hey guys im looking to get a clutch for my truck its going to have to be a ceramic button type to hold. I cant decide who to go with Valair or Southbend. Help me out please

95cumminsguy's Sig:

95 Dodge Cummins Reg cab long bed 4x4 5spd. After market leather, freshly rebuilt engine, new tranny and t case fire ringed, head studs, 330 hp injectors, custom plate full foward, new injection pump at 18.5*, 4 inch exh, valair clutch. Soon to come laser cut DV's, CFM intake, HT3B


02 Dodge Cummins ext cab long bed 4x4 6spd. MBRP cool duals, intake, FASS 150, boost pyro and fuel psi gauges.200,400 mi.

RAM WITH 6 AND STRUGGLE WITH 8

are you planing on more hp, I have the south bend double disk 12 button i love the clutch can do 3rd gear launches and she holds out good had has no problem towing, but the only thing is backing up with a trailer very hard its hard to feather the clutch but it is a very good clutch

coyropin's Sig:

01 3500 dodge 24 v cummins, GD Stage 5 150 hp injectors, GD turbo stage 3, 16cfm exhaust 14cfm intake, AFE intake, Edge 5 stage chip, DD 12 button south bend clutch,#2 vp44 pump fass fuel ddp, dual 5 in exhaust stacks flat bed

South Bend has been around for years and is still the industry standard when it comes to clutches. To me it says somethin when your the brand that all the other brands compare themselves to and that one is SB.

Uncle Bubba's Sig:

DIESEL BOMBERS ADMINISTRATOR

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99 Quad Cab, 4wd, Drag Comp W/Pump Wire & Boost Elbow installed, K&N Air Canon, MBRP exhaust, Belt Drive Lift Pump and bottom Bulkhead feed from the tank, Isspro EV Pyrometer, Boost Gauge, Fuel Pressure Gauge, DT Pro Fab Trac Bar, South Bend 13-1.25 Con O Clutch, Ranch Hand Bumper, Borgeson Steering Shaft, Black Silicone Boots, 2" Lift Soft Ride Front Coils, Solenoid High Idle Kit, Bilstein 5100 HD Shocks, Rickson 19.5 Wheels w/Hancoock Rubber, HD Maxx Link Sway Bar Links, Superlift dual front stabilizer, EGR Brakes Front and Back, RV275 Injector's, Blue Chip VP44, Prodigy brake controller, B&W Gooseneck hitch and more I can't remember right now. Not to mention more to come I'm sure.
374.2/846.7 at 30psi

I vote SBC! I loved mine!

Cummins97's Sig:

Jason

1997 Dodge Cummins - Being parted out

1995 Dodge Ram 1500

1989 Traveler 17' semi-v Jet boat

1999 Mercury Cougar

Go with a SouthBend and dont look back

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I went with a Valair and I couldn't be happier with it. South Bend is definately the best known but the Valair is a darn good clutch for the money and Dan Vallance is a great guy to deal with. I finally snapped my stock input shaft, sent my disk back and Dan upgraded it to an 1 3/8" for free.

Ive got a Valair DD and have had no issues. Its done 3rd gear launches , few hooks , pulls trailers and a daily driver. Very pleased with it!

I also have to agree with coyropin backing trailers are a little rough with DD or ceramics.

BlackDodge's Sig:

2001 CTD Quad Cab 4x4, 5 spd, 3800#Valair Ceramic DD, BlueChip fuel management w/gauges, BlueChip Special-X VP44 & stealth plate, DDP150 sticks, B.H.A.F., AirDog 150, Stock HX35, 5" Diamond Eye & 2" BDS leveling spacers.
1991 Reg Cap Dually, SOLD

im not trying to start a fight or anything but my ceramic welded after 800 miles and my organic that dan sent me as a replacement was slipping not sure if im having hydro issues or what but im probably going to go with a SBC DD next

12valvetater's Sig:

1997 2500 4x4, 260,000 mi, nv4500, EMS lockout hub conversion, EMS vacum/delete, fully rebuilt engine, o-ringed head and block, 12mm ARP headstuds, 60 lb valve springs, 4k gsk, 4in down pipe to 5in behind the wheel, air dog2 165gph, Valair organic single disk, updated 5th gear nut, pyro and boost, street/towing cam from East Coast Diesel, NO fuel plate

Reliability with Valair still seems to be an issue, some work without fail and some don;t work at all and that's an expensive and labor intensive risk. Only bad words I've ever heard about South Bend is from guy's that either had an install issue or are tryin to use street clutches for the sled pullin and are pissed when it goes bad.

Without a clutch to hold it all the power in the world is worthless and these clutches aren't easy installs, so to me any extra money is worth the dependability.

I agree, awesome clutches and great people to deal with.

Storm1's Sig:

1994 Dodge Ram 3500 4X4 RC, 100 plate FF, 3K GSK, AFC Mods, TST Boost & Pyro on Pillar, Custom Air Box, Valair 13" Ceramic/Kevlar

I am extremely extremely dissappoimted with my south bends.. I had a single disc in my first gen..then qa dual disc in my first gen.. then a dual disc in my 24 valve.. my single disc blew apart at a year with 12,000 miles.. dual disc was ok but got rid of the truck before i could really test it.. put a dual disc in my current truck and its been in for about 4 months and you have to shut it off when its cold to get it in gear and sometimes even when its warm.. non of these have been warrantied and i have never been on a track dirt or pavement.. and followed all break in procedures..

1st_gen_puller's Sig:

2001 2500 cummins, SRW, 6speed, silver, 4x4, white LED cab lights, SB DD 3850, billet shafts, Mag-Hytech pans, Edge comp, SO IP, FASS 150, stealth cover, 5'' Diamond eye TBE, big ole 6'' stack as a turn down tip, BD boost fooler, glowshift pyro, boost, FP guages, Industrial Injections Super 62mm, AFE bladerunner, ARP studs, 125hp edge sticks, don m valve springs, ported polished head, stage 2 AFE intake. Barely pulls herself uphill..

Did you ever get your hydraulics checked out??? I know i mentioned that you should check those since that is what your issues pointed towards and that it wasn't the clutches fault.


ValAir has a reliability issue??? Thats funny because every faulty clutch that ive warrantied has been USER error not the clutches fault and that is ValAir AND South Bend. I love how the end user always blaims the product and never looks at how the truck is treated.

Ive sled pulled and drag raced both, beat the hell out of both and they both have the same quality parts in them. Just different names attached to them even though they are the same parts that make up the products. Its all on your opinion of what you want. Then you get people that dont know the other product and just go off what they hear and have never used them before.

If you are on a budget Valair kevlar/ceramic would work great but if you have the money a south bend kevlar/ceramic would work great as well. Rabco makes a hell of a facing and that clutch is great for medium powered trucks that tow and back trailers. Smooth with a slight stiffer clutch pedal.

1SlowCTD's Sig:

Low Budget Diesel Performance
1984 F250 6.9 IDI Auto
Project Frankentruck Resurrection
1988 V30 4x4 Crew Cab Dually

I am hard on mine.. i'll admit it but i really didn't think i was gonna have to buy an iron giant to daily drive.. i just kinda thought it would hold.. just mmy honest opinion.. i'm dissappointed as hell..

I havent gotten into the hydros yet, money is tight and I don't have a lot of time. It's very strange though my clutch has all but stopped slipping since I put the h1c on it.

South Bend Clutch Or Haisley Machine....Best two clutch units available today.

Hammer's Sig:

1998 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 12v 5spd Quad Cab
Flame Red Sport
Mason-Dixon Turbo Diesel Club Event Co-Ordinator
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