properly scolded, so here's my next post

[rob10858]

i guess sometimes you get into the mindset that everyone should be interested in the same things that you are. i realize that there is a wealth of knowlege under the subtitle of towing hauling and rv topics. well here's a contribution that hopefully everyone does'nt have to relate to. our twin 2001. 5 3500's with 275 injectors have proven to be far ahead of our 92 thru 2001 rams, but we are really struggling with our clutch situation. #1 lost hers at 52000 miles, and mine [#2] is starting to slip. #1 has already had a southbend clutch put in to replace the dc clutch assembly that was backordered for two weeks. after install of the clutch,[by the best dealer techs i've ever dealt with] the transmission started making a racket, now it's gone and guess what? backordered. now my guy is driving our 92 first gen, with about 356000 miles until this is said and done with. this is not the dealers fault, he can't fix what aint there. this is the same problem we had with the dirtrags in the 90's. back then gertrag would ship a reassembled core and the techs would replace the whole thing, now we are waiting for bits and pieces from dc and nv , thats a killer. Oo.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

HMMmmm - guess that was more a rant than a question or request for advice...



What transmission are you running - don't see anything in a sig or profile - a 5 or 6 speed?

 

[Fireman]

Like Gary asked, what trans. are y'all using and how are y'all using the trucks (what kind of work do they do) ? This is interesting to me because I just bought a 6-spd manual.

Fireman

BTW that wasn't a scolding, only a suggestion. See it worked.

 

[rob10858]

six speed , manuals it's been a love hate relationship with these things from the beginning. i like the six speed for it's "extra gear" but still find myself after two years, missing shifts. the reason i'm over here instead of second gen topics, is that our trucks pull for a living, and it's not fun looking at the psd and duramax autos outlasting our manuals... they have both had minor problems, but not been out of service for this length of time, sometimes a rant is a good thing. best regards.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Nothing wrong with a good informative rant - especially with lots of details... We gotta keep track of the BAD as well as the good things happening oround the country!

 

[Fireman]

I know what you mean, I have a hard time hitting 5th sometimes. How heavy do you tow? What do you tow?



Fireman

 

[Sixspeed]

Packman, what was it that broke in the transmission?



Les

 

[rob10858]

we pull flatbed goosenecks, trailer and load combined, usually 15000. as far as the transmission problem, we're really not sure yet. the truck is at the dealer as i type. rest assured that i'll let y'all know the outcome. i have a special interest in this because what ever happens to our first truck, with 10000 more miles than mine, has happened to mine... [ext manifold crack, fuel pump, diff rear end] like i said before, maybe i'll get lucky and avoid this clutch and transmission problem , but with my clutch starting to slip, i doubt it.

 

[drees1]

That trailer weight loaded should be cake for any 5 or 6 speed. I went through some clutch problems a while back with the new 13" southbend, but when it was said and done southbend took care of it and all is well, and it may not have been the clutch's fault. When the clutch and trans is out go through everything from the flywheel to the input shaft and bearing very carefully. Small problems are easy to miss or dismiss. Pay attention to flywheel runout, the pilot bearing situation, and the input shaft slop. The input shaft should be fairly tight in play. On my truck I found the transmission snout was maybe too loose where it piloted into the transmission case. I had a heavy deposit of loc tite gasket maker on the bottom of the piloting diameter and not much on the top. This told me that the alignment of the snout and case was not as good as could be, and the diameter of the snout was too small. the snout holds the tapered bearing on the input shaft so alignment is important. I replaced the snout and the new one went in very snug. I had to use the 4 bolts to draw it in at the end. Since that, no more problems.