Napa Single Mass Flywheel Conversion
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Wyoming
Have 88k miles on my napa kit. I haul rvs for a living. I am empty half of the time, and weigh 20-25k the rest of the time.
No rattles and it works very smooth.
I figure maybe 30-40k more and I'll put another in. I always lose the throwout bearing before the clutch. I just do the whole thing about every 125k or so. that way I dont have any surprises out there away fom home.
Not as good as a SB, but way cheaper. Since I always lose the TO bearing first I dont see any point of an expensive clutch.
Carey
No rattles and it works very smooth.
I figure maybe 30-40k more and I'll put another in. I always lose the throwout bearing before the clutch. I just do the whole thing about every 125k or so. that way I dont have any surprises out there away fom home.
Not as good as a SB, but way cheaper. Since I always lose the TO bearing first I dont see any point of an expensive clutch.
Carey
Did you need anything that wasn't included in the kit? Any conversion items? Any adapters? Other hydraulic components?
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 198
Likes: 2
From: Canon City, Co
Ok here is the story. I am using a valair solid flywheel and the same napa clutch that comes with the napa smf kit.
I started out with a valair clutch and it didnt last any longer then the cheap ones.
I am using the upgraded valair hydo kit. You could just keep your stock stuff.
Not much more to say. The kit converts a dmf to smf. The kit uses a clutch for nv5600. The flywheel allows it all to mate together.
I bet the flywheel from napa or valair all came from the same place. China..
Last I seen the napa flywheel requires you to use the sheetmetal dmf to crank adapter. My valair flywheel doesnt use that.
The clutch will give you the same feel as factory. The disc that comes in the kit has lots of cushioning, so you dont have gear rattle.
You cant go wrong for the price napa asks for the smf kit.
Perfect for a stock truck.
I started out with a valair clutch and it didnt last any longer then the cheap ones.
I am using the upgraded valair hydo kit. You could just keep your stock stuff.
Not much more to say. The kit converts a dmf to smf. The kit uses a clutch for nv5600. The flywheel allows it all to mate together.
I bet the flywheel from napa or valair all came from the same place. China..
Last I seen the napa flywheel requires you to use the sheetmetal dmf to crank adapter. My valair flywheel doesnt use that.
The clutch will give you the same feel as factory. The disc that comes in the kit has lots of cushioning, so you dont have gear rattle.
You cant go wrong for the price napa asks for the smf kit.
Perfect for a stock truck.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 198
Likes: 2
From: Canon City, Co
Could be bad TO bearing, Carrier Bearing, binding ujoints, worn TO collar, worn pilot bearing, or bad clutch. Any of those can cause a clutch to chatter on take off.
Carey
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Wyoming
Ok here is the story. I am using a valair solid flywheel and the same napa clutch that comes with the napa smf kit.
I started out with a valair clutch and it didnt last any longer then the cheap ones.
I am using the upgraded valair hydo kit. You could just keep your stock stuff.
Not much more to say. The kit converts a dmf to smf. The kit uses a clutch for nv5600. The flywheel allows it all to mate together.
I bet the flywheel from napa or valair all came from the same place. China..
Last I seen the napa flywheel requires you to use the sheetmetal dmf to crank adapter. My valair flywheel doesnt use that.
The clutch will give you the same feel as factory. The disc that comes in the kit has lots of cushioning, so you dont have gear rattle.
You cant go wrong for the price napa asks for the smf kit.
Perfect for a stock truck.
I started out with a valair clutch and it didnt last any longer then the cheap ones.
I am using the upgraded valair hydo kit. You could just keep your stock stuff.
Not much more to say. The kit converts a dmf to smf. The kit uses a clutch for nv5600. The flywheel allows it all to mate together.
I bet the flywheel from napa or valair all came from the same place. China..
Last I seen the napa flywheel requires you to use the sheetmetal dmf to crank adapter. My valair flywheel doesnt use that.
The clutch will give you the same feel as factory. The disc that comes in the kit has lots of cushioning, so you dont have gear rattle.
You cant go wrong for the price napa asks for the smf kit.
Perfect for a stock truck.
Registered User
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 811
Likes: 8
From: Bluefield WV
Local deisel garage master mechanic ,not dealership, told me not to put a smf into the trucks equiped with a dmf . If you do the trans case will break and other componets will fail at a high rate due to the tourqe curve our enginws make. His two cents relayed
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,443
Likes: 39
From: San Diego
There's got to be hundreds of G-56 smf conversions running around out there. Aside from increased noise and vibration I haven't read about a smf causing tranny case grenading. Dramatically increased hp though...same as the NV 5600.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Wyoming
Ok I think I have the answers. I got in contact with the chassis engineers at Chrysler. Here are the questions that I emailed them and in red are the answers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Truck Specs:
• 2006 Dodge Ram 2500HD
• 5.9L Cummins diesel engine
• G56 six-speed transmission
• NV273 transfer case
• AAM 1150 rear axle
• AAM 925 front axle
Questions:
• Exactly why was the dual mass flywheel used in the design of the drivetrain?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Truck Specs:
• 2006 Dodge Ram 2500HD
• 5.9L Cummins diesel engine
• G56 six-speed transmission
• NV273 transfer case
• AAM 1150 rear axle
• AAM 925 front axle
Questions:
• Exactly why was the dual mass flywheel used in the design of the drivetrain?
Is it purely for driver/passenger comfort?
or
Does it serve a mechanical design purpose?
The Dual Mass provides improved noise and vibration dampening at high load low rpm driving
• Is it designed to relieve vibrations that would otherwise be harmful/damaging to the transmission, transfer case, or other drivetrain components?The Dual Mass provides improved noise and vibration dampening at high load low rpm driving
It relieves vibration, but the vibrations are not harmful only annoying to some drivers.
• Is it designed to change natural frequencies, or avoid natural frequencies of the drivetrain?No avoidance just dampens
• Is it designed to dampen shock loading during shifting or hard acceleration, or any other time?Not designed to dampen shock but under some excessive shock loading it will be affected mis-shift downshifts can damage the DMF
• Does the fact that the G56 transmission is an aluminum housing, instead of cast iron, have anything to do with the choice to use a dual mass flywheel? Is it dangerous to use a single mass flywheel with the aluminum housing?The aluminum housing was weight savings only and a non DMF would not damage the case
• Is it mainly for heavy towing? Or would a single mass flywheel be better for towing?For towing and high horsepower mods and non DMF works fine they have twin disc setups which are very good
• Which type of clutch/flywheel setup should last longer? Single mass or dual mass?Single mass
• Basically would it be bad to run a single mass flywheel on this truck instead of a dual mass flywheel?No
Would it increase the risk of breaking/damaging something (like the trans housing)?
No
Would it greatly reduce the life of transmission gears, bearings, etc? Transfer case gears, bearings, etc?
No
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,012
Likes: 2
From: Auburn, WA
I know the orig thread is about the Napa SMF, but I think some shy away from the Southbend Single disks, FE and OFE thinking they will be jerky.
I just put an OFE in my truck and it is almost as smooth as the factory clutch. You can feather the clutch out easily. I'd say it's just as smooth, but has more grabbing power.
It's my wife's truck and she doesn't complain a bit. Just a little added pedal pressure and even that's not much more than stock. Wife's only 5'-3 and has to have the seat all the way up to push the clutch in to start it and she actually likes this one better because the throw on the master cyl is adjustable and I adjusted it up so she doesnt have to push the clutch in far at all to change gears.
I just put an OFE in my truck and it is almost as smooth as the factory clutch. You can feather the clutch out easily. I'd say it's just as smooth, but has more grabbing power.
It's my wife's truck and she doesn't complain a bit. Just a little added pedal pressure and even that's not much more than stock. Wife's only 5'-3 and has to have the seat all the way up to push the clutch in to start it and she actually likes this one better because the throw on the master cyl is adjustable and I adjusted it up so she doesnt have to push the clutch in far at all to change gears.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,443
Likes: 39
From: San Diego
I know the orig thread is about the Napa SMF, but I think some shy away from the Southbend Single disks, FE and OFE thinking they will be jerky.
I just put an OFE in my truck and it is almost as smooth as the factory clutch. You can feather the clutch out easily. I'd say it's just as smooth, but has more grabbing power.
It's my wife's truck and she doesn't complain a bit. Just a little added pedal pressure and even that's not much more than stock. Wife's only 5'-3 and has to have the seat all the way up to push the clutch in to start it and she actually likes this one better because the throw on the master cyl is adjustable and I adjusted it up so she doesnt have to push the clutch in far at all to change gears.
I just put an OFE in my truck and it is almost as smooth as the factory clutch. You can feather the clutch out easily. I'd say it's just as smooth, but has more grabbing power.
It's my wife's truck and she doesn't complain a bit. Just a little added pedal pressure and even that's not much more than stock. Wife's only 5'-3 and has to have the seat all the way up to push the clutch in to start it and she actually likes this one better because the throw on the master cyl is adjustable and I adjusted it up so she doesnt have to push the clutch in far at all to change gears.
