You would have been impressed. The new version is super light. I would say, no more than 25% heavier than stock. I have no trouble at all DD'ing it, it's very easy to drive overall. The only downside is it has a tendency to shudder when you first take off. Once you get used to driving it, this rarely happens.

As for the fluid, I use Redline MTL because it matches the specifications in the pu service manual (75W-80), rather than MT-90 or the Ford. It shifts nicely.

The clutch install is not completely horrible. It takes a little finagling to get it out of the car without dropping the subframe, but I think it's worth the hassle of not having to drop the subframe. Took Jason, Shane, and I ~8 hours, and that's with me being partially useless due to never having done the job before. Plan for a full weekend.

I have not felt a SB clutch before but would be interested to see how they compare to my ACT. The ACT street flywheel is already noticeably lighter than stock. I imagine the "pro" would be kind of a pain to drive.

BTW, I went with the 6 puck because I have the BNR. I think on the K04 you could easily get away with the street disc.
 
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