So I just ordered a Stage 2 Daily southbend clutch. They basically take an exedy clutch and revamp it. I am assuming it comes with the exedy throwout bearing which I have heard is SKF which is a very well known and quality bearing brand.

Has the issue with the bad TO bearings on these kits been worked out? Was it just a bad batch that a bunch of people got back around 2005? How much of these failures are due to poor installation technique (not greasing all pivot and rotational points properly) and how many people have run these bearings in recent years with success?

I would prefer not to spend an extra $50-70 for an OEM TOB on top of my clutch kit if I don't have to.

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

I purchased and installed an Exedy NSK1002 last Summer, which is the OEM replacement clutch kit for the 5th gen, and remembered hearing something about issues with throwout bearings on "kits", so I also purchased a TO bearing from Nissan. When I compared the bearing that came with the kit and the Nissan bearing , I found they were identical...as in an NTN Japan bearing with the same part number stamped on it. Who knows where the faulty bearing info came from...perhaps other brand kits or counterfeit Exedy kits with lesser quality parts (I remember seeing dirt cheap "new Exedy" kits on EBay 5+ years ago and wondering how they could be so inexpensive). In any case the bearing in my kit was top notch OEM.

 

^^ Thanks for the reply. That's actually a good idea. Didn't think of that. I will probably go ahead and by the Nissan OEM bearing, compare them, and then return the throwout bearing if the Exedy one seems to be the same or equivalent quality.

 

I have a southbend stage 2 clutch kit I installed in April, drove the car cross country, kind of, (Washington state to Michigan) and never heard of this issue, anyways whatever TO bearing was in the kit it was was brand new and seemed similar to the oem nissan bearing upon inspection.

 

So how was it? This is my first southbend. Not many people have them, but I have heard nothing but good things from those that do. Was yours the stage 2 daily?

 

Edit I have the stage 1 hd that holds 300ft lbs. I have no problem with it and it has not slipped. It will have been 1 year in April. I also heard nothing but good about these clutches so I pulled the trigger on it.

 

Good to know, I just ordered my stage 2 endurance from southbend last week.