I have a 2007 3500 6 speed with 13,000 miles on it. I moved a 5th wheel for a friend and had to back it into a place with wet grass and overall a Bear to get into. I noticed that the clutch got a bit hot, I let it set for a while and got the 5th wheel into place. Truck drives fine by it self.

I'm now wondering if the clutch is toast? I have my own 5th wheel and am now wondering if I can pull it? According to the dealer, they said you can heat it up once, after that you will need to replace the clutch and pressure plate.

What do you all think?

 

One way to find out, hook up and see if it will hold. Hard to know for sure how hot you got it and how much it slipped. If it drives ok now I would guess that it would probably hold ok.

 

I too would like to know the outcome. I came back this weekend and had a terrible time back mine 5th wheel in. I actually had smoke coming off my clutch. Waited aout 1/2 hour and drove fine my itself. Maybe i need to hook mine up again and see what happens.

 

I got a burnt plastic / rubber smell the other day on my 07, took it into the deale and they could not find anything. Now I am wondering if it was my clutch. Did any of you get the same?
thanks

 

on some of the 07s there is a recall (H34???) that covers a heat shield that can droop down on the EGR cooler and start to smoke/burn when it gets hot. If you haven't had that recall done you might have experienced that.

 

Clutch is probably fine. I have abused many clutches in the past and never smoked one till it wouldnt work. Broke the hub and springs but never burnt it that bad. I would be more worried if it chattered as this is a sign of the metal being crystalized and causing slip or uneven flywheel surface. The glazing of the clutch facing material should wear off with some time shifting the gears.

 

Robert thanks, if the weather is nice this weekend, I may the 5th wheel and see how it acts.

 

I'm glad you posted this thread. Last fall I was backing my fiver into a spot at an RV park in Hendersonville, NC and heard a squealing sound as I was backing. I couldn't quite figure out where it was coming from so I continued backing (thankfully, only a very short distance). I exited the truck in order to check the site where I was backing in to when I noticed a burning smell. It was then I realized I forgot to release the emergency brake after the first time I exited the truck. Fortunately, the distance wasn't too great and I don't think I had the brake applied too hard. Still, that burning smell had me concerned.

A few months later I noticed a little clutch slippage as I towed my fifth wheel from Ft Stockton, TX to Tucson, AZ. Trying to pass a truck in 6th gear against a strong headwind was probably the combination that caused the slippage but I believe it's quite possible I lost some life out of the clutch due to that incident in NC. Interestingly, the clutch hasn't slipped since so perhaps, as was stated here, the glazing wore off and now all is OK (not just wishful thinking, I hope).