Clutch Installed!

[RobertP]

just got my clutch installed this weekend. the install went pretty good. it was made to be really easy, no thinking involved. very cut and dry.



well after i installed it i found the next weak link which happened to be a u-joint. so today i installed that and went for a good test drive. this clutch held everything i could throw at it. even a good third gear launch, lots of wheel hop now. i need some ladder bars. its allitle noisy in neutral but not unbearable.



all you guys out there with the g56 trans will be amazed the truck starts better and also shuts off without all of the noise ans harsh shaking i had before. i would recommend it to all who have been slipping there g56. the old dual mass flywheel looks like it had been hit with a bomb. i could spin the portion that the springs hold in place over 2 inches with my hands. all of the springs were loose. kinda scary. i could only imagine what would happen if one of those springs broke.



i will have some picks posted soon. i will also post back after i get some more time in with this clutch. first impression is great.



Robert

 

[lmills]

Cant wait for the pics for the g56 guys to see.

 

[RobertP]

Cant wait for the pics for the g56 guys to see.

yeah its scarry to even think about them.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

the old dual mass flywheel looks like it had been hit with a bomb. i could spin the portion that the springs hold in place over 2 inches with my hands. all of the springs were loose. kinda scary. i could only imagine what would happen if one of those springs broke.

YEAH, I know "I-told-you so's" aren't popular or welcome - but some of us distrusted the "latest-and-greatest" from MDC when it was first announce - mostly due to failure issues in other makes that had tried them in heavy duty applications.



We were ridiculed and shouted down for our lack of faith...



It's nice to be vindicated - but sorry for the unwanted problems for guys who have them - the 3rd generation version of the VP-44 for manual transmission guys I guess...

 

[lmills]

YEAH, I know "I-told-you so's" aren't popular or welcome - but some of us distrusted the "latest-and-greatest" from MDC when it was first announce - mostly due to failure issues in other makes that had tried them in heavy duty applications.



We were ridiculed and shouted down for our lack of faith...



It's nice to be vindicated - but sorry for the unwanted problems for guys who have them - the 3rd generation version of the VP-44 for manual transmission guys I guess...

Yeh, I hate to say it, but anyone that has seen the end results of a dual mass flywheel knows what the outcome is. As it has been said over and over, for a stock truck that is not towing heavy, it will probably be OK. After that, good luck

 

[CATCRACKER]

i love my valiar its real noisy at idle but it holds and was in my price range. edge on 3 and tst on 6/6 with a load behind me no slippage!

 

[RobertP]

i agree pretty noisy in neutral ill take it though. its holding great. at first i was getting a slight squeal when takeing off in second or third, but it is going away. i just think its the clutch slipping alittle because im trying not to let it engage all at once. ill get used to it. cant wait until i see how it handles the rest of the power i am adding soon.

 

[RobertP]

man on the way home i had to stop and do some more testing. well i tried a pretty hard third gear launch and wow when i let out in 5th the tires were still spinning. man what a difference a clutch makes. my truck feels ten time better now. i think i got so used to a slipping clutch that i didn't remember what power feels like. :-laf

 

[Hammer]

I do not need a clutch upgrade as my truck barely makes 300hp. See If you wouldn't be mooning everyone Robert installing all those new fangled electronic thing-a-ma-bobs then your factory clutch would be fine... ..... Andy

 

[RobertP]

I do not need a clutch upgrade as my truck barely makes 300hp. See If you wouldn't be mooning everyone Robert installing all those new fangled electronic thing-a-ma-bobs then your factory clutch would be fine... ..... Andy

very true Andy, but then what fun would that be. if i had your clutch i would not have needed a clutch upgrade either. :-laf



Robert

 

[oneshotkyle]

just installed my SBC CON FE last night, give me a day or two and i'll chime in and let you know what i think. as for installation all was smooth until mating the trans back up. thats just one heavy sunb!tch. but all went well all parts fit perfectly, and i even put the updated 97' style slave cylinder in.

 

[RobertP]

you will have to let me know what you think about the slave cylinder. i didn't change mine over. i think it releases to close to the floor now.



this is going to be great thread. comparing two great clutches.





Robert

 

[oneshotkyle]

so far i really think it is just fine, peddle pressure is about the same and i know have a 3250 lb pressure plate. the rod that goes to the clutch peddle is adjustable also so that may be good for you. the installation is very easy, no bleeding or nothin. you will have to mount the reservoir to the firewall but thats no sweat. also wanted to say this SBC is as quiet as the stocker, no sqeeks rattles or any other noises.

 

[RobertP]

so far i really think it is just fine, peddle pressure is about the same and i know have a 3250 lb pressure plate. the rod that goes to the clutch peddle is adjustable also so that may be good for you. the installation is very easy, no bleeding or nothin. you will have to mount the reservoir to the firewall but thats no sweat. also wanted to say this SBC is as quiet as the stocker, no sqeeks rattles or any other noises.

thats cool i will probably be getting the hydro kit soon. i have the 3400 lb pressure plate and i think that the pedal is still about the same to push in also. mine does have some more noise than stock by far. but that doesn't bother me at all. all that matters is that i can launch in third and not have any slip at all. plants and goes. let me know when you get on it pretty hard.

 

[lmills]

Hey Rob,



Did you get any pics of the kit before you installed it? Or any through out the install?

 

[RobertP]

i got some pics of the old flywheel and pressure plate. with all the scoring and blueing. none of the install though. i will post a link to another thread that shows some great pics of the install though. the pics are on my phone but are pretty good. i will post them either tonite or tomorrow night.



Robert

 

[RobertP]

a few pics

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all the springs inside the flywheel were very lose.



the wierd thing about all of this is that the clutch disc itself didnt look too bad. just very blue. like the pressure plate and flywheel. thats what heat and not enough holding pressure will do though. i expected to see the disc destroyed. it was slipping for about 9,000 miles.

 

[RobertP]

well i i don't think this clutch likes me anymore but i still love it. after about 5 or 6 more third gear launches it is finally breaking in. it is a little more forgiving in second when taking off normally. but man it hasn't even thought about slipping yet. i need more power i had to show off for the guys at the shop today so i have about 150 feet of rubber to look at in the morning when i get back to the dealership :-laf



btw the little squeal i heard has since disappeared.

 

[WDimig]

yea you've got it seated in better, and those tires you rotated last week need rotating again! :-laf clutch feels good buddy. now for some more air, and fuel, and well see what big black can break!



wes

 

[RobertP]

here is the link to the other pics of another install.



http://turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165209&highlight=VALAIR



from the look of the one pic of the old pressure plate while still attached, his did not see near as much abuse as mine. and that was my second stock setup. :-laf



Robert