New Clutch Again

[6speed]

Several years ago I replaced the clutch after doing some upgrades. Installed a Luk, and was real aggressive,had to learn to drive it again. Well bought a

46' G-neck race trailer which I had planned on anyway, and now the present clutch is way to aggressive. Can't hardly get going without it bucking and jerking. So worried about maybe breaking a driveshaft or u-joint. I am old school truck driver and I have always let the clutch out then got after the throttle. Not with this clutch. So I talked to Peter and Mansel at SBC and they both recommended the Street DD. I just hope I haven't made a mistake going with this one. I can deal with a little noise as I have a FASS pump and its makes some noise that is liveable. It will be here next week and hopefully I get it in and seated before I need to pull the trailer.

 

[moonranch]

I talked to Peter at last years MayMaddness. I will likely go with that clutch when I use-up my ConOFe. Let us know what you think about it, especially for towing.

 

[jelag]

We deal with aggressive ceramic clutches in class 8 trucks... we try and teach the drivers with a loaded truck... on a flat surface to not raise the engine speed in low gear but to slowly let the clutch out and allow the torque of the engine pick up the load while the clutch engages... than apply power... .

After all, this is the way the truck was designed to work... .

In my personal 05 3500 dually I often want to add power for several reasons... I often start in 2 and sometimes 3 when empty, and I'm lazy... . and I end up with problems... . but I've forced myself to be more mello... . put the thing in 2nd when empty and 1 when towing... . release the clutch than add power... .

For what its worth. .

 

[trailexplorer]

I have had a Haisley HMR STREET TWIN CLUTCH in my truck since 05 and it has been a pleasure to drive. 90% of the time I am towing a 40' fifth wheel in which the clutch is not jerky taking off. The only noticeable and expectant issues are that the clutch does makes some noise when engaged in neutral and backing up without being in 4low can present a challenge. The pedal pressure is slightly more than stock but not annoying for daily driving and it has held the additional power of a "hot" edge juice box without issue. (As a side note, my friend's CON FE is pretty grabby taking off empty while backing a trailer is pretty much out of the question if not in 4low)

 

[MMeier]

I recently put a DD 3250 in after talking to Peter and recieving advice. Had been running a FE and just could not back up with my 40' GN on, let alone when something was on it. Have sold the GN since but have been moving some HUGE 5th wheels and no problems with the DD. Now the 5600 on the other hand... .

 

[6speed]

MMeier In your thread you indicated that you were not having a problem with the DD, but then you stop when you said, "now the 5600 on the other hand" I have 156k on this trans now. Is there something I need to be

looking/listening for?

 

[MMeier]

MMeier In your thread you indicated that you were not having a problem with the DD, but then you stop when you said, "now the 5600 on the other hand" I have 156k on this trans now. Is there something I need to be

looking/listening for?

Just keep on servicing it and pay attention to how it acts, consider yourself one of the lucky ones. Mine was fine till 128k miles, haven't been able to find someone that can build one to last very long since then. Have 221k on rig now.

 

[6speed]

Well we installed the new DD over the weekend and wasn't a bad job. Biggest part was getting the trans back in. Initial impressions are very good. I was expecting lots of noise. NOT! But with the FASS pump running you hear it only if trying to hear it. I did notice that after the trans got a little heat in it, it was a tad louder. Only drove about 10 miles after install. I would imagine after the trans gets to temp it may be louder. We will see next week when I tow about 165 miles up to Commerce Ga for a race. But the bottom line, the concerns I had about the DD were squelched immediately when I started it. I really like the difference in pedal pressure, about 1/2 what it was. Will also have to learn to drive it again, but thats minor. Will let everyone know what its like after towing.

 

[abrankod]

If you think its nice now, give it a thousand miles... It'll mellow out really nice.

-Dan

 

[TWhetten]

I got the Valair 3600 DD in my truck and love it. I was really afraid that it would be too grabby to back a trailer or backup to a trailer but it isnt. It took a little bit of getting used to but after a day of driving it around I was used to it. I wouldnt let anybody that hasnt drivin my truck before ever back it up to a trailer because it will surprise you. It is a little noisy after it warms up but its not bad, I also dont have the sprung hub which I understand is a little quieter but that wasnt really an issue for me. Now if I could just make my transmission live.

 

[MMeier]

Now if I could just make my transmission live.

I hear ya' !!!

 

[6speed]

What is causing your trans to give you such a fit. I run a temp gauge and it never gets over 190 and its damn hot here in GA. I am about 26-27k. I have a Gear Vendors and when I am towing its in 5th over. Running Amsoil and with coolers and over filled as everyone suggests.

 

[MMeier]

What is causing your trans to give you such a fit. I run a temp gauge and it never gets over 190 and its damn hot here in GA. I am about 26-27k. I have a Gear Vendors and when I am towing its in 5th over. Running Amsoil and with coolers and over filled as everyone suggests.

How do you have your temp probe situated? Mine is in the left side cooler on the rear side of it. Few weeks back coming through Az. and Nm at night time... around 70* ambient, just the truck, no trailer, the thing was up around 210-215, during the day after a while on the road it will see 230. By contrast I installed some Fast coolers on the 4500 in the '93 this past week, hundred miles on the highway, 100-105* ambient, it never went above 160* . That probe is in the left side cooler as well and the probe is on the frontside.

 

[6speed]

I went on 125 mile one way trip, no trailer, 6th over and it only saw 165. Ambient was 95-100. Left side cooler. Electric gauge and shooting it with an infared gun. The diff runs about the same. When I tow and the ambient temp is high I only run about 60mph. My fear is of a tire coming apart with the road temps and the heat in the tires being generated. Fronts run about 10-15 hotter than the pavement and the rears are maybe 25 hotter than the pavement. But back to the trans, I service it about 2-3x a yr and that depends on the miles and the towing I do. I average about 30k a yr

 

[steved]

Mine runs around 100* over ambient air temps unloaded, and about 120*F over ambient loaded... with coolers.

The hottest I have ever seen in my truck was without coolers and ambient air around 115*F... was hovering around 235*F. I have noticed that, even though this is manual trans fluid, heat will take its toll very quickly and shift quality deteriorates fairly rapidly after 200*F (it does not return and typically requires a fluid change).

 

[Andersonville]

You wANT TOMAKE SURE THE new pilot bearing is the right size for the the input shaft of the transmission! The kit I got from SBC, the pilot bearing was 2 thousanths too big. I just had to replace my clutch because the throwout bearing destroyed itself. The pilot bearing caused wear,play on the input shaft of the G56.

 

[TWhetten]

You wANT TOMAKE SURE THE new pilot bearing is the right size for the the input shaft of the transmission! The kit I got from SBC, the pilot bearing was 2 thousanths too big. I just had to replace my clutch because the throwout bearing destroyed itself. The pilot bearing caused wear,play on the input shaft of the G56.

what was your indications that something was wrong? My truck still shifts fine, I mean the clutch feels fine anyway. It fells like I lost the syncros in 3rd and 4th and sixth is knocking real bad when power is applied, like a bearing is out, but it shifts in and out of 6th 5th 1st 2nd just fine. .