06 Clutch Installation Procedure?

[Bonham]

I have a 2006 ram 3500 4 door 4x4, 5. 9 6 spd. The truck at about 96,000 miles began to have a very rough idel. I ran a treatment of power service additive though it and it helped. At 130,000 same thing, so I took it to a local shop that mainly works on cummins. He informed me that the stock dual mass flywheel was comeing apart and needed to be replaced. So after some looking and learning I went with a up grade solid flywheel & clutch kit from south bend clutch. Now Iam looking for any one who has some instructions or maybe just some helpfull hints to send my way would be great. Thanks : Chuck Bonham.

 

[lmills]

Piece of cake to do. The only thing different from any other one is the flywheel has to be unbolted from the engine side like a torque converter is on an automatic transmission. There is an access cover on the passenger side of the bellhousing that you have to open up to get access to the bolts. Also, you will need inverted torx sockets to remove the shifter tower.


other than that, it is pretty straight forward.

 

[MAshley]

Sorry to hear about your clutch going out but at 130K + miles doesn't sound horriable. I'm curious how you are using your truck? I only have 50K miles on my 06 so your about 3 years of drive ahead of me... what can I expect ? thanks

David

 

[Bonham]

Well befor I tell all let me say this. I have never owned a dodge. This is our first and my wife and I just love it! This truck went from the show room floor straight to work. A very good friend of mine owns a rv trailer plant. No he has 2. after the huracains of 2005 between the regular retail dealers and the rush of fema orders he needed help. After many weeks of geting a phone every day I jumped in with both feet. To make a long story shorter, withen 7 months I had 96,000 miles on big red. I was doing oil changes every 7,500 miles witch came at a rate of every other week. Yes I was changing the oil twice a month. But I had no problems at all untill about 120,000-130,000 miles. And beleave it or not if I drive 65-68 mpr on hwy empty I get around 18 to 21 mpg. Thats out of a RAM 3500 4 door long bed 4x4 6 spd. You would not beleave the pepole who just shake thier head and walk away saying they just dont beleave it. I have a 85 gal aug fuel tank in the bed plus the 35 gal factory tank. I would fill up in gulf port ms. drive back to fiztgearald ga. pick up a trailer take it to baton rouge la. and go back to gulf port and have about 12-15 gals to go. I got way off track, sorry. You have in my mind one great truck! And befor I forget the root of my troubles is the daul mass flywheel not the clutch its self. but sence Iam going to a solid flywheel Iam just replaceing it all. Plus the new clutch kit is a up grade in hp and torq. Thats my dodge 130,000 mile story. C. B. & BIG RED DODGE.

 

[lmills]

Sounds like a plan! When you replace the worn out dual mass flywheel, you will see how much it affects the smoothness of the engine. It will drive like the day you bought it when you put that single piece flywheel in!

 

[ENafziger]

When you're pulling up the transmission and trying to get the input shaft to "jump" in to the clutch/pilot bearing/etc, things often hang up 1/2" to 1" before the bellhousing is flush with the engine. If you use the bolts and "walk" the transmission in slowly, it will probably work, but could push the pilot bearing out of the flywheel some.

It's best to hook up the hydraulics and have someone press the clutch pedal to the floor. This will take the pressure off the clutch disk and it the transmission should push in the rest of the way by hand.

--Eric

 

[Bonham]

Eric thank you so much for the tip it came just in time as I was going to start back in with the trany and thought I would take a look befor I started. Tips like this are what I have been looking for. Thanks again for your tip and every ones input this site has some of the best and most helpfull information I have found. Thanks again to everyone. C. B. &BIG RED DODGE.

 

[ENafziger]

Eric thank you so much for the tip it came just in time as I was going to start back in with the trany and thought I would take a look befor I started.

Not a problem... I've learned plenty on here from others as well. That's what this site is all about!

--Eric

 

[JMichelson]

I too will be replacing my clutch next weekend. Thanks to all who offered tips to Chuck that I too will use. I’m going with a South Bend Con OFE with the upgraded hydraulics. Any more pointers would be appreciated.

Has anyone has done a change on a 4x4? Did you remove the transfer case before removing the transmission? Or did you take it out in one piece? Are there directions for adjusting the clutch? I haven’t seen any directions for anything in any of the boxes.

Do you need pilot bolts to line up the transmission? Can anybody tell me where they mounted the clutch reservoir or better yet could anyone post a picture. As Rip at Source Automotive said “It’s only nuts and bolts”. I hope he’s right. Thanks. Jeff

 

[Bonham]

Hi Jeff. Sounds like you have the very same truck that sits in my barn at night. The tip about hooking up the hydraulic and having someone push in the clutch was most definitely a time saver not to mention a back saver. Other than that pretty simple, if I can do it anyone can! I will take some pictures and send them. I just so happen to be off tomorrow so I will be in and out all day, I will keep a close watch on computer just in case. did you get the replacement solid flywheel also? If so when you go to remove the #%****^$~%#** one that come on it dont waist the time I did hunting all over gods green earth looking for a flywheel wrench that I couldnt buy even if I had a thousand dollars to pay for it. I could not beleave that I couldnt find a flywheel wrench in a town of 100,000+ POP. Then a friend told me that he uses the converter bolts or 2 others and a crow bar,1 six pack beer, 2 cuban cigars, 1 tube neosporen, 1 box assorted size band-aids. Just joking about everything but the beer. IT is for all the pains the next day. You put all the bolts from the presser plate in the holes then put the pry bar over of one and under the other and turn the flywheel slowly to the next bolt. NO I didnt separate the separate the transfer case from the trany drop it whole. I rented a transmission jack. Well worth the 80. 00$ for 1wk I worked on mine when ever I had the time. My job eats up most all my time. You can email me at any time but I think it all needs to be posted on here also for the next sucker who thinks he is saving big bucks. I shouldnt say that doing this brought back old memories. -- email address removed -- Going to take pics. CBonham & BIGREDDODGE

 

[JMichelson]

Chuck

Thanks for the information. I read it carefully and will have plenty of beer.

I am replacing the flywheel. I’m renting a transmission jack. Did you do the work with the truck sitting on the tires or did you raise it up? Is there any adjustment on the clutch?

If anybody else out there in TDR land has any other pointers they would be appreciated.

 

[Bonham]

Jeff I did put my truck up on rams it just gives you so much more room. I dont know how big you are but I just dont like working all cramped up. As for the clutch adjustment Iam looking into that tonight because mine is working wright off the floor and siting still going into reverse is some what hard. That info is in here some where Ive seen it. one other thing too if you dont have the socket to fit the bolts on the top of your trany you can use a 12 pnt 3/8 fits like it was made for them (4). Have fun and good luck. CBONHAM BIGREDDODGE

 

[JMichelson]

More Questions

Still planning on this Saturday for the new South Bend Clutch install. I have a couple of more questions for anybody who has done a clutch install on a 2006.



1. Do you have to disconnect the exhaust from behind the turbo to get the transmission out?

2. Does the center console around the shifter have to be removed to get the shifter unbolted from the transmission? If it does, how do I get it out?

3. I understand that you remove the flywheel from the engine side. Is the small cover on the opposite side of the starter, the access to the bolts? If not how do you get to the bolts.

4. I’m installing a new flywheel; does it bolt directly to the back of the crankshaft?

Does anybody have a link to step-by-step transmission removal? They don’t print a Chilton or Haynes book yet for a 2006 yet.

I still long for the good old days with my 57 Chevy. Clutch change took 2:00 hours Unbolted the linkage, unbolted the 4 bolts that held the transmission, Laid underneath and pulled the transmission out on my chest. Took the bottom cover off the scattershield and changed the clutch. Used to do it in the driveway Friday night after school so I could go party all weekend. Those were the days.

Thanks, Jeff

 

[Bonham]

Jeff. Sorry it took me solong to get back with you I have been out of town working. Any way no I dont have to unbolt the exhaust there is a support bracket however on the passenger side thats a ***** and Iam sure I broke the rules by cutting the lip off of I think it was the back side of the rubber peace to get it off and didnt put it back when I installed the trany. I do plan on putting it back on within the next couple of days though. Yes the console comes out remove the rubber cup holders by just pulling them up they just snap in same with the shifter boots ( trany & transfercase). Access cover is on pass side of trany. rotate flywheel to each bolt and remove. I placed my box that the new one came in under it and just let it fall when the last bolt was removed. The new flywheel bolts to crank yes. I looked everywhere for the step by step with no luck so just jumped in with both feet, if I can do it anyone can. good luck . CBONHAM, BIGREDDODGE.