SACHS/LOBA SMF Clutch Kit 2.0 TFSI
SEAT Leon Cupra Stage 2+
Ive had the kit fitted for over 5k miles now so I thought I'd do a review of how its been so far.
My clutch needed replacing because it had just started to slip and I wanted to get it sorted before it caused me any issues. The car had done 30k miles.
I spent quite a bit of time trying to find a kit that fitted all of my requirements as close as possible, which was OEM feel, useable on a daily basis, no rattling/excess mechanical noise and capable of handling the up-rated power of the re-mapped car. I considered a few of the big name kits, speaking with suppliers, specialist garages and various forum users to help make my decision.
My research had told me that to retain as close to OEM feel the best solution was to re-install a OEM DMF and up-rated clutch kit. However Id also found that there were a few issues surrounding clutch failure on the TFSI standard and modified cars that pointed to DMF failure as the cause.
I made a decision to go for the LOBA Single Mass Fly/Sachs kit based on other users feedback and research. I also received some great advice from Simon at LOBA, who responded quickly and honestly to my many e-mails. Plus helpful advice from AMD Technik (Essex) who luckily for me were a stockist of the LOBA/Sachs kit.
Following the removal the fault was down to a dual mass flywheel failure.
The First 500 Miles
When I first picked the car up I noticed straight away that the clutch pedal was heavier than standard, but not as much as I was expecting. Some increase in clutch pedal feel and pressure was expected with an up-rated kit. The initial feel of the clutch engaging was a bit more aggressive but feeling positive in its operation.
I had to get used to the biting point of the new clutch when setting off as you need to adjust to the different feel of the kit. In essence you need to give higher revs when engaging the clutch.
Noise wise there is a very slight sound of the flywheel when the car is idling or when you lift off the clutch and coast under engine load. But compared to others that Ive heard it is hardly noticeable. Im a pretty fussy customer and I can easily live with this on a daily basis. You get a slight increase in noise from the SMF on idle if you have the A/C switched on.
The only downside to the kit was the smell of clutch that you initially get when setting off and worse when reversing, this was something that worried me but was advised that it would stop after approx. 300 to 500 miles of use, which it did.
500 to 5k Miles
Having been driving the car for a while with the kit fitted I am really pleased that I chose it. Now that the kit has bedded, in nicely it is great to drive on a daily basis and its not far off of OEM feel.
Dont get me wrong the pedal is still heavier than standard but you do get used to this early on, also the slight mechanical noise is still there but as I said before its not too intrusive.
The kit so far has coped well with the up-rated power, providing smooth gear changes and easy operation.
As a compromise between fitting and up-rated kit to your modified TFSI and retaining a useable clutch that doesnt spoil the every day use of your car, the LOBA SMF/Sachs kit is a great choice.
