G56 Cltuch Issues
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G56 Cltuch Issues
My clutch pedal has been acting funny recently. 
guess it was bound to happen but seems a little soon to me(10k miles). anyway, whenever i seem to get the motor above 2900 rpm or so when i am hard in the throttle and go to shift. the pedal feels spongy and i am only getting half travel, i can tell the clutch will not disengage.(clunky gears). If i wait a second and try to push it in again, it acts normal. This tends to happen only in 4th or higher gear when i am hard in the go go pedal. Anybody have any insight? Mods are basically as listed below, superchips is in tow, and firefly is off. IS this a sign my clutch is going out or is something else amiss? i would love an excuse to put in a SB cltuch, but i dont want it to fail on me while i am short on cash.
guess it was bound to happen but seems a little soon to me(10k miles). anyway, whenever i seem to get the motor above 2900 rpm or so when i am hard in the throttle and go to shift. the pedal feels spongy and i am only getting half travel, i can tell the clutch will not disengage.(clunky gears). If i wait a second and try to push it in again, it acts normal. This tends to happen only in 4th or higher gear when i am hard in the go go pedal. Anybody have any insight? Mods are basically as listed below, superchips is in tow, and firefly is off. IS this a sign my clutch is going out or is something else amiss? i would love an excuse to put in a SB cltuch, but i dont want it to fail on me while i am short on cash.
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From: SoCal
Hey Poop. I wonder if when a g56 w/the dmf gets stressed, the dmf goes silly. I had a flashpaq on my 04, and it made the clutch super slippy. On this truck I have to wait until I have clutch money. edited by admin
Last edited by Totallyrad; Jun 20, 2007 at 07:28 AM. Reason: Profanity
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From: New Mexico
There are a lot of posts about our clutches, seems like we are all going to be in need of a better clutch and also the hydraulic upgrade. It certainly says a lot about engineering or lack thereof.
I don't know about what motivated everyone in buying a new truck, but I was looking at replacing an old one and looking forward to NOT having big expenses like an older truck can have as things wear and need fixing. Just trucking along for many years like my older truck has given me. Now, I'm not sure I will see the kind of long service I previously had, and I am somewhat disillusioned by what I am learning may be the future of this truck. The real issue is that none of the manufacturers have solid, dependable, hard working trucks that will go the distance like those of the past. Looks like both an old or new truck is/will be a money pit.
CD
I don't know about what motivated everyone in buying a new truck, but I was looking at replacing an old one and looking forward to NOT having big expenses like an older truck can have as things wear and need fixing. Just trucking along for many years like my older truck has given me. Now, I'm not sure I will see the kind of long service I previously had, and I am somewhat disillusioned by what I am learning may be the future of this truck. The real issue is that none of the manufacturers have solid, dependable, hard working trucks that will go the distance like those of the past. Looks like both an old or new truck is/will be a money pit.
CD
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From: South Dakota
There are a lot of posts about our clutches, seems like we are all going to be in need of a better clutch and also the hydraulic upgrade. It certainly says a lot about engineering or lack thereof.
I don't know about what motivated everyone in buying a new truck, but I was looking at replacing an old one and looking forward to NOT having big expenses like an older truck can have as things wear and need fixing. Just trucking along for many years like my older truck has given me. Now, I'm not sure I will see the kind of long service I previously had, and I am somewhat disillusioned by what I am learning may be the future of this truck. The real issue is that none of the manufacturers have solid, dependable, hard working trucks that will go the distance like those of the past. Looks like both an old or new truck is/will be a money pit.
CD
I don't know about what motivated everyone in buying a new truck, but I was looking at replacing an old one and looking forward to NOT having big expenses like an older truck can have as things wear and need fixing. Just trucking along for many years like my older truck has given me. Now, I'm not sure I will see the kind of long service I previously had, and I am somewhat disillusioned by what I am learning may be the future of this truck. The real issue is that none of the manufacturers have solid, dependable, hard working trucks that will go the distance like those of the past. Looks like both an old or new truck is/will be a money pit.
CD
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From: Texas
There are a lot of posts about our clutches, seems like we are all going to be in need of a better clutch and also the hydraulic upgrade. It certainly says a lot about engineering or lack thereof.
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From: New Mexico
Hey 06dually and whitebuffalo.
I can honestly say that my clutch is just fine, it is still like the day I bought it. Of course I only have 12K on it. I know of people with problems and they have stock trucks, pull right at 10K loads, and have been standard tranny people for years. So, my comment was in regard to stock, non-abused trucks.
I can also say that DC is taking care of these people, and a couple of them have had the clutch replaced, on had the hydraulic unit replaced.
As far as the power additions and our clutches, they do seem to greatly increase the failure possibilities. Actually, when power additions are added to any vehicle, not just our trucks, the do cause a problem and a heavier-duty clutch has to be installed. The same can be said for the auto trannys too. There IS a limit to design and power, back to what has become the standard - you play, you pay. To me the play/pay stuff goes with the territory unless you are not beating things up.
I do a lot of towing, mountaneous stuff, lots of shifting, and my clutch is doing just fine. I guess if I was pulling dead weight, or launching off in 4wd WOT, it might be a problem with a stock truck. Since I do not do those things I am hoping that my clutch holds up to some assemblance of normal use and an equal timeframe. What that use/timeframe scenario would be is still open for assessment, as this system is a fairly new design. It certainly is becoming more of a know factor with regard to the power play.
Personally, my feelings about a clutch upgrade are that it is a good idea to alway upgrade to something more heavy duty when doing a replacement, so I know that an aftermarket clutch will be in my future regardless of my current clutch lifespan. Same applies to the hydraulics. After all, the clutch IS a wear part with a basic 12K warranty, or at least that's what my dealership told me the warranty was when I purchased my truck. That in itself speaks loudly to me.
CD
I can honestly say that my clutch is just fine, it is still like the day I bought it. Of course I only have 12K on it. I know of people with problems and they have stock trucks, pull right at 10K loads, and have been standard tranny people for years. So, my comment was in regard to stock, non-abused trucks.
I can also say that DC is taking care of these people, and a couple of them have had the clutch replaced, on had the hydraulic unit replaced.
As far as the power additions and our clutches, they do seem to greatly increase the failure possibilities. Actually, when power additions are added to any vehicle, not just our trucks, the do cause a problem and a heavier-duty clutch has to be installed. The same can be said for the auto trannys too. There IS a limit to design and power, back to what has become the standard - you play, you pay. To me the play/pay stuff goes with the territory unless you are not beating things up.
I do a lot of towing, mountaneous stuff, lots of shifting, and my clutch is doing just fine. I guess if I was pulling dead weight, or launching off in 4wd WOT, it might be a problem with a stock truck. Since I do not do those things I am hoping that my clutch holds up to some assemblance of normal use and an equal timeframe. What that use/timeframe scenario would be is still open for assessment, as this system is a fairly new design. It certainly is becoming more of a know factor with regard to the power play.
Personally, my feelings about a clutch upgrade are that it is a good idea to alway upgrade to something more heavy duty when doing a replacement, so I know that an aftermarket clutch will be in my future regardless of my current clutch lifespan. Same applies to the hydraulics. After all, the clutch IS a wear part with a basic 12K warranty, or at least that's what my dealership told me the warranty was when I purchased my truck. That in itself speaks loudly to me.
CD
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From: Olive Branch MS
34,000 miles on my stock clutch and G56 and at least 200 miles of pushing a dyno proven 491HP through it. It has never slipped and never made any noises. I love it but I am saving my pennies for a South Bend or other clutch. I guess I just got a REALLY good one.
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From: South Dakota
Hey 06dually and whitebuffalo.
I can honestly say that my clutch is just fine, it is still like the day I bought it. Of course I only have 12K on it. I know of people with problems and they have stock trucks, pull right at 10K loads, and have been standard tranny people for years. So, my comment was in regard to stock, non-abused trucks.
I can also say that DC is taking care of these people, and a couple of them have had the clutch replaced, on had the hydraulic unit replaced.
As far as the power additions and our clutches, they do seem to greatly increase the failure possibilities. Actually, when power additions are added to any vehicle, not just our trucks, the do cause a problem and a heavier-duty clutch has to be installed. The same can be said for the auto trannys too. There IS a limit to design and power, back to what has become the standard - you play, you pay. To me the play/pay stuff goes with the territory unless you are not beating things up.
I do a lot of towing, mountaneous stuff, lots of shifting, and my clutch is doing just fine. I guess if I was pulling dead weight, or launching off in 4wd WOT, it might be a problem with a stock truck. Since I do not do those things I am hoping that my clutch holds up to some assemblance of normal use and an equal timeframe. What that use/timeframe scenario would be is still open for assessment, as this system is a fairly new design. It certainly is becoming more of a know factor with regard to the power play.
Personally, my feelings about a clutch upgrade are that it is a good idea to alway upgrade to something more heavy duty when doing a replacement, so I know that an aftermarket clutch will be in my future regardless of my current clutch lifespan. Same applies to the hydraulics. After all, the clutch IS a wear part with a basic 12K warranty, or at least that's what my dealership told me the warranty was when I purchased my truck. That in itself speaks loudly to me.
CD
I can honestly say that my clutch is just fine, it is still like the day I bought it. Of course I only have 12K on it. I know of people with problems and they have stock trucks, pull right at 10K loads, and have been standard tranny people for years. So, my comment was in regard to stock, non-abused trucks.
I can also say that DC is taking care of these people, and a couple of them have had the clutch replaced, on had the hydraulic unit replaced.
As far as the power additions and our clutches, they do seem to greatly increase the failure possibilities. Actually, when power additions are added to any vehicle, not just our trucks, the do cause a problem and a heavier-duty clutch has to be installed. The same can be said for the auto trannys too. There IS a limit to design and power, back to what has become the standard - you play, you pay. To me the play/pay stuff goes with the territory unless you are not beating things up.
I do a lot of towing, mountaneous stuff, lots of shifting, and my clutch is doing just fine. I guess if I was pulling dead weight, or launching off in 4wd WOT, it might be a problem with a stock truck. Since I do not do those things I am hoping that my clutch holds up to some assemblance of normal use and an equal timeframe. What that use/timeframe scenario would be is still open for assessment, as this system is a fairly new design. It certainly is becoming more of a know factor with regard to the power play.
Personally, my feelings about a clutch upgrade are that it is a good idea to alway upgrade to something more heavy duty when doing a replacement, so I know that an aftermarket clutch will be in my future regardless of my current clutch lifespan. Same applies to the hydraulics. After all, the clutch IS a wear part with a basic 12K warranty, or at least that's what my dealership told me the warranty was when I purchased my truck. That in itself speaks loudly to me.
CD
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I honestly can say i have not been hard on the clutch...IMO. I do not tow, I have had a trailer on once probably weighed maybe 1k lbs. I dont do 4 wheel drive launches, i dont run it at the strip. I will occasionally get a heavy foot and row the gears. I rarely race light to light with anyone. 37's and a manual...lets face it, she is not lightning quick. I have had the tires on since about 3k miles and had the tuner on since about 5k...ish. so that is 5k with an extra 60hp? I have never slipped the clutch, and i disengage it at every shut down. I have been planning on getting a SBC for a while now. But i have one more term of tution to pay, and that is about 3 clutches. I am just wondering how much longer this one is going to hold. My main reason for the flashpaq was for the speedo correction, and the firefly, for the gauges. YES, i know i am playing, but i am disappointed in the quality of this set-up.
Given the fact that i am running 37's in itself is additional wear in the clutch and other components. I have added 60hp-90hp to the motor, and have made it 5k miles. There are people on here with WAY more power and a stock clutch and have 10x the mileage. Is this a case of an early failure, or playing to hard on a weak link? Anyway, class awaits. thanks everybody for the comments, keep them coming, i like to hear what everybody thinks.
Given the fact that i am running 37's in itself is additional wear in the clutch and other components. I have added 60hp-90hp to the motor, and have made it 5k miles. There are people on here with WAY more power and a stock clutch and have 10x the mileage. Is this a case of an early failure, or playing to hard on a weak link? Anyway, class awaits. thanks everybody for the comments, keep them coming, i like to hear what everybody thinks.
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From: New Mexico
Hey 06dually.
I agree with you, DC doesn't lack on engineering, or lack in innovation and new design, that was not my point to that remark. To clarify it just let me say that even the best design is subject to Murphy's Law, and all great things on paper sometime need a little more when put to use. No engineer can speculate what WE might put something through, WE are the blind testing group. There are SO many variables because there are SO many users that ALL use something just a little differently, how could you EVER engineer for that? I do think that we will see some engineering changes on the hydraulic system, ever so slight, but they will happen down line. Just temperature alone can make your pedal different from day to day, if not hour to hour. This is no different than any other fluid based system, visconsity is affected by temp, and as things cool down/warm up they do operate differently. Lots talk about the 'notchiness' of the G56, and in the same breath, they also talk about how that changes as the tranny warms up with driving. I have seen this in both the hydraulics and the tranny on this and other vehicles I own. To me, this is all just normal stuff after many years of owning standard trannys with hydraulic assisted clutches. Imagine trying to push in one of these without the hyraulics all day? Or trying to design a mechanical system that does not fatigue the driver? Driver fatigue was the impetus to designing the hydraulic assistance. More RPM's, more torque, just needs more hydraulics or more capable hydraulics.
CD
I agree with you, DC doesn't lack on engineering, or lack in innovation and new design, that was not my point to that remark. To clarify it just let me say that even the best design is subject to Murphy's Law, and all great things on paper sometime need a little more when put to use. No engineer can speculate what WE might put something through, WE are the blind testing group. There are SO many variables because there are SO many users that ALL use something just a little differently, how could you EVER engineer for that? I do think that we will see some engineering changes on the hydraulic system, ever so slight, but they will happen down line. Just temperature alone can make your pedal different from day to day, if not hour to hour. This is no different than any other fluid based system, visconsity is affected by temp, and as things cool down/warm up they do operate differently. Lots talk about the 'notchiness' of the G56, and in the same breath, they also talk about how that changes as the tranny warms up with driving. I have seen this in both the hydraulics and the tranny on this and other vehicles I own. To me, this is all just normal stuff after many years of owning standard trannys with hydraulic assisted clutches. Imagine trying to push in one of these without the hyraulics all day? Or trying to design a mechanical system that does not fatigue the driver? Driver fatigue was the impetus to designing the hydraulic assistance. More RPM's, more torque, just needs more hydraulics or more capable hydraulics.
CD
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From: Nashville, TN
Mines slipping because ive got 46,500 miles with over 36k of that having larger tires and extra power. Ive been running the smarty on #7 (which is 120hp) for around 10k now i think and have had the 37's for about 3k. The clutch did not start slipping or making noises until i put the 37's on. Before that i was running 315 BFG's. I have not been easy on it either. I mean i dont do 4 wheel drive or 3rd gear launches but i drive hard and fast and ive towed several times with it. Im actually impressed with how much it has handled. Its just time for an upgrade for me.
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From: Ga.
I put the quad race on mine at 900 miles then progressed to the tst/mp8. I got the tires prolly agood 20K ago and I just replaced the clutch at 32,6??.
I will admit I did slip mine, and slip it bad but show me a factory clutch that can stand up to a tst/mp8 stack?
I could bark 4th with the factory tires and the quad on the 130 setting and no slip.
Maybe I dont expect enough but I was happy with my clutch and when I took it out it still looked very good. I tow pretty often too.
Say what you will about the G56 and DMF but mine never let me down.
I will admit I did slip mine, and slip it bad but show me a factory clutch that can stand up to a tst/mp8 stack?
I could bark 4th with the factory tires and the quad on the 130 setting and no slip.
Maybe I dont expect enough but I was happy with my clutch and when I took it out it still looked very good. I tow pretty often too.
Say what you will about the G56 and DMF but mine never let me down.
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Just the past day or so, i have been progressivly getting the dreaded long start. I have not had this in months, since the reflash, and i have had 4 today, and 3 yesterday. basically every other time i try to start. Anybody think there is a direct link, or could it be a fluke. A heck of a coincedence to say the least. Could something be wrong with the DM flywheel and not the clutch?