jhenson

What can I expect from this unit? Is it harsh while engaging? Any slip associated with it at all while engaging it? Hoping to install it in the next couple of weeks.
Did some searching on the larger pilot bearing and found one at Fastenal for less than $4. I have a neighbor with a machine shop who can mill out the center of the flywheel to accept the new bearing so that's cash saved. I got a heck of a deal on the clutch...under $500. All in all I'm saving a couple hundred bucks over having to pay full price for the clutch and getting hammered by the local clutch shop.

jhenson

Bump

Sandaholic

Probably going to be quite a bit more grabby than the south bend you had. Don't know much about the con ofe, but it looks like it's an organic/feramic. Which IMO that combo should have an easier engagement than the ceramic clutch you went to.

On the upside I ran that same Valair for a bit while my Spec Dual Disc was getting rebuilt and it did pretty well. It's rated for IIRC 600hp and it held 647/1180 on the dyno.

If you didn't know there is a trick for backing trailers with these grabby clutches. Throw it in 4low while backing and it's smooth as butter.

Hopefully you like the clutch. It didn't bother me none, and impressed me with what it would hold.

jhenson

The SB that's in it now is quite grabby and backing a trailer or anything heavy did require me to put it in 4wd.....made life too easy at that point.

Thanks for the reply. I'm ready to tear into it....just gotta find the time between work and school.

jhenson

Before I go into describing how well this clutch works let me ask a question or two or three. The old SB clutch got to making a knocking sound a while back while the clutch was engaged but got super quiet while disengaged....replaced throwout bearing, knocking still there. Pulled tranny last Friday morning and center section of SB disk was WAAAYYYY loose....rivets were letting go. Had flywheel milled out to accept much larger roller bearing and installed new Valair unit and put everything back together. Clutch shifts way smoother than before but knocking in trans/bellhousing area is much more pronounced now. What's going on here? The input shaft had very little movement to it when I grabbed it to check. The old pilot bearing was still good and with the bigger bearing now installed there's no way the shaft should move right? Am I thinking on the wrong side of the tranny.....is my problem internal rather than external? It all just seems odd to me that when the clutch is disengaged it is super quiet and once the pedal is released the knocking starts again.

Oh yeah, the new clutch.....AWESOME!!! Valair has outdone themselves here. Was afraid the engagement would be harsh seeing how I went from a Con OFE to a full ceramic but it's about the same if maybe not a little better. Shifting is also much improved, possibly due to fact that this center section is tight and solid where the SB was sloppy and loose. Only have about 100 miles on it so things may change, but for now.....I'm really impressed!!!

shonne

Thanks for the update.

Had a question...Did you change out the ATF+4? I just ordered this clutch and plan on swapping out the ATF+4 for Gorilla Juice.

jhenson

The NV5600 units take a "Synchromesh" fluid where as the G-56's take the ATF. A couple months ago when I first removed the trans for the throwout bearing I also drained the case and re-filled with Royal Purple Synchromax......HIGH DOLLAR STUFF THAT STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN!!!!! 4 weeks later when I pulled it for the 3rd time for the inevitable re-build, I went with the Amsoil Manual Tranny Synchromesh fluid. Both are highly recommended for the 5600's. The guy who re-built it said that with thicker fluid the tolerances of the parts are so tight that on cold days you'll never get it in gear!!! Read several post about that as well. Not sure how well the G-56's respond to thicker fluid.....will you be our guinea pig?

Keep us posted on whether or not the fluid works as I'm sure there are others here who would like to know as well.

jhenson

I guess I should have updated here about the Valair unit.....with a few more miles on it it is starting to get very grabby.....more than my old Con OFE. I got use to feathering the throttle on take-off with the old South Bend unit so with this Valair clutch it's nothing new for me....just more grabby than before.....reverse is real jumpy now but I can live with it....no big deal for.....now, the wifey on the other hand...........

With the fresh tranny rebuild I'm really trying to be very careful about jerking the trans gears when starting off.....I need the 6sp to last at least another 300k miles before I have to get it re-done again.

I know, I know......Ya Gotta Pay To Play!!!!!!!

jhenson

It should be noted that when going from a "soft" factory clutch to a full ceramic jobber.....it will take some getting use to. It's gonna be a totally different animal!!!!! I guess for me, going from factory to a organic-feramic and then to full ceramic was more of a step process......One was more grabby than the first and so on.