No clutch while towing...

[WTreat]

Here's my situation. I was towing my 38ft fifth wheel to the Oregon coast. My clutch gave out on me twice. The first time was trying to down shift in Portland traffic and the clutch pedal was hard and I could not press it. Finally got it back in gear and proceded on my way. The next time this happened I was pulling a big long grade and went to down shift for traffic when no clutch again. I kept pushing the pedal and it was hard as a rock. Kind of like a vapor lock. I finally managed to get it back into 5th gear and a lower speed. Went this way for about 10 miles when I came to a stop light, I was in a bad spot. I kept pushing the pedal when all of a sudden the pedal was back and I could shift again. I have been driving fine for the last day. Does anyone have any suggestions on what this could be. . I have about 70,000 on the stock clutch and G56. Thanks for any help.

 

[seafish]

If I was in your position and location, I would call Source Automotive Diesel Performance run by a long time TDR member/advertiser. They are located in Milwaukie, Oregon. There phione # is 503-654-9004. They open at 7:30 am. Here is their website-- Source Automotive

They are an authorized SBC clutch dealer/installer and know our trucks inside and out.
While I have never had any service from them personally so far, based on all of their reputation here, I will likely drive to Oregon to have them install a new i SBC clutch, as my stock is slipping at 60k miles of regular use. I would expect that any advice or diagnosis that they give you will be as accurate as possible.

 

[CKelley1]

i can tell you exactly what you have. the dual mass flywheel has gone out. three of ours failed before any one of them reached 75,000 miles. southbend sells about 100 kits per day. the kit contains a solid flywheel with a real pilot bearing, disk, pressure plate and new hydraulics

 

[WTreat]

Update

Well I ended up driving to Source Automotive to have a new clutch put in. Upon inspecting the stock clutch I found that the pressure plate and the flywheel were blued from overheating or slipping. The disc however did not look bad at all. No glazing or anything and plenty of material left above the rivets. While they were in there they told me that the rear main seal was seaping as well so that was replaced.



From reading a few different posts on here and talking to some people it sounds like the stock hydraulic and clutch components are weak and crap. If I recall I have been battling clutch slippage for 15000 miles or so but was blaming it all on the Edge chip going out. The Southbend clutch grabs differently than the stock system and the pedal feels alot different. There is some launch shudder if you try to ease into the clutch. Like anything else it will take some getting use to.

 

[seafish]

Well I ended up driving to Source Automotive to have a new clutch put in. Upon inspecting the stock clutch I found that the pressure plate and the flywheel were blued from overheating or slipping. The disc however did not look bad at all. No glazing or anything and plenty of material left above the rivets. While they were in there they told me that the rear main seal was seaping as well so that was replaced.

From reading a few different posts on here and talking to some people it sounds like the stock hydraulic and clutch components are weak and crap. If I recall I have been battling clutch slippage for 15000 miles or so but was blaming it all on the Edge chip going out. The Southbend clutch grabs differently than the stock system and the pedal feels alot different. There is some launch shudder if you try to ease into the clutch. Like anything else it will take some getting use to.

Thanks for the update!!!! It sounds like you got the Con-OFE clutch with the hydraulic upgrade... is that correct??

PLEASE do keep letting us know how you like it as it wears in... Like I said earlier, I am probably looking at having the same clutch installed by the same people.
Did they treat you and your truck right?

 

[CKelley1]

the front seal was seeping on three of ours also. i think this was caused by the dmf. one truck had enough back pressure that it would leak brake fluid on the floor board. get the dynatrac free spin hubs for your truck, this gives you three more forward gears and the first time you back your 38 foot trailer with your new 2wd low reverse it will be such a pleasure you back it all over the yard and want to kick yourself for not doing it the first day you got the truck.

 

[SShafranko]

the front seal was seeping on three of ours also. i think this was caused by the dmf. one truck had enough back pressure that it would leak brake fluid on the floor board. get the dynatrac free spin hubs for your truck, this gives you three more forward gears and the first time you back your 38 foot trailer with your new 2wd low reverse it will be such a pleasure you back it all over the yard and want to kick yourself for not doing it the first day you got the truck.

Kelley i think i'm having a brain fart here. How does the Dynatrac free spin kit give you more gears?

 

[WTreat]

Seafish,



Yes they treated me well. They are now located in Clackamas, OR. They are kind of in a industrial area so stores are a few miles away. Its best to have a ride or spare car to get around. I was there at 7am and got out of there around 4pm.

 

[seafish]

WTreat, thanks for replying... so what clutch did you get?? Will you be able to check in evrey once in awhile and let us know how you are liking it and how it is behaving?? TIA

 

[WTreat]

Yes I got the OFE, and I will try and keep it posted on here of how it is doing.

 

[CKelley1]

you shift into 4wd low range and do not lock in the hubs therefore you only have 2wd. it makes backing a complete pleasure. in the low range it gives two or three lower forward gears. our 710 loaded on the trailer gross weight of truck and trailer is 44,000 lbs i start off in low in the transfer and second in the g56 on flat ground or first on a incline. shift to third then shift the g56 to neutral shift the transfer to neutral then to high and the g56 to second. it has to be done this exact way to avoid grindind in the transfer case. it will only take a few shifts to figure it out. in heavy albuquerque or el paso traffic loaded heavy i just leave it in low range untill i enter the freeway. this gives 6 good gears to manipulate the traffic lights