shlen

I will try and make this story short as possible.

Factory clutch went out on my truck at 45,000km. (bought the truck with 38,000km, I'm the second owner). I was told that S-Bend clutches were the best around. I put in my first new S-bend clutch about 3 months ago. The rattle and noise was crazy. Called S-Bend up and they sent a new and improved clutch. Told me they were going to cover warrenty (still havn't).

Put the second new clutch in just over a month ago (about 6,000km on it). I do not drive hard, about 95% highway km, my truck is my work = my living. I don't rest my foot on the clutch, try and change gears around 2000rpm.

Sitting at a red light in the middle of traffic with the wife, then there was a loud "BANG". Loud enough that the guy beside my truck could hear it over the engine and said that he thought I was shooting at him. Took it to my shop and was told that the RELEASE BEARING was FUBAR. The release bearing was provided by S-Bend.

Anybody else have issues like this? with clutches? with S-Bend?
What could cause this?
Anybody know if there is a company that makes a bullet proof release bearing?

shlen

So I guess I will answer my own question.

When the clutch was pulled for the third time it was noticed that the New S-Bend release bearing had thrown a snap ring causing the bearing to move in the housing. This movement had caused the bearing to get jammed and fail. You could see the metal flange (CASTING) were the bearing sits against actually started to bend. Look as if some body beat it with a hammer.

We pulled the S-Bend release bearing and lined it up beside a NAPA and OEM release bearing and found that:

S-Bend: was a poor cast, had smaller casted "T's", the snap ring was on the out side of the bearing, snap ring was only 1/8"ish thick sitting in a 1/4" ish gap. Thus snap ring was to small for the gap and not protected.

NAPA: Was a lil better cast but much thicker, there were no "extenal parts" (snap ring) thus everything was internal and protected.

OEM: was the best cast, thickest (most heavy duty), better (more metal) in T's, no external pieces (every thing protected), even had more weight.

So the OEM went in.

I did get the fist replacement payed for by S-Bend (Thank you) but had to buy the OEM release bearing.

Also the second time around I put in S-bend newest "quiter clutch". Comes with "polyurethane bumpers". Well that lasted 6000km. When the release bearing failed it was noted that this pad had "pressured in" and the very noisey clutch is now back. I have been informed by Southbend that the wrong rubber compound was used and this bumper is noted to wear early. Well I'm back to where I started...not sure if I want to live with the noise or go buy a FORD.

chadder1313

Yeah i will say my clutch is EXTREMELY loud also. But it has held everything Ive thrown at it. I have learned to deal with it.

haulin-rv

Well my NAPA clutch has failed twice and the throw out bearing has failed too and that took out the fork and the input retainer which is currently out of stock @ Dodge, which I am now searching for at the handful of dealers that may have one.

South Bend is an extremely stand up company and unfortunately I was broke down and only was able source the Napa part when mine failed. I should have parked the truck for the extra day or two and waited. Myself I have run SB in 3 other trucks and they have always been great to deal with. Heck I was there today to pick up the replacement for the Napa and again was treated well and got my third tour of the shop and a look at there Cummins powered mud racer!

CoastalDav

I changed my stock clutch at 185,000 miles on my 2000 Dodge 3500 with a SB Con OFE Kit with the 13" clutch and flywheel.

After installation the clutch pedal was 1/2 what it was. There was a loud nocking noise coming from the bell housing area. When the clutch pedal was depressed the noise went away. My supplier sent me another set up.

It was installed. The clutch pedal came back to normal. The noise was not as loud as before but was really apparent when you were beside a wall with the tranny in Nuetural. I really liked the clutch as it would pick up my fiver easily at idle. The noise was terrible.

Before the change out the shop said the noise was the input shaft bearing. They sent it to the tranny shop, torn it down (NV5600) found nothing wrong except a little rubbing in the sixth gear caused they said from me holding on to the shifter while driving. Pictures posted in My Gallery of the tear down.

I'm sure SB has some good stuff, I was not one of the lucky ones. When I posted this long time ago, two others also had the same problem I did. So, there some bad stuff out there also.

PRO-NRA

shlen, was your SBC single or double disk? Peter will go out of his way to make whatever is wrong right...that I know.

spooled05

Id try a valair

shlen

PRO-NRA: My S-bend is a SDD3250 dual. Don't get me wrong...I'm happy with the way the truck (clutch) grabs. BUT...when the clutch is out, the truck is as loud as a weapon of war. (lil over exaggeration: it is alot louder then my 4" exhaust). When I push the clutch in, the truck sounds like buck shot bouncing in a cement mixer. (Not an exaggeration).

spooled05: Valair? I will look that up.

Also like I said, Peter (S-bend) replaced the first S-Bend clutch, then sent this second one....and quote from S-Bend on the 2nd clutch "wrong rubber compound was used and this bumper is noted to wear early"...how many clutches will S-bend warranty? I have heard nothing since.

I am up in Canada with labour rates a little higher then Mishawaka, so my shop doesn't get full coverage from S-Bend. Three times my shop have been into the tranny...2 clutches and a release bearing. My truck is my job...so when it is on a hoist...I don't get paid.

haulin-rv: I was happy with the first service with S-Bend...but I just want to let people know what I have been through. I would like to give people a little more education on the subject, which I didn't have.

So what my point is: with the problems so far, the noise so far, the expense so far...it wasn't worth it!

South Bend Clutch

It is a shame how sometimes one person gets the brunt of problems and for that I am sorry. As for the labor, There was a Little confusion due to the duties but you may want to check with your dealer again, it was paid. And by the way the highest claim to date. I will leave that figure private. We also paid the duties for the clutch going to Canada to the tune of $250. Also talked with your dealer at great lengths and informed them we would do what ever it takes to make their customer happy. The gentleman I dealt with was very sharp and easy to deal with and has installed many of our clutches. He said you were going to run with the clutch for now and if anything changes he would be back in touch with me. Just food for thought, They told me their shop rate is $175. per hour. What if your were at a garage that said their rate is $500. per hour...where does it stop? That is why companies such as ours have to set a rate that is fair and stick to it. It is not suppose to be for profit to the installer but more so to pay the mechanic to do it again. If something goes wrong on your truck and you have to take it back to the dealer, Dodge does not pay the dealer full shop rate. They get paid a set rate to repair or replace the part. As said above, I am sorry for the problems and have dealt with your installer to the best of my abilities and offered to be there in the future if needed. What more can I do.

Peter

PRO-NRA

IMO South Bend makes one of the best clutches out there. Once in a while something will go wrong either the clutch itself or the installer's fault (more often than not). I've known of situation where Peter will warranty a clutch that was not even SBC fault because Peter and his brothers will do right what is wrong to keep the customer happy. It is rare these days to find customer service like SBC.

If you get the DD it will be somewhat louder than OEM...it is just the nature of the beast. Imagine all that weight moving around in the bell housing it will make more noise than stock. Clutch design are all about compromise, if you want more holding power you will give up somewhere and in this case a little more noise and possibly stiffer pedal. From what I understand Peter's new DD design are much quieter and stock like pedal pressure. Also each truck will act totally different with the same clutch. Adding a Fluidampr will help reduce the noise/vibration significantly. BTW I don't work for SBC or have any financial interest what so ever.

Juanito
Sacramento CA

shlen

Peter: There is no need to apologize. I have to agree that your service so far has been good and it is very true that it is rare these days to find customer service like SBC. It looks like it has been a series of problems and next time I will contact you directly and cut out the middle man.

Lots of people that are running SBC and say that it is "somewhat louder" and I totally understand clutches are all about compromise. Well if people could post or send me a small video with audio of what their SBC sounds like with the clutch in and out, maybe then I will have something to compare it to.

s.renoinfo@gmail.com

As for mine right now, it is not "somewhat" it is exceptionally louder. I couldn't even sell the truck because somebody would think that it sounds like it is about to drop the powertrain and selling it is becoming a serious consideration.

Peter: Maybe once it warms up, up here, I will send you a video of what mine sounds like and you can tell me what you think. What more can I do?

Danderson

A labor rate of $175/hr? WOW! I know everything's expensive up there,but...

chadder1313

Yeah that was my thought!!

rockcrawler304

Gotta pay for that healthcare

I know as soon as I need a clutch it will be a SB and it will be because of the great customer service! (Along with a great clutch)

RAMRODD

I believe Valair basically took SB clutch design and copied it.

Your description of how your dual clutch sounds like mine. I don't like the sound myself but the clutch has taken a lot of abuse. To me that is the main thing. Fluid Dampener did help a little bit.