Which Southbend for my 2008 Ram4500???

[FATCAT]

The Issue:
- Driving on highway with a cord and a half of wet Red Oak firewood (A friend is letting me take 30+ cords from their property). Slight grade going up at 65, pushed the accelerator and the rpms jumped a little from 2200 to 2600 for a moment. A little slippage???? At only 70,000 K miles?? Weight was probably 14,500+ lbs, nothing in tow.

Truck is STOCK. No upgrades and never will install them (unless just to get it to breath clean air). 305hp 610lb/ft. and thats what it will stay at. I need this dump truck to last me a loooooooooong time. Never will be able to afford another new one.

Question:
- Which SB clutch to go with?
- G56-OK-HD
- G56-OFEK
- One of their Duel Disk SDD-3250-G????

I want the Duel Mass Flywheel GONE! Period.

I don't want to have to EVER worry about slipping clutches when loaded, and especially loaded and towing my backhoe.

Also, does SB only warranty their products if they are installed by one of their authorized dealers/resellers?

Their website seems to show only resellers/installers for cars (hotrod stuff) in the New Hampshire area. Nothing truck related.

Who here has any of the above mentioned clutches.

Other brands that popup up on searches in the Interwebs was Valair and Phoenix Friction ... are they worth looking at??

I want to be prepared for the inevitable clutch replacement in the near future.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Killer223]

i have an OK-HD, i tow a 13K 5er, no issues with slippage, even tuned. but i had a bad flywheel.
that said,
i won't buy another SB, i had lots of issues with mine not shifting at idle, turns out the flywheel was the issue.
if towing a lot get the OFE or the quiet dual, just remember shifting the dual is SLOW!!!!
Valair is a worthy maker as is Phoenix friction.
I'd call Pete at SB and ask them where you can have it installed locally, or if they'll stand behind you installing it.

I gotta ask why the hate for the dual mass flywheel? mine had 170K and was still in good working order.

 

[Tuesdak]

I have 40K on the OK-HD. It's smooth, but, the pedal is heavier then my OEM was. The shot syncros in my NV5600 noticed the heavier clutch plate with noticher shifting cold. I had the trans rebuilt and it's no longer an issue. I am very happy with the support of SB and they helped me with a non-warranty ruined clutch.

SB appears to have tightened their warranty some per their website: MSRP and register it. I got mine online from XDP, had a local shop F'k the install up missing a dowel pin and no labor warranty, SB helped me out on a replacement clutch as it was ruined from the missing dowel pin letting the trans move around, and another shop installed it. A shop with a good rep that will let you bring in your SB clutch is where you need to get it installed. It doesn't hurt to drive a little aka out of state if required to get a SB reseller shop that does Dodge Diesels. Experience of doing it right the first time is worth the drive.

Since the trans is coming out you may want to consider refreshing it as well.

 

[Grey Wolf]

G56 with an OK-HD. The Dual mass flywheel was toast, but there was still material on the disc. It has about 20,000 on it now and it works great! My son and installed the clutch. GW

 

[FATCAT]

Hate the DMF because it makes noise when shifting. It rattles "clack clack clack" sometimes. They are week. The DMF on my old VW TDI was shot after 100K so bad that we had to take a grinder to cut out the center to get at the bolts because the transmission side of the flywheel was out of alignment.

For towing I wouldn't be towing more than 10K. Over 10K you need a CDL and I don't have one. My main issue is maxing out the GVW and then towing my backhoe (trailer/backhoe weight about 6500 lbs.)

Surprised you don't like SB, but a bad flywheel straight from them is unacceptable. I'll be having someone else do the job for me (above my skill level and don't have the equipment to do it), so i don't want to have to bring it back for a bad part.

 

[FATCAT]

SB has a "authorized Dealer/Installer" about an 1 1/2 hrs from me in Porter Maine. I'm sure it is a two day job so I would have to find a place to stay overnight (or sleep in the truck).

One thing i see on SB's website is that they spec clutches up to Ram 3500's. They don't say anything about 4500/5500. I would assume that the G56 in the 4500/5500's are the same as in the 2500/3500 ... am I right?

 

[Tuesdak]

I would get a nice comfortable hotel reserved for 2 days because: what could possibly go wrong? Again a Call to South Bend Clutch is bar none the best advice you can get and compare every clutch they offer for pedal effort, if it will fit your 4500 application, desired smoothness, etc. All I can say is how it's working for my truck.

 

[Killer223]

2 day job for a clutch? more like 4 hours. most shops tell you they need it all day. my guy did mine in 4 hours. the peddle feel is slightly stiffer, but nothing to really worry about, my wife can still drive it.
get a whole kit. https://www.southbendclutch.com/clutches/G56-OK-HD-9921/
that is what i got.
i've used SB for well over 20 years. this last dealing with them was not pleasant for me. so next time i'll get a different one.
my stock clutch lasted 165K. hope this ones does the same.
they really are a good clutch, if you think you'll want more grab, get the OFEK.
mine drives and shifts great, even backing my trailer up hill into it's winter parking spot.

 

[FATCAT]

Killer, when you had your problems with SB about the Flywheel, was it their Warranty you had problems with? Did they honor their warranty? Was it an installation mistake that was the cause of the flywheel failure?

I may consider SB's SDD-3250-GK or SDD-3250-GK-ORG (I want the fork changed out along with everything else) just to make sure I have no issues ever with clamping force.

I only have 70K on a 2008 and want to make sure this is the last clutch I get for the truck. Supporting a family on one paycheck ain't easy these days and this truck is my 'side' money maker for firewood and odd jobs. The 4500/5500's are a whole different ball game when it comes to the cost of repairs compared to my old '97 2500.

 

[Killer223]

when they bored the hole for the pilot bearing it was off kilter by about 20 thousandths. causing a drag on the input shaft of the trans. they then tried to tell me it was my trans, after video showing it was tight, then it was runout in the engine.
then i had one made from a local machinist, and it's perfect. i had to do a charge back on my CC. this is the first time in over 20 years of using their products that i've ever had an issue. but they never fixed the issue.

 

[Killer223]

search shifting issues at idle with SB clutch install.

 

[FATCAT]

Yikes, an off center Pilot bearing hole! If SB stiffed you I can see why you are not going with them again.
Thanks for the info on searching for Shifting Issues with SB. I'll be checking that out.

 

[Killgore]

I've got the G56-OK-HD and pulling an 18,000 lb. fifth-wheel as a full-timer. I agree with Killer's install time, and hate to hear he had an issue. The peddle is somewhat stiff and the wife doesn't like that. Good, I don't want her driving it anyway, LOL.

- Ed

 

[Killer223]

pilot was not off center, it was angled. make sense.?

 

[Killer223]

you commented on my youtube video, yes i upgraded the hydros.

 

[Regcabguy]

I've got the SBC OKHD. Mine's never been silky smooth as most report. A Dodge tech installed it at his dad's shop.
Holds my EFI 90 hp tune with 35's and my 1800# popup.
To be honest my dmf held a 60 hp tune with 285's and the same camper load.
It was in great shape @ 37K when the conversion was installed according to the installer.
My main bearing was seeping or the dmf would probably still be in there. The stock clutch was the best shifting,quietest clutch I've had.
I asked LUK a decade ago to consider a 60 hp + dmf for us but no dice.

 

[FATCAT]

Didn't know that was you on that YouTube video. But looking at the problem you are having and the lack of support from SB ... I think I'll stay away from SB and look elsewhere. The problems you are having is something that I could NEVER AFFORD to have. My truck has to be up and running at least every weekend (side money jobs just to pay the bills). I don't have extra time or extra money to have to have the truck ripped open again to fix something the manufacture screwed up.