My experience with MTI and Mcleod
01-27-2004, 06:48 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Houston Tx
Posts: 477
My experience with MTI and Mcleod
Its a long story but please read. The car in question is a mainly highway driven, bolt on LT1.
In July of '02 I had a Mcleod stage 1 clutch installed by MTI for $8XX. It worked great until 8 months later in early March '03. I was having difficulty getting the clutch to disengage when I got off the freeway. It got worse the next day, I was having to start it in gear and rev it up to shift. I took it back to MTI. They explained it had been 8 months and they wouldnt cover it. I understood, and didnt even try to argue, just went ahead and paid another $8XX(which I had to borrow from my sister). They did offer to send it back to Mcleod to check for defects. When they got it off it turned out the pressure plate had gone bad, but I never heard from Mcleod about it.
Well Yesterday I was heading down to Galveston, exited the freeway and notice the car was shifting rough. I pulled over checked the hydraulic clutch fluid and tested the clutch pedal, the pressure felt fine. I got back on the freeway and made it down to Galveston, by then the clutch was barely disengaging and I was pretty sure I was having the same problem again. I didnt have a jack to check the clutch master/slave cylinders there, so I decided not to drive the car home and ended up sleeping on my friends couch.
This morning I woke up and with some difficulty got the car back to MTI. I explained my situation, they brought a mechanic out and he agreed it was probably my clutch. They explained to me they no longer carry Mcleod clutches because of the problems theyve had with them. They were sorry that each clutch only lasted 8-9 months but they wouldnt warrant it and that I should take it up with Mcleod. They then told me they dont even talk to Mcleod anymore but said if I wanted the number I could call to see what they would do. I took the number and called them out in the parking lot of MTI. The representative claimed it was impossible for their product to randomly fail twice on a stock car in such a short time. He said it was either due to abuse, or my hydraulics had failed, but offered to send me another clutch if I sent the bad one in and they found it defective.
I went back into MTI and explained the situation. I asked what they could do, and they offered to look at the hydraulic system for $80, but it would be tomorrow at the earliest.(hmm) The parts were 9 months old, so they wouldnt warrant it or remove it for me, despite the fact it had happened to me twice. My choice was to go with a spec stage 2 clutch or an LT4 clutch at full cost plus install. I knew the guy at the front desk, hes a cool guy and just doing his job so I felt awkward making a scene, so I politely asked to speak to Jason the owner. They claimed he had left, yet not 10 minutes before they had spoken with him upstairs. I decided to leave.
-- SUMMARIZED- Basically the clutches they sold and installed lasted 8 and 9 months each, on a basically stock daily driver. Then they expected me to pay another $800-900 after two of there products failed and they wouldnt back them up. Even if Mcleod does warrant it I have to get it off first, which theyd charge me for as well.
This came unexpectedly to say the least, Im in college and literally have no money. Ill have to borrow for the clutch, not to mention miss school while its down. I hate to be a moocher but is anyone willing to help me install it? The car is located near Sealy. Id be willing to supply beer and food.
In July of '02 I had a Mcleod stage 1 clutch installed by MTI for $8XX. It worked great until 8 months later in early March '03. I was having difficulty getting the clutch to disengage when I got off the freeway. It got worse the next day, I was having to start it in gear and rev it up to shift. I took it back to MTI. They explained it had been 8 months and they wouldnt cover it. I understood, and didnt even try to argue, just went ahead and paid another $8XX(which I had to borrow from my sister). They did offer to send it back to Mcleod to check for defects. When they got it off it turned out the pressure plate had gone bad, but I never heard from Mcleod about it.
Well Yesterday I was heading down to Galveston, exited the freeway and notice the car was shifting rough. I pulled over checked the hydraulic clutch fluid and tested the clutch pedal, the pressure felt fine. I got back on the freeway and made it down to Galveston, by then the clutch was barely disengaging and I was pretty sure I was having the same problem again. I didnt have a jack to check the clutch master/slave cylinders there, so I decided not to drive the car home and ended up sleeping on my friends couch.
This morning I woke up and with some difficulty got the car back to MTI. I explained my situation, they brought a mechanic out and he agreed it was probably my clutch. They explained to me they no longer carry Mcleod clutches because of the problems theyve had with them. They were sorry that each clutch only lasted 8-9 months but they wouldnt warrant it and that I should take it up with Mcleod. They then told me they dont even talk to Mcleod anymore but said if I wanted the number I could call to see what they would do. I took the number and called them out in the parking lot of MTI. The representative claimed it was impossible for their product to randomly fail twice on a stock car in such a short time. He said it was either due to abuse, or my hydraulics had failed, but offered to send me another clutch if I sent the bad one in and they found it defective.
I went back into MTI and explained the situation. I asked what they could do, and they offered to look at the hydraulic system for $80, but it would be tomorrow at the earliest.(hmm) The parts were 9 months old, so they wouldnt warrant it or remove it for me, despite the fact it had happened to me twice. My choice was to go with a spec stage 2 clutch or an LT4 clutch at full cost plus install. I knew the guy at the front desk, hes a cool guy and just doing his job so I felt awkward making a scene, so I politely asked to speak to Jason the owner. They claimed he had left, yet not 10 minutes before they had spoken with him upstairs. I decided to leave.
-- SUMMARIZED- Basically the clutches they sold and installed lasted 8 and 9 months each, on a basically stock daily driver. Then they expected me to pay another $800-900 after two of there products failed and they wouldnt back them up. Even if Mcleod does warrant it I have to get it off first, which theyd charge me for as well.
This came unexpectedly to say the least, Im in college and literally have no money. Ill have to borrow for the clutch, not to mention miss school while its down. I hate to be a moocher but is anyone willing to help me install it? The car is located near Sealy. Id be willing to supply beer and food.
01-28-2004, 02:56 PM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Austin,Texas,USA
Posts: 212
dude...sorry to hear your story....I have had that clutch....and its crap......mine slipped the first week I had it.....that pressure plate is really a POS
I can get you a deal on the spec clutch at cost......let me know if I can help..
Mark
I can get you a deal on the spec clutch at cost......let me know if I can help..
Mark
01-30-2004, 04:02 AM
#6
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: TX
Posts: 266
That's very unusual for a mecloed clutch. They dont sell there clutches in stages though, so that seems a little strange. My exprience with mcleod has always been great. The only problem i every had was when i was driving like an a$$ and poped a spring out of the hub. That was after a year and a half.I sent them the disc and they sent me a new on free of charge. They didnt even ask me when or where i bought it from. If you go with a spec, chances are you wont even make it to 8 months before it breaks. As for the the comment about the pressure plate being a pos, all the LT1/LT4 PP are made by valeo (since tehy have a patent on it) so well no aftermaket clutch manufacturer can be responsible for the quality of that PP. Street twins don't seem to have any problems though .
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