What's wrong with my DD clutch?

[ENafziger]

I just installed a SB 3850 sprung hub DD 12 CB clutch over the 4th of July. I also installed the upgraded hydraulics. I took my time, and everything seemed to go together fine. I broke in the clutch as recommended for the first couple hundred miles.

At first, getting the transmission into gear was difficult, and shifting was slow. After driving around now for 1,000 miles, things are even worse. At a stop light, I find my self fumbling around almost until the light turns red again trying to get the truck moving. At times, you have to force the shifter very hard just to get into any gear. Others have said, go to 3rd before 2nd or reverse, but that doesn't seem to work well either.

After the truck is moving, I can shift okay, but the transmission has to be synchronized just right. Downshifting is the worst... at times, I can't even downshift because I don't have rpm's matched exactly.

At first I thought that this was just the nature of the DD clutch, and that things would get better... but they haven't. I changed the transmission and transfer case fluids over to Amsoil ATF, and that really didn't help either. Double clutching helps some, but it's still so slow that the jacobs exhaust brake (with a 1. 5 - 2 second delay) keeps coming on between shifts.

Others with similar setups have said, that although shifting with the sprung hub DD is a little slower, they can still shift fast enough to break the tires lose going into 3rd and 4th gear... this definately is not how mine is behaving.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

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Thanks, Eric

 

[jwilliams3]

Can you adjust the master rod for more travel up by the pedal?

If so thats what the hang up probably is. Also, you need to find the sweet spot where the clutch likes to go into gear from a stop at.

I put mine in 3rd while feathering the pedal finding the sweet spot then I put it over into 1st gear.

With DD's you will run into snags here and there... .



PS you can also be getting too much travel or pushing the forks too far in which case they dont like to go into gear... .

 

[ENafziger]

Thanks JWilliams, I'll give it a try tonight. On a side note, I think maybe I bought a set of 12mm head studs from you on Ebay a month or two ago? Got 'em installed over the 4th as well. Thanks again, Eric

 

[jwilliams3]

Another thing I forgot to mention. There is too much grease on your input shaft.



I would get that grease off if you could before re-assembling. That grease can end up on the clutch facings and cause problems... .

 

[DESL PWR]

Yes, you dont want excess grease on the input shaft however, you may want to disassemble and re-grease those splines. I had similar problems with my OFE and it turned out that the friction disk was not sliding properly on the input shaft. That made the friction disk bind up on the flywheel causing all the same problems as you are experiencing. I know its a big job, but it'll give you a chance to inspect things on the inside.

 

[jmccart]

I am watching. I hope it works out OK. I will be installing one of these real soon.



Good luck & let us know what you find.

 

[SNoyes]

I have the SBC DD on my 2006 mega with the G-56 as well. I have occasional difficulty getting it into 2nd during start from a stand still and downshifting into third, but not enough to keep me stuck at a traffic light. I now have the 3250# pressure plate (the first I had was the 3600#). On my first clutch i was getting a squeal during starting off line, and no matter what I did I could not get it to go away. SBC has been great with support, and they stand by this clutch. What you are experiencing does not seem normal...



On a different note i wanted to see if you get a rattle at idle without the clutch depressed. Seems once I push on the clutch I get the noise to go away? I heard the the G-56s are noisier than the NV5600 transmission with these set-ups, and even when I "overserviced" the transmission per SBC's direction I could not get the noise to go away. Probably looking at getting the Fluidampr, just wondering if anyone has had luck with it. Didn't want to sprin for an additional $500. 00 part if there was something else i could do? Thanks. .

 

[Smokin Joes 2500]

Can you adjust the master rod for more travel up by the pedal?

If so thats what the hang up probably is. Also, you need to find the sweet spot where the clutch likes to go into gear from a stop at.

I put mine in 3rd while feathering the pedal finding the sweet spot then I put it over into 1st gear.

With DD's you will run into snags here and there... .



PS you can also be getting too much travel or pushing the forks too far in which case they dont like to go into gear... .

You take off in 1st? Am I wrong for taking off in 2nd? Thinking of installing DD in my truck but it allready shifts like $**t, hard to go in gears sometimes 3rd gear grinds sometimes etc. Dont want a bunch more problems with it. But with the new charger 2 boxes and wanting to sled pull... you know how it is.

 

[jwilliams3]

No, if you can take off in 2nd by all means go for it. I just found 1st is better for my truck since I dont have alot of bottom end power and 1st is usually smoother.

 

[Tomeygun]

did you remove the washer on one side the throw-bearing holder (I cant remembed the actual name, you know the big black part that actually moves the bearing back and forth)



Mine also had to be ground down so it would clear the bellhousing. .

 

[Smokin Joes 2500]

No, if you can take off in 2nd by all means go for it. I just found 1st is better for my truck since I dont have alot of bottom end power and 1st is usually smoother.

Yeah!! Yours looks like it woul eat mine for lunch:-laf Im jealous

 

[ENafziger]

Thanks for all the input guys.

did you remove the washer on one side the throw-bearing holder

Yes, I removed the washer, so that shouldn't be the problem.

I adjusted the clutch pedal rod... Took it out far enough that I got a "thunk-thunk-thunk" sound when pressing the pedal, and then took it back in just a little. That seemed to help some.

Someone suggested going into 5th and then the desired gear. This really helps, especially getting into reverse. Also, as JWilliams suggested, feathering the pedal slightly has really helped as well.

Maybe I was getting overly anxious, but I read a response on here about someone's input shaft hanging on the pilot bearing, and after 3,000 miles it took out the 3rd gear syncros and had worn the input shaft down.

So, for now, with the suggestions given (and after seating things in with a couple 3rd gear launches), I've not been stuck sitting at a traffic light. If it cools down from this 96° + weather soon, I may pull it apart for inspection anyway.

Thanks again, Eric

 

[BHaner]

When was this clutch built?



Peter had a bad run of parts a few months ago.



There were issues with cracking pressure plate forks, and pressure plate studs snapping off.



This will cause the clutch not to disengauge correctly.



Call Peter and let him know you are having issues.

 

[ENafziger]

When was this clutch built?

I received it UPS around the last week in June... about 6 or 7 weeks ago.

I may pull it out, see what I find, and give him a call. Thanks, Eric

 

[BHaner]

I received it UPS around the last week in June... about 6 or 7 weeks ago.



I may pull it out, see what I find, and give him a call. Thanks, Eric

Yeah. . You may have one of the ones with issues.



Peter should be able to help ya out! Oo.

 

[Tomeygun]

Yeah. . You may have one of the ones with issues.



Peter should be able to help ya out! Oo.

Seeing as all the clutches are numbered, he would know if someone got a bad part, right?