Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Clutch Question

[PRout]

Greetings,



I currently have an SBC Con0 in my 6speed (12 inch flywheel) that has suffered from alot of Idle clatter from the day it was installed.



SBC has said that some make noise, and sometimes they get quieter, and some dont. This one is still loud after 6 months of use.



It was totally quiet with the stock clutch.



Up until now, this Con0 had a great feel, but now it is starting to feel like the center hub may be coming loose, because when I take off from a stop, is has a slight slip, then grabs. it only does it once until I use the exhaust brake (slipping it in the reverse direction), then it will do it again on a take off. It will never do it twice, without putting a reverse torque on it first. This makes me think the center hub may be slipping back & forth and about ready to fail.



I sure dont want to pull the 28' trailer this way.



So, I kind of could use some advice. It looks like Im going to have to run it back to the $teal-er, and have them pull the trans & check the clutch.



If it is the center hub going bad, what is the best way to go on a new clutch?



Upgrade my 12" to a 13" SB clutch? McLeod? Modified Sachs?



Time for a real clutch.



I acknowledge that SBC has great customer service, and would probably be fair with me on an upgrade, but at 600. 00 labor per failure, customer service doesnt help much.



I want a clutch that will handle pulling heavy, and handle it if I want to go with more power. . Like upgrading my DD1's + Va to DD3's + Va.



I'm thinking the Mcleod may be a safe way to go, just not sure how hard a solid hub is on the transmission. And isnt that still a 12", or do they have a 13" upgrade kit?



Is 13" necessary?



Also, is there a bronze bushing Pilot Bearing available?



Any input would be appreciated.



Thanks, & My best wishes go out to Nowel Thomas & Steve St. Laurent.

 

[South Bend Clutch]

Well, all I can say here is..... you should call me. If you look at my web page it is clear about what clutch to get if you are wanting to do what you are doing. That is from us of corse. If you choose another vender then you will need to deal with them.



Peter

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Thanks for the well wishes. Why is it costing you $600 for a clutch R&R? You should be able to get it done for quite a bit cheaper than that. Anyone that's done it more than once and has the use of a lift, trans jack, and air tools should be able to do it in 6 hours. $100/hr is a hefty hourly rate. You might want to check around and I bet you can get it done for far less than that. If it were me I'd call Peter and talk to him about the existing clutch and then go from there. If I were to replace my clutch now I'd give a south bend a try.

 

[PRout]

Thanks for the replies Guys,



Actually, there are a couple variables here.



One is, the clutch may not be the problem, but I cant think of any other parts that would slip in this way.



Also, the problem didnt surface when I was towing. It has been 3 months since Ive been on vacation, and this started happening on a normal take-off on my way to work last week - truck unloaded.



Peter, yes, your webpage is clear, about the center hub situation on the 12" clutch. At the time when my truck was down at the dealer, I didnt have time to do the research. I went on the premise that it was a higher horsepower unit than stock, and since my stock unit handled my setup for 90k miles, I thought it would do the job. Maybe that was wrong.



Either way, this is not a beat up on Southbend thread, as SouthBend's reputation on this site, is of first rate customer service, and that is the reason I chose their unit, and Im glad that I did. I may have chosen the wrong unit thats all. Its not Peter's fault.



Steve, Yes, I think 600. 00 is pretty outrageous myself. Unfortunalely, after reviewing my receipt from Glen Thomas Dodge, I was wrong on my original claim.



It was 37. 50 for resurfacing the Flywheel, and 677. 00 for labor. So the total clutch labor was 700. 00



I went there because they have a reputation for good work on diesels, and theyre close (5 miles away). Now, I probably should take it back to them, since they did the original work, and I have to wonder if it was right from day one, when it came out of there Idle clattering like it does.



If anyone has any other suggestions of reliable shops in the Long Beach, California area that have reasonable prices, I may go there.



Either way, Ill take it in next week or so to have it looked at, and will call Peter just to let him know what happened.



Anyways, it will be fixed soon, I just want to get it done right this time.



**Im still interested in any other clutch suggestions, because when they pull mine out, I should replace it anyways, because itll never be the same without a FW re-surface at least.

 

[Deezul1]

Get the Yellow pages and look at trans shops. around$300 is about right and less is possible but shop around and go look at the shop and see if its a mess or neat and clean. Put it on a credit card and if you are not happy you have some backup for having it done right.

 

[SMorneau]

Ask Peter who he knows in your area.