6 speed Shifting problems CON OFE

[badams1]

Had the banks 6 shooter upgrades and a CON OFE Southbend clutch installed at the same time thinking that all things are going to be better. I have all the gages and 4" exhaust AFE you name it I got it on my 03 HO HD LWB six speed w/7;73/ 12,000 miles on it. The truck shifted good before the clutch etc. install and I have Royal Purple Syncromesh in the NV5600. Now after the S. B. CON OFE clutch the truck is a burden to drive due to you can't sit at a red light in neutral and push in the clutch and then grab 2nd gear and go as I could before. Now I have to force it into gear or wait untill everybody behind me is honking before I can get it into 2nd gear after about 10 seconds of clutch time. That don't sound like much but in Houston traffic that is a real problem. Also the transmission shifts are more resistant to go right into gear "not" like the truck was before. Called Southbend they said maybe pilot bearing and bad install. Took it back to the installer, he pulls the transmission and pulls out a perfect piliot bearing and carefully installs a new one. He is ****** and charges me $200. labor for wasteing his time. Truck is still harder to drive than stock and I am out here with no help from Southbend or any recourse. You know! "it was enough hassel to drive a six speed before in Houston traffic and now I just dread going anywhere. Think holding the clutch in at every red light is acceptable? Hell this was supposed to be more fun not a headach. Anybody else got this problem? South bend acts like DC. did about the lift pump on the 2nd gen trucks , you know! There is no other people having this problem and they just can't understand why I am. No help at all guys and gals so I want to know if it is true, am I just the only unlucky guy that has this problem? I don't care about lucky people with testamonials to irratate me with their good news just help me here PLEASE! Thinking about Red line but thought Royal Purple was equal but it is the damn clutch and I know it.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

T'aint the clutch OR the lube, it's the install - pretty hard to diagnose from distance, but length of throw in the slave cylinder-to-throwout, and incomplete clutch disengagement would be a prime suspect - could be the mechanical OR the fluid part of the system...

 

[lmills]

I seriously doubt it is the clutch also. I bet however installed it didn't do something properly.

 

[PGoble]

Mine was hard to shift for the first 5,000 miles or so after the SouthBend was installed. I called both SouthBend and my installer to try to figure out why I was having difficulty getting the truck into 2nd and Reverse after coming to a stop. They didn't have any answers for me. I was having the same problems that you were. I just figured I would have to live with it, but after 5k or so, the clutch relaxed and now it shifts more like the stock clutch did.



Pete

 

[HOBrian]

Is the clutch thicker than stock?? Is that why after 5,000 miles it wore out enough to stop touching the pressure plate and flywheel?

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

badadams, call Peter and have him send you a new clutch slave cylinder. That should solve your problem.



I had the same problem after a new SBC install and a new slave made a big difference. The ones Peter sells are higher quality than OEM and a lot cheaper than you can buy from Dodge.



You mentioned Royal Purple in the 6-speed. That stuff is too thin for the NV5600. If I were you I'd drain that and replace it with Red Line MTL. When I did research on transmission lubes and compared the spec sheets for the two lubes I found RP Synchromax is too thin and light for our transmissions, Red Line is perfect.



Vaughn

 

[Mad Bomber]

6 speed

Originally posted by Vaughn MacKenzie

You mentioned Royal Purple in the 6-speed. That stuff is too thin for the NV5600. If I were you I'd drain that and replace it with Red Line MTL. When I did research on transmission lubes and compared the spec sheets for the two lubes I found RP Synchromax is too thin and light for our transmissions, Red Line is perfect.



Vaughn

What he said

 

[Fred Swanson]

RedLine MTL, with a shot of Prolong does a decent job of making shifting easier on these 6 speeds, especially for the SBC DD guys.



After 5K with a Con FE, I don't think the clutch lost any material, now the flywheel probably looks different.

 

[scramblin]

When we installed the six speed in my truck, I noticed it was a little challenging to shift into second and reverse. I figure that the change was due to the heavier clutch disc. It takes a little longer to stop when the clutch pedal is depressed. When going to reverse I go into forth or fifth before I shift into reverse. If I go directly into reverse it will grind. Those are the sacrifices you need to deal with when upgrading your clutch. Heavier disc = longer spin time. Its a matter of time, you will get used to it and love the performance.

 

[nickleinonen]

Heavier disc = longer spin time

why is the disc much heavier?

... thicker center section?

... clutch lining weighing more?

 

[Fred Swanson]

For those that have changed clutches, where does it engage when you let up on the pedal?

Does it grab immediately? If so, your stock master/slave is weak, and needs to be replaced.

I can get them from Dodge for the 03's for pretty reasonable in price. I just got around to changing mine today, after doing the SBC DD, and oh what a difference.

Mine would grab as soon as you started to lift your foot. It would creep at stops, and was a a struggle sometimes to get in gear.

Now it doesn't grab until halfway through the release. I can go from 2nd to reverse and back with much less effort.

 

[nwcatman]

Originally posted by Fred Swanson

RedLine MTL, with a shot of Prolong does a decent job of making shifting easier on these 6 speeds, especially for the SBC DD guys.



After 5K with a Con FE, I don't think the clutch lost any material, now the flywheel probably looks different.

where can i get this REDLINE stuff?

 

[ROADWARRIOR]

Summit carries Redline MTL.



I was told not to use prolong as there is a lawsuit against them. Don't remember the specifics, but it was something about it could become acidic and start eating things. Maybe someone who is in the know could chime in here.



My first Con FE became impossible to shift into 1st or Reverse after roughly a year. The hydraulics were good. Peter sent me another clutch. That took care of my problem.



Dan

 

[Mad Bomber]

Where

Originally posted by nwcatman

where can i get this REDLINE stuff?

Speed shops, www.summitracing.com

 

[scramblin]

Originally posted by nickleinonen





why is the disc much heavier?

... thicker center section?

... clutch lining weighing more?







[/B]

I couldn't tell you exactly. We didn't use a scale but just by picking up the two discs (stock vs SB) there was a slight difference in weight. My guess is that the ceramic lining is heavier than the rag. Don't get me wrong, I am not knocking SB, I love the clutch. It is stout and after 25kmi it still grabs perfect.

 

[nickleinonen]

Originally posted by scramblin

I couldn't tell you exactly. We didn't use a scale but just by picking up the two discs (stock vs SB) there was a slight difference in weight. My guess is that the ceramic lining is heavier than the rag. Don't get me wrong, I am not knocking SB, I love the clutch. It is stout and after 25kmi it still grabs perfect.

just curious on my part... with the customer service reputation they have, i'll probably end up with one of their clutches when i start the engine bombing

 

[badams1]

Once and for all. I changed out the Royal Purple Synthetic Syncrmesh lube and put in factory lube and the problem went away! thanks Guys! Lots of feed back appreciated.

 

[JeffreyHahn]

Truck is still harder to drive than stock and I am out here with no help from Southbend or any recourse. You know! South bend acts like DC. did about the lift pump on the 2nd gen trucks , you know! There is no other people having this problem and they just can't understand why I am. No help at all guys and gals so I want to know if it is true, am I just the only unlucky guy that has this problem? I don't care about lucky people with testamonials to irratate me with their good news just help me here PLEASE! Thinking about Red line but thought Royal Purple was equal but it is the damn clutch and I know it. [/B]

Seems someone owes SBC an apology. When a SBC let loose on my '97 they had one at the installer the next day; all under warranty. Always had good luck with Peter and SBC.

 

[TPCDrafting]

I guess this is another reason to have your clutch installed by someone who is a certified SBC installer do the job. I'm glad I went this route even though I don't have the truck back. I think he's havin' fun toolin' around town with it. :{

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

"When a SBC let loose on my '97 they had one at the installer the next day;"



I've seen this comment on this board a fair number of times before - but what many seem to overlook is the basic point that occasionally, SOME of the SBC stuff DOES fail, just as any of them will - and while a ready replacement IS a BIG plus, the reinstall is not a small item, regardless of whether it's done by the owner on his time, or thru a paid installer. Not to nit-pick or in any way take anything away from Peter and SBC, but rather to point out they ALL experience failures, none are fault free!



And a clutch install is hardly rocket science - it shouldn't TAKE a university degree to install one... It's largely time, sweat and sore muscles! - or $$$ if you pay someone else to do it...