4BT clutch

[driverswanted]

Anyone know if there is anything special about the 12" Borg and Beck used in the 12" GM bellhousing ( bread van w/ sm465). Wondering if I have to be particular in the choice of available 12" clutches for my replacement on the 4BT. I don't plan on going much over 130-140 hp.

I see 12" clutches on E-bay. Wondering if any of them would work O. K.

 

[CKnoop]

The trucks I work on (bread trucks) use plain 12 in. gm clutches some have ford trannys and clutches in them

 

[Philip]

There is nothing special about them. They are a off the shelf item. The can take a ton of abuse.

 

[fox]

I had to laugh at the phrase 'can take a lot of abuse'. !!

I have an old bread truck and the guys who drive it have burn down two and warped the steel on a third one.



ABUSE is the clutch shops term also.

The first two were organic and the last two (one is still in it )Are ceramic button. Of which one had the steel warped!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Trying to get these guys to respect my equipment is like trying to teach your mom to ride a drag bike--- it won't happen.



So i turned the fuel down till it would almost go 55 and told them next time-------- You guys are going on a swing shift till I get in the MOOD to fix it. And I would wait till it cost EVERY one of you more than it cost me. Then I said " It's your move, do you want to work? "



I was told by the Clutch shop that it has the best we can find in it now.

 

[driverswanted]

fox

What clutch has the "ceramic button"? What is that?

 

[fox]

If I think of this topic tomorrow I will check up on it for you and post it.

It was bought at a local 'brake and clutch'.

 

[T. Baker]

I riped the center or hub out of one but I have alot of power! I now have a regular 454 Luc truck clutch in there. It slips if I get on the throttle hard but if it does I just back out of it a little.

 

[driverswanted]

Baker,



What truck is that for? Does it matter? Wondering if there's different geometries to the assy's.

 

[fox]

The clutch I am using is a LUK ceramic, It is also used with the 454 enginesfor tow truck aplications.

12 inch 1 1/8 10 spline. It has ceramic pads.

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Originally posted by fox

The clutch I am using is a LUK ceramic, It is also used with the 454 enginesfor tow truck aplications.

12 inch 1 1/8 10 spline. It has ceramic pads.

These clutches work great for hard driving fleet drivers, they rarely come apart from the heat like the stock clutch units can. One to keep in mind though is the specialty cummins flywheel is several hundred dollars last time I had to buy one new. Stock clutches are cheap, but if the flywheel gets glazed or heat stressed, it'll really make you modify the drivers hours.

Sounds like you need to put a trip recorder in the truck with RPM, speed, and a temp sensor in the clutch housing. One of my friends did this for his delivery truck service. Amazing how quickly he was able to find the problem child in the bunch. He was ready to go to automatics until he found it was 2 out of 14 guys causing the breakdowns. The "black boxes" weren't cheap to install, but they have dropped his maintenance costs to 1/3 in the 2 years he has had them in use. Hard to argue with a time stamped tach,temp and speed report when a truck breaks down unexpectedly. The 2 drivers are now employed elsewhere and the rest are aware of the baby sitter boxes as they call them, good deterence.

 

[driverswanted]

Thanks Fox.

 

[fox]

All good info. Remember, I had guys who turned the steel in clutch that the pads are mounted to to several colors. Black/ blue etc. !!!

Any thing can be abused. Even with the little brother 4BT.

 

[1sand0s]

Actually, in some ways, the 4b is MORE abusive to the clutch assy.

Think about the power pulses from the that thing. You only have four. BANG BANG BANG BANG



(ouch)

 

[DKarvwnaris]

1sand0s,

I like your signature, mind if I have a few bumper stickers made up of it for my suburban? I have a trip to CA planned pretty soon here, I bet that will really torque the liberal arsonists who set the HUMMER and Sport Ute dealership lots on fire!!

 

[1sand0s]

Run it!

Can I get one of those stickers???

 

[DKarvwnaris]

I'll stop a sign shop this week and see how much they'll be. I'll let you know if I go with a bumper sticker or just have it letter painted on the rear door.