I'm replacing my ZF5 with a rebuilt unit next week. Was out under the truck today trying to figure out if I need a new clutch while I'm at it. I was suspecting a dual mass flywheel, but I think I have a single mass flywheel. When you are up under there looking at it, is there a definite gap between the two sections on a dual mass flywheel?... and some play in there? Looked like all one piece to me, but I didn't get a screw driver and try to pry on it. Is there a good way to tell what I have? I didn't know enough to ask when I purchased the truck, but it does have some mods on it so I know the guy worked on it some.

I was checking the clutch travel while I was under there also. If I jam the clutch pedal to the floor and crawl under the truck there is only about a 1/16 or an inch play between the clutch material and the flywheel... is that normal? Looks like the clutch thickness is about 3/8 of an inch. I've read lot's of threads on here, including DMF for dummies, but I've not seen any of this in person off of a truck. Anyone know the total thickness of clutch material on a new clutch? Would appreciate any info. Thanks. Josh

 

If your installing a new transmission, I would change the clutch regardless. It sounds like you might have a solid flywheel, but you will know for sure when it's on the ground. If it is a solid flywheel, get it resurfaced and if you can then get a new clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing, and pilot bearing. If you can't afford it, then resurface the flywheel and get new bearings and call it a day. Of course if it is a DMF, you probably need to convert it sometime soon

 

I didn't measure it, but all clutch setups can be different. Depends on the pressure plate and manufacturer.

Personally, I'd tell you to throw in a new clutch just to make it all good to go so you have no worries. Just do it when you got it all down and then you dont have to worry about it.

Let me look if i have any side view pictures of the DMF.

 

I'm not sure how much this will help. I thought I had more pictures. Sometimes I delete them and forget.
If your interested in a new clutch though, check out Valair. Some of the best customer service I've ever seen, and a USA Made product as well. Call and talk to Dan or Gary, and you can tell them I sent you if you want, Just tell them William from Michigan.
Reminds me, I haven't talked to Dan in a while... Hmm.
Their organic replacement clutches are rated really good HP wise, and their performance clutches are even more awesome.
Travis is running a Full Ceramic, and I'm running a Ceramic/Kevlar. They also have a Full Kevlar clutch, which I will install on any DD truck I get from now on. The kevlar is super tough and smooth as silk, but grips.

Just waiting for these pictures to upload.....
haha. Its like watching paint dry.
Alright, here we go.


You can see here on the DMF, there is a bit of a gap by the penny. Thats where they separate.

here is the DMF installed with PP in the truck.
You can see mine is nice and oily.
Well, was.


This is the most side view picture i have, and its kinda blury where it needs to be, i was trying to take wear pictures for valair to make sure everything was good.
I thought I had some issues. I didn't install the washers on the FlyWheel by accident thinking they were for the PP. So I thought my flywheel was loose, hard to tell with gear rollover.

Oh, thats another way to tell if you have an SMF.
Do you have any gear rollover?
Is there a drone sound at idle when you dont have the clutch pushed in?

 

Travis, thanks for the reminder to resurface if it is a SMF and I keep it, I hadn't thought of that or planned on needing to do it. I had already planned to order an organic clutch from Valair and all the works, if it was a DMF and the clutch looked questionable. May just drop the transmission tomorrow and wait and order till Monday.

Thanks for the photos Tayln, the one with the penny you pointed out is the most obvious that there is a gap there. Mine doesn't have a gap there as far as I can tell so I'm 95% sure it's an SMF. I don't notice any noise from gear rollover though??? I've decided the best thing is to just get everything out on the ground so I can look it over. Since I've not had it apart before, I want to be sure and get what I need. I enjoyed your write up on the DMF by the way.

Josh

 

Yeah, you would normally have gear rollover with an SMF, but taht doesn't always happen.

Mine has pretty much went away completely, and not everyone reports gear rollover from SMF conversion.

Its just the parts inside rattling from the engine vibrations.

 

The gear rollover will not happen with a LUK SMF clutch setup or similar. The reason being that the clutch hub is not solid like our Valair performance clutches. Dan does not use the LUK style hub b/c they are weaker, but he might be able to use them if someone wanted one that way. Not sure.. So really an SMF cannot always be noticed by gear rollover.

 

my truck has the dual mass flywheel, ive replaced it once. if you remove the inspection cover and look at the engine side of the flywheel you will see slots with springs inside the slot. that would be dual mass flywheel . ford parts man told me since the vehicle is out of warranty they replace ;the flywheel with a solid one. if it requires replacing. believe i got my dual mass for $250 used . been a few years back

 

I've heard a few luk guys say they had rollover.
All depends, you might not get it with a valair either.

Most amusing though that a lot of guys try to trash valair cause of the rollover



Tubs, you woudlnt' want a DMF anyways. they are destine to fail.
The flywheel also costs 2 to 3 times as much as its better SMF counterpart.
That is if you can find a DMF thats new.

 

i drove my truck home without a clutch that day. was comming home from the beach. springs come dropping out the bottom. it was completely tore up . push the clutch sccreeeeaattcccchhh. and yes i reserfaced mine and put new clutch in.

 

That's funny.

 

Yeah I noticed when I removed the cover again that you can see all the way up the backside of the flywheel there next to the engine. I've got it all out from under the truck now and its a Luk SMF and clutch. One thing I thought was strange is that there was a piece of white plastic where the pilot bearing was supposed to be. Seems as though some one forgot to install the pilot bearing and just left the plastic spacer in there are what ever it is, or maybe they did it on purpose??? But when I ordered my Luk clutch kit they said this could be a cause for my transmission troubles. Decided on Luk since that is what was in there.

Oh well, should have the rebuilt transmission and new clutch in there by next week. Thanks for the replies.

 

I've sent a bunch of people to Valair. =)

I'm not going to tell him to name drop you, I'm not you. =)

 

Got everything all put back together. Everything works good. I was wondering though, when do you hear gear rollover while cruising down the road? In fifth gear if I let off of the go pedal there is roar coming from the transmission, sometimes I can hear it a bit in 4th also. But if I get back on it, the noise will stop. It seems to be getting louder. Is this gear rollover or a sign of some serious trouble. I've got 4 quarts of Mobil 1 syn ATF in there. I know several have said gear rollover occurs with the truck idling and the clutch out. But when can you hear it while cruising down the highway? It's a totally rebuilt unit from smart parts auto in Dallas.