Clutches

[USNENFTS]

Okay, so.... Do all clutch kits and single mass flywheels come with those nylon pilot bushings? Cause mine is all chewed up and i feel like its going to eventually cause pre-mature wear on my input bearing.... Should I just bite the bullet and order a south bend clutch kit or can I get a better pilot bushing and replace the POS one?

 

[BDCarrillo]

So a studded, 4x4, turbo'd truck with big tires and turned up fuel broke a clutch kit... Not to rag on you, but the manufacturer only lists one clutch kit, and it says not for oem or aftermarket turbo trucks...

Hell I paid over a thousand for a good clutch on the SRT-4 and it put out as much torque as our trucks...

 

[USNENFTS]

Yeah..... Well, this was before the turbo haha..... I did some research and it looks like pilot bearings are no longer used and its all bushings now.... So at this point.... Well, I don't really know what course of action I should take. I guess just get a new clutch kit, and probably a new flywheel since the clutch will be different.... eh?

 

[USNENFTS]

Someone just delete this thread, it was pointless, sorry......

 

[BDCarrillo]

Flywheel should be the same for the same diameter clutch (if it's like most vehicles)... I'd get a matched clutch disk and pressure plate from LUK.

Did you baby it the first 500 miles? Clutches take time to break in

 

[USNENFTS]

Hell yeah I babied it..... Didn't wanna hurt the freshly rebuilt transmission! I do need to replace that pilot bushing though, them things even able to be replaced without a new flywheel?

 

[BDCarrillo]

It can be replaced...

-Use a bearing puller
OR
-fill cavity behind bearing with grease thru hole in the middle, find a wood dowel same OD as input shaft pilot, and hammer it in. The grease won't compress and should push the bearing out.

It's not hard to booger those things up when installing the tranny. To make stabbing it easier, use 6-8" long bolts with the heads cut & screwed into the bellhousing adapter. Slide the tranny along those to help maintain alignment. Going in crooked can **** that little ******* a bit and it'll get chewed up.

 

[IDIoit]

the pilot bushing isnt plastic, its kevlar.
they switched when ppl kept complaining that the bearings never lasted.

can you be more specific?
is it chewed up or wallowed out?
i spent over 800 on my south bend clutch.
no issues at all.
kevlar bushing too.

you can replace it without taking the fly wheel off.

if youre putting a new clutch on, have the flywheel resurfaced, or buy another one.

 

[USNENFTS]

Hey, that ain't a bad idea at all...... I can use some all thread for that..... Good, this will save me some $$$ didn't really want a new flywheel..... Ill just get a turbo clutch from Napa, they are LUK anyhow. It was 278 for the clutch from napa. Think that'll do just fine? I'll find a kevlar bushing and put that in there.

 

[IDIoit]

dont use all thread, it will bend. use grade 8 bolts

 

[USNENFTS]

the pilot bushing isnt plastic, its kevlar.
they switched when ppl kept complaining that the bearings never lasted.

can you be more specific?
is it chewed up or wallowed out?
i spent over 800 on my south bend clutch.
no issues at all.
kevlar bushing too.

you can replace it without taking the fly wheel off.

if youre putting a new clutch on, have the flywheel resurfaced, or buy another one.

The bushing is hollowed out and not really doing it's job anymore, there is only 12,000 miles on this clutch and flywheel so I don't think it needs re-surfacing..... I cant really afford to spend 800 dollars on a clutch as I am moving to Idaho soon

 

[IDIoit]

The bushing is hollowed out and not really doing it's job anymore, there is only 12,000 miles on this clutch and flywheel so I don't think it needs re-surfacing..... I cant really afford to spend 800 dollars on a clutch as I am moving to Idaho soon

clutches establish a wear pattern when you break em in.
whenever you install a new clutch you should have it resurfaced.

think of it like brakes.
if your rotor/drum is not smooth, they wont work right.

that 250 dollar clutch will work... but for how long???

IMO its worth it for longevity to buy a GOOD clutch...

pulling my ZF5 is not something i want to do on a regular basis.

 

[USNENFTS]

clutches establish a wear pattern when you break em in.
whenever you install a new clutch you should have it resurfaced.

think of it like brakes.
if your rotor/drum is not smooth, they wont work right.

that 250 dollar clutch will work... but for how long???

IMO its worth it for longevity to buy a GOOD clutch...

pulling my ZF5 is not something i want to do on a regular basis.

Yeah, i am pissed, I dont wanna pull the tranny cause them damn turbo up-pipes a pain to take off.... Well, i do want my clutch to last cause I won't have time to be doin this stuff when I'm working for the railroad. This is bull!@#$ when will this truck NOT need work, god.... Even new parts aren't lasting anymore..... This will be the 3rd time I've had to pull the tranny within 5 months.

 

[USNENFTS]

IDIOIT, did you order a kit for the 93-94? Cause that is all I can see for southbend, as far as turbo engines go. The kits for 87-93 are for non turbo..... will the kits for a 93-94 work? I thought the cranks/flywheels were different.

 

[USNENFTS]

Whats the part number for the clutch kit you ordered?