Expert: Carl Brandt - 10/31/2004

Question
keep breaking transmission nose cone or throw out bearing sleeve in 1988 dodge 1500 4x4 veh does have 12 inch lift and 44 inch super swamper for bogging this we be third time replaced since changing engine to built 360. any ideas on what i can look for if transmission input bearing and freeplay check out okay???


Answer
Greg,

This may be a drive line problem.  Check the angles of the drive lines (front and Rear).  With that much lift, you may have a drive line length problem also.  The drive line spline needs to be able to compress without bottoming out.  If you don't have enough spline, the drive line bottoms out, and puts extreme pressures on the transmission, and the transfer case.  With the wrong drive line angles, your universal joints can bind, and flex the transmission, and transfer case too.

This may, or may not be the problem in your case, as I have not seen this symptom due to a lift, or increased power.  I suspect that you may have to make sure that the bearing sleeve is the right one for your conversion.  If the stock motor was a 360, then you may have something out of alignment.  Look at the broken part, and see if you can see any unusual wear marks, or dents that wouldn't be normal.  Make sure that the throw out bearing is installed properly, and that the throw of the bearing is right.  Look at the clutch plate, around the center area containing the springs for rub marks.  

I have a problem right now with my Jeep's clutch in that the throw out bearing is being pushed in too far, making the pressure plate springs rub the clutch plate.  This puts extreme side pressures on the throw out bearing, which could cause a similar problem.  Since I have hydraulic clutch linkage, it is not adjustable.  I had to make a stop for the clutch pedal.  This happened when I converted to a Dodge NV4500 transmission, which required a special clutch disk made by centerforce.  I contacted centerforce, and they informed me that this disk, is too thick, but it was the only one available for my application.

I would suggest that you contact Advance Adapters, and question one of their techs, as they manufacture conversion kits for most vehicles, and are familiar with most modifications, and conversion problems.

Advance Adapters, Inc.
P.O. Box 247
4320 Aerotech Center Way
Paso Robles, CA  93446-0247
1(800)350-2223
http://www.advanceadapters.com


Carl