Recently changed my clutch with a brand new kit (a Valeo one in an Exedy box) and after 500 very careful kilometres I suddenly couldn't change out of second. Was dreading having to pull everything to bits again but couldn't find a problem outside the housing. So out it all came and I discovered the friction material had smashed into about 20 pieces

I've taken it back to Exedy who know less than nothing about Pug clutches let alone a '6 clutch. (I'm in Australia) They've now requested the flywheel but I can't get the bas**rd undone. I've done a few searches but can't find a thread on how to hold everything still from the gearbox side... Help!

If an admin sees this feel free to delete it!

Waste of people's time maybe? Dunno

Might as well post an update: they (Exedy) called me this morning and told me they think the friction plate failing was because of a shonky installation job; more specifically they think the inner plate was jammed and that my input shaft (which they haven't seen) should be damaged. Except it isn't, not at all.
They also said that there's no evidence the clutch ever actually worked. Except that I drove it gently for 500 kilometres and it worked perfectly.
They're willing to give me a new friction plate provided I have it installed by someone "reputable" which will mean having it towed. I had a 3rd year mechanic's apprentice install it with me.
My dilemma is that if I install it again, and it fails again (I've been reading through the previous cases of Valeo clutches failing in the threads and a few blokes have had more than one fail) they'll refuse to give me another one. I'm fairly certain this is one of the "dreaded batch" as I bought it in February and I expect it takes a while to shift a GTi6 clutch in oz.
My question is, did Valeo ever admit that there was a batch of clutches that were prone to fail?
Also, have others managed to get their friction plates replaced under warranty?