Did you give valair a call yet? It's a noisy sucker at low RPM but you won't regret it. They have a whole kit for it.

 

It's difficult for me to imagine what could be noisier than the engine at idle. LOL

Yeah, I checked them out. I'll probably be ordering here in the next week or so.

 

Sent Valair an e-mail just now.

 

Sounds as though you are not getting enough throw w the slave cyl. You need 13mm worth of throw at the fork

 

Workshop manual says 11mm. It was probably between 12 and 13 when I measured it. I can put the slave cylinder back on and check.

 

Well, I ordered the new clutch Mid West Truck Products on the bay. It was free shipping and the MSRP from Valiar's webpage.

And I looked around, for the performance upgrade the kit offered, it was very well priced compared to other manufacturers. So there ya go.

I'm gonna be finished dropping the tranny on Tuesday, if the new one's here by then, back in she goes!

 

In case anyone was following the thread:

I got the transmission off last night. Wow, what a job. That things going back on with a tranny jack. I'm just a little guy Stupid transmission probably weighs 3 times what I do!

I'm assuming it's a factory setup (still has the dual mass flywheel). I haven't got the pressure plate off yet, but the throwout bearing has worn a groove about 1/8" deep into the fingers. That's like 25% of its travel being wasted! No wonder the clutch was dragging.

When we dropped the sheet metal (inspection?) cover on the bottom of the bell, there were little pieces of clutch disc in it. It's looking pretty grim. I'd bet that clutch is so dry it falls completely apart.

Here's what amazes me, I was still driving it. The only problem I noticed was the 1st/rev engagement. I guess if I'd been towing heavy, I would have felt it slip. But empty, it engaged smoothly, albeit early in the clutch pedal travel, and didn't slip.

Well, the Valiar is supposed to be here tomorrow. I'll be ordering a new downpipe today too. Ahh....goodies for my truck.

 

yeah, easy to do the DP when the trans is out.
make sure you fit the DP first. You have to do some bending of the firewall.

 

I ordered a 3" diamond eye down pipe and intake kit from Riff Raff yesterday. That stuff cannot get here fast enough. I really want to get my truck back on the road.

I just ordered 2 goosenecks for work today and I'm hoping to break in that new clutch picking them up

 

treat it right on the break in period and that clutch will take care of you, as will valair if you have any issues with it. =)

 

So....

I finally got everything put back together today with help of a good friend.
I did learn a few lessons I think worth sharing.

The 800 lb transmission jack HF sells is actually pretty well suited to stabbing that huge ZF back into the truck. Mine's a 2WD and I only had to lift the front end 3 inches (I set the tires on some 4x6 blocks I had). So for the nay-sayers who didn't believe any tranny jack could be low enough, that one actually is.

The downpipe was a huge pia, but wow does it sound awesome! I took the truck out for a quick spin to make sure everything was good, and when engine braking from 2 grand, it sounds like a freaking semi truck.

I did notice a little grinding noise at like 1200 rpm (with the clutch engaged and the tranny in gear) that is probably the noise Valair says to expect (gear roll over I think they called it). I don't notice it at any other RPM and the clutch doesn't slip at all.

Now I just have to go easy on her for a couple hundred miles...

 

Unless you got the solid flywheel to replace the DMF there should be no gear roll over noise

 

yes, it is a solid fly wheel

 

I went and grabbed a Tranny Jack at HF as well.

I cannot get my trans out from under the truck though.

With the T-case on there, its not Balanced very well. Makes it tough. So the adjusters on the trans dont tip it very easily.

Gonna take them plastic POS's off and weld on some nuts so i can put a wrench on it.

I had a rough time getting the trans balanced on it, but a few straps made everything possible.
I gotta put a jackstand under my oil pan too to break the trans free from the engine. (i'm sure i have bad motor mounts)

Next time I pull the trans, I'ma have to jack the rear end up so i can get the trans out from under the truck.
Need to figure out a way to take some of the slop outa the trans jack too. too much wiggle on the plate.


Gear rollover will just be at low RPMs.

Make sure your DP isn't touching anything.
it could be your 1200 rpm vibration.
Not everyone gets gear rollover.

 

The DP has about 1/8" of free play. You can move it with your hands (a little bit). Yeah, the noise is slight and only at low RPM. It doesn't even happen every time you lug her down.

I've only driven it like 10 miles or so just to check every thing. It could also be the pilot bearing or throw out bearing seating themselves, but it doesn't sound like that. Sounds like it's coming from the back of the engine. Literally, you can barely hear it over the engine.

But the shifts are SOO much smoother. God, it's like a brand-new truck. I will say the Valair fingers seem to be just as heavy as the factory ones (which was a Valeo unit of all things). The clutch engages about 1/2 through the swing and is far smoother. I guess the old one must have been getting grabby, and I just couldn't tell.

Aside from the "weight" of the pedal it shifts and engages as smoothly as my Ranger.