rattle_rattle

I finally went with the SB CON OFE. It worked great until I went to the car wash. As I was waiting for the pre wash guys to do their thing, the manager came to me asking me to come back to the area where they start it on the track. Some dunce was sitting in the cab with the transmission in first gear. He had the clutch slightly engaged for some unknown reason. Smoke was boiling out from under the truck in the area of the bell housing. The smell was horrible. I told the guy to please push in the clutch and take it out of gear. The smoke finally quit. The clutch seems to work ok, but I know there has to be some damage. What do I do at this point? I can't make it slip, but..... I need suggestions.

Rattlerattle

You let some kid at a car wash drive you truck?

I would be demanding a new clutch for sure.

BlowBy

Ok I know this may sound stupid but I drive an auto right now.

Whats the signs of a slippin clutch?

Like on my dirtbike I can tell because it will just scream and not really go any where.

apache

Well the old days we would put in 4th and give her some gas then let the clutch out. If it stalled it its was still good if you could slip it and go nowhere it was a gonner.

joefarmer

When I got my SouthBend too hot at the drag strip, I ended up cracking the pressure plate and shredding the ceramic pads on the clutch plate. It sounds like your clutch got WAAAY to hot.

If the manager knows they've done it and will admit to it, show him the receipt for the clutch. Make sure he follows through with whatever it takes to get the truck to the condition it was before you arrived. If it was my truck, I'd have them put it in writing cuz I'm pretty sure small claims court sucks.

brandon.

Dieseldude4x4

That's why no one drives my truck but me. I think since January of 99 when it had six miles on it as I drove it of the lot, only about three people other than me have driven it. One is DavidTD to put it on the dyno, one was the guy at Merchants to drive it into the shop for tires (and I watched him), and the other is my son (and he has his own truck so I know how he treats it). The last time I had tires put on it at Sears Tire America, they went to drive it in and I said I'll drive it and he said we have to do it. I said OK, I'll go elsewhere for tires and started to walk out. He said go ahead and drive it in the shop when he saw $1200 worth of business going away. I can do a pretty good job tearing it up myself, I don't need no help.

If that clutch was smoking that bad, I would go after them for a new one. You could call Peter at SB and describe the situation to him and see what he says but I would be going for a new one. The clutch is no doubt glazed real well along with the Flywheel. You might also call Keith at Forest City Diesel and ask his opinion since he is an authorized SB distributor. His ad appears at the top of the page from time to time.

Good luck and don't let anyone else drive it, could be worse the next time.

AlpineRAM

Be glad that the manager told you to come out- seems like a reasonable guy. I'd say give SBC a call, and prepare for a new clutch, flywheel, rear engine seal and tranny input shaft seal to be replaced. Be friendly with the manager and work out how the car wash is going to pay for it.

AlpineRAM

Dr. Evil

sounds like the time I took my truck to a quicky oil change place because it was -35C. I specifically told them NOT to touch anything other than changing the oil. A month later I found a crack in my airbox

The only time someone else gets under my hood or behind my wheel is when I cant do it myself. Good Luck on getting that clutch replaced- I suspect you may be in for a fight when they find out the replacement cost.

RustyJC

I wouldn't doubt at all that you've hot-spotted or even heat-checked your pressure plate and flywheel. In addition to the price of the clutch plus installation, don't ignore the cost of a flywheel in your negotiations with the manager.

Rusty

South Bend Clutch

Folks, no need to go to battle with the car wash. That is a headache that could take forever to resolve. Life is too short and we don't need the stress, we have enough already.

rattle_rattle...sorry to here what the kid did!! Give me a call and I will shoot you out a new clutch. I am sure if the smoke was rolling out that bad, the clutch took a good beating. The clutch won't cost you anything but you will have to take care of the labor. Get the flywheel resurfaced as well.

Hope this will help you out a little.

Peter
1-800-988-4345

rharveysr

SBC comes thru again... ..

Rick

95ram

Thats awesome Peter. You just made my mind up for me when it comes time for a new clutch.

Moose10

I second that 95ram. Not the first time I've seen or heard good things about Peter and their reputation.

rattle_rattle

I just made the call, Peter but it seems that you were out in the rain helping someone. I'm looking forward to speaking with you. Are you sure it isn't St. Peter?

Homestead

Service and quality product is why I have ZERO problems paying what a SouthBend Clutch costs. This is one example of getting a lot more than what you paid for!!!

2 thumbs up to Peter and the gang at SouthBend!!!