Hello,
Every time I have a problem with my ford there's been helpful and knowledgeable people here willing to help, I hope this time is the same. I also help others when I can with my limited experience and knowledge.
I'm having a big problem, for the 3rd time in less than a year I have a broken clutch disk.
I am out of answers as to what is breaking them. Last time I put a new throwout bearing, a new pilot bearing, all the special grease valeo sends, etc. It lasted 2500 miles.
I checked the flywheel, it is smooth. It is aligned and centered according to my dial indicator.
Here are the pictures, the first clutch is the one that only has the cracks. Next to it is the third one. Check that on the engine side it broke the same way, there's a pattern. Except that the third one actually exploded, so it quit disengaging the engine. These are the first 3 pictures. There is also a picture of the second clutch, that broke to pieces. I also add a picture of the end of the shaft. There is some wear in it, but there is very little play on the shaft.
The tip of the shaft seems to be a little copperish, like if it's had some pressure against the pilot bearing, and it wore it out a little.
Is there supposed to be a spacer between the transmission and the block?
If anybody had had the same problem or has any idea what it could be, I'd appreciate any comments and suggestions.
http://mysite.verizon.net/alalor1/eb...2clutches1.jpg
http://mysite.verizon.net/alalor1/eb...2clutches2.jpg
http://mysite.verizon.net/alalor1/eb...2clutches3.jpg
http://mysite.verizon.net/alalor1/ebaypics/broken1.jpg
http://mysite.verizon.net/alalor1/ebaypics/broken2.jpg
http://mysite.verizon.net/alalor1/ebaypics/shaft1s.jpg
http://mysite.verizon.net/alalor1/ebaypics/shaft2s.jpg

 

Not sure what the cause is, but my first question is what brand of clutch (OEM or Aftermarket)?

Next, is it the right one for a diesel? or is it for a gas engine?

I have never seen a clutch break apart like that under normal use, but i am not a mechanic.

 

Hello, I used an original Valeo clutch, the same one ford uses. It is the one specific for this engine. Thank you for your answer.

 

Check the runout on the bellhousing. It may be off, causing a misalignment between the centerline of the crankshaft and input shaft. Clutch discs can't handle much more than .010" runout - especially when you're feeding 500 lb-ft of diesel torque through them.

 

Hello I haven't work on your superduties but have put a dozen or more clutches in the OBS trucks. There is a spacer that is about an inch thick that goes between the trans and engine on our 5sp have to bolt the starter to it. I don't think that it would bolt up without this spacer missing. Someone else that nows more than me can help. But I am assuming that since you are asking about the spacer than you may be mixing parts. The picture of the input shaft is fuzzy on my old computer but it looked in pretty bad shape to me. Good Luck

 

what kind of mods do you have done to your truck? it s very possible you are smoking it cause of to much power.

i would recommend trying a southbend con ofe. its good to 450 rwhp very smooth and much stronger than valeo or luk...albeit they do take a luk/valeo clutch and upgrade it to make the sbc but they are not the same by any means.

anybody who knows will tell you the same thing i said.

 

Your pilot shaft has deep grooves worn into it from the looks of it. Both pictures are out of focus so it's kind of hard to tell, but the shaft part needs to be perfectly smooth. Not all channeled looking like yours is. I'll bet the whole assembly is working back and forth and fatigueing.

 

Hello, thank you for all your replies.
I know the 96 have a very thin plate between the engine and the transmission, i actually have one in the garage, but I don't think it fits on the 6 speed. There was nothing when I pulled it out, but the clutch arm had been replaced, maybe somebody forgot to put somethign back before. Can the input shaft be removed without dissassembling the whole transmission?

 

I'll check my Helminc after this post. What I am thinking is: what about a repair sleeve like they do on a crankshaft?

 

Picture of the mainshaft.
You have to dissassemble the transmission.

 

are you the only driver of the truck ?

 

also, do you have the clutch in the right way forward and is the clutch master and slave cylinders working properly ?
what do you use the truck for ... Pulling bulldozers out of the mud?

 

Hello,
Thank you for your answers.
Yes, I am the truck's only driver. The master and slave cylinders are working properly. I normally don't pull anything with the truck, if I do, it is a boat, I brought a 380 lbs boat from virginia, add a tralier, and it was like 600 lbs. I also pull a ski boat, about 4500# to the lake close by (8 miles). The truck and the clutch have an easy life. I found one problem, the missing spacer plate between the engine and the transmission. I hope I can put a sleeve around the shaft. I am going to get a pilot bearing and see how it fits over it and see what I can do.
Dissassembling the transmission looks very scary to me, anybody's done it before?

 

Just did mine & there is a 1/8 in plate spacer between the trans & engine. If you disconect trans , it would fall to the floor.

Cuts off @ the inspection plate but goes between starter & trans

 

the diagram i looked at shows a thin spacer plate maybe 1/8'' or so. try to locate one.