My Dodge, My dodge, My dodge

War-Jeeper · Aug 26, 2010

is pissing me off!

So i had a tranny shop throw in a southbend clutch the FE model about 3 or 4 months ago and i have put 2K on the thing so far and have loved it until like 3 or 4 weeks ago.

Headed up a gravel road in Idaho to go ride my dirtbike and the thing starts making a metal on metal noise like a screech screech screech type as the tranny is spinning over course nothing i can do at the time where i was so we dealt with it all the way up to the top of the hill. And the whole way back down but on flat ground nothin quite as can be:eeek:

This is still true but it has to have a pretty good load behind it to get it to make the same noise empty it will hardly ever do it.

So i loaded up the trailer took it to the place that installed the clutch went up the first hill and boom makes the noise but the guy cant hear it because its a pitch he cant hear so he tells me he doubts something will break so keep driving it till we can isolate the problem more. Ya ok i got a metal on metal noise which means something is wearing pretty bad down there and i want it fixed now before it becomes a big problem when im in the middle of nowhere and have to pay the huge tow bill to get truck and trailer home. So he isnt willing to pull it and look without knowing more so i said screw that. Also if you push the clutch in all noise goes away completely:eeek:

I wanna know what you guys think its a 5 speed manual trans got 244000 miles on it and didnt make a peep till this clutch went in it. Its full of fluid cause i had it changed and checked to make sure it was full.

So what could it be? What should i be looking for when i pull this heavy bastard? (im going to pull it cause im not comfortable towing with it sounding like that)

zukkev · Aug 26, 2010

Sounds like if it wasn't making the noise before, it should be fairly evident what is making the grinding noise when you take it apart... As for what to look for when pulling that heavy pig out------an exit route if it slips off the tranny jack!!!:haha:

War-Jeeper · Aug 26, 2010

zukkev said:
Sounds like if it wasn't making the noise before, it should be fairly evident what is making the grinding noise when you take it apart... As for what to look for when pulling that heavy pig out------an exit route if it slips off the tranny jack!!!:haha:

No kidding on the exit route! I looked up the weight of just the tranny and its 200 empty and im leavin the transfer case on it and probably wont drain the fluid cause its super expensive fluid so like 300 or something like that im guessing maybe more

Have you ever pulled one Kevin?

zukkev · Aug 26, 2010

A few!:redneck:
Drain the t-case at least, or you'll end up with a mess when you tilt it back with the driveshaft out...

You can usually rent a floor jack type tranny jack...er wait, didn't Mike just modify his floor jack for Gibby's heep???:corn:

War-Jeeper · Aug 26, 2010

zukkev said:
A few!:redneck:
Drain the t-case at least, or you'll end up with a mess when you tilt it back with the driveshaft out... You can usually rent a floor jack type tranny jack...er wait, didn't Mike just modify his floor jack for Gibby's heep???:corn:

T-case should just take 90weight on those right? Im headed to a friends house in monroe to do it and he has a tranny jack :awesomework:

Lucky Jeff · Aug 26, 2010

My OFE and first FE seemed to work just fine. My second FE made a horrible rattling noise, I thought it was the tranny at the time. Didn't realize it was actually the clutch until I pulled the engine and tranny out this most recent time. It's pretty tough to screw up the install, but who did it? It would be a toss up for me as to what the problem could be. Southbend changed the center design a while ago. Not sure if you have the old style or the new style. I'm not certain that I will go with Soutbend for the next clutch....

Tranny fluid is 18 bucks a quart. Drain the tcase, it's ATF. Drop the t case seperate. Then all you need is a floor jack and a strap to go over the tranny and hold it to the jack. I removed mine and installed it that way twice by myself with no problems.

War-Jeeper · Aug 26, 2010

Lucky Jeff said:
My OFE and first FE seemed to work just fine. My second FE made a horrible rattling noise, I thought it was the tranny at the time. Didn't realize it was actually the clutch until I pulled the engine and tranny out this most recent time. It's pretty tough to screw up the install, but who did it? It would be a toss up for me as to what the problem could be. Southbend changed the center design a while ago. Not sure if you have the old style or the new style. I'm not certain that I will go with Soutbend for the next clutch....

Tranny fluid is 18 bucks a quart. Drain the tcase, it's ATF. Drop the t case seperate. Then all you need is a floor jack and a strap to go over the tranny and hold it to the jack. I removed mine and installed it that way twice by myself with no problems.

Mine makes a growling noise all the time but Peter at South Bend said thats normal this is an actual metal on metal noise so not normal by any means it doesnt ever rattle really.

Im gonna leave the T-case on cause i have the use of a tranny jack and i think we can strap it on there just fine without removing it although i should do my rear output seal at the same time but one project at a time:redneck:

And yes i know the tranny fluid is stupid expensive i just replaced it like a month ago

Lucky Jeff · Aug 26, 2010

War-Jeeper said:
And yes i know the tranny fluid is stupid expensive i just replaced it like a month ago

nahhh, it aint that bad. My Dad's jag takes 12 quarts.. 40 bucks a quart.. SCREW THAT!

And I will never accept the fact that it is "normal" for the clutch to make noise... I am putting too much effort into my truck to make it smooth and quiet to ruin it all just because of the clutch.

War-Jeeper · Aug 26, 2010

True i agree but possibly the growling is also coming from this same part that is making the metal on metal noise i will cross my fingers!

Lucky Jeff · Aug 26, 2010

War-Jeeper said:
True i agree but possibly the growling is also coming from this same part that is making the metal on metal noise i will cross my fingers!

Somehow the center of mine was flexing enough to hit the flywheel bolts. It ground down the springs and the metal lip around them.

War-Jeeper · Aug 26, 2010

Lucky Jeff said:
Somehow the center of mine was flexing enough to hit the flywheel bolts. It ground down the springs and the metal lip around them.

Was it something they would have warrantied?

Lucky Jeff · Aug 26, 2010

War-Jeeper said:
Was it something they would have warrantied?

Yes, Peter will stand behind the clutch. If you find an issue with the clutch, I have no doubt Peter will take care of you. If you have a problem with the place that installed it, let me know. The powershop is the main supplier of SB clutches in the NW. And it isn't too difficult to get a hold of Peter, either.

War-Jeeper · Aug 26, 2010

Lucky Jeff said:
Yes, Peter will stand behind the clutch. If you find an issue with the clutch, I have no doubt Peter will take care of you. If you have a problem with the place that installed it, let me know. The powershop is the main supplier of SB clutches in the NW. And it isn't too difficult to get a hold of Peter, either.

The powershop is where they got the clutch the place i had put it in got all the parts for me too:awesomework:

I will keep you up to date on what i find Jeff, im hoping it will be ready to go before next wednesday though as i plan on doing something for labor day and will need the truck

War-Jeeper · Aug 26, 2010

Hey Jeff how come there is a guy on the bombers board telling me to overfill my tranny by one quart?

Lucky Jeff · Aug 27, 2010

I've heard of a few people doing it. But if it were such a problem, you would hear about it a lot. There are a few NV4500's out there, and you never hear about low levels being the problem. It was however a fix from Dodge for the G56 tranny when they first came out, due to issues that came up within a couple months of releasing the new tranny. I really doubt it hurts anything to run a quart over. But I don't believe it's justified.

War-Jeeper · Aug 27, 2010

Lucky Jeff said:
I've heard of a few people doing it. But if it were such a problem, you would hear about it a lot. There are a few NV4500's out there, and you never hear about low levels being the problem. It was however a fix from Dodge for the G56 tranny when they first came out, due to issues that came up within a couple months of releasing the new tranny. I really doubt it hurts anything to run a quart over. But I don't believe it's justified.

Thats kinda what i figured ive had the truck for a little over two years and always ran it spot on in the fluids and never had an issue and i would assume it would have been an issue before now ya know just wanted to get your opinion:awesomework:

War-Jeeper · Aug 29, 2010

Well pulled the tranny today and everything appears to be ok with the clutch so now im wondering about my input shaft bearing

Hoping we find something else tomorrow but thats what im leaning towards and if thats the case im gonna rebuild the whole damn thing cause it has 246XXX on the clock and go with the bigger input shaft while im at it:awesomework: