Clutch and transfer case questions.

I am replacing the clutch in my 1984 Ram 50, 2.5L diesel. I have been trying to select a clutch kit on Amazon. On other websites like Parts Geeks it will list the engines that the clutch will fit and will have on the list 2.6 gas and 2.3 diesel like they will take the same pressure plate. But one on Amazon said it would work on the 2.6 gas but not on the 2.3 diesel. I am assuming that the 4D55 and the 4D56 would take the same cutch.Can anybody tell me what clutches are interchangeable on what engines? Sometimes the sellers don't get it right.

Transfer case question. I have a 1983 Ram 50 that I bought for the engine. I turned out to be a 4D56 which I put in my 1884 Ram 50 4x4. The transfer case in the 84 truck I am using has a different shift cover. It has a small rectangular shift cover for the shift levers. The transfer case out of the 83 has a different and wider shift lever cover so I know it is a different transfer case. From that much information can anybody tell me the difference like is one better than the other or what ever information you could give me would be helpful. I was thinking while I had the transmission out to replace the clutch I might use that other transfer case in my truck.

The engine in the 1983 parts truck is not the original I do not believe because was the 4D56 but I don't know if the transfer case was replaced when they replaced the engine or whether it is the original 83 transfer case.

Any information about clutches and transfer cases would be appreciated. Thanks, Rik

Well, I guess if I reply to my own thread I'll have one reply. I have another question. Does anyone know anything about the brand "Efortissimo" Several clutches listed on Amazon are said to be from that company. But it seems that they only have an online presence. I sent an email to them through Amazon but have not heard back from them. I asked them if a certain stage two clutch that was listed to fit a 2.6L gas engine would also fit the Diesel engine. Amazon says "Will not fit your.......". But another clutch Amazon says it will fit the 2.6L gas and the 2.3L diesel. When I learn something about "Efortissimo" I'll post it. Thanks, Rik

I can't answer the transfer case question you have, but the clutch question I can - they are the same clutch as long as the spline count is the same. The issue that I have is since you have a truck with a motor swap, you need to get the model number off the tranny to be sure the clutch you are getting will work.

Thanks Pennyman1 for the reply. The clutch I was interested in is on Amazon and it is painted blue and is from some outfit named Efortissimo racing. It is said to be a type 2. The disc center hub has six springs and six rivets. It says it has Mylar lining. It is said to have a stronger hold but is still suitable for street use. The disc is the right size, 8.7/8 inches with 23 tooth spline which is right. I have an email in to them asking about fitment but have not heard back from them yet. Since other clutches are said to fit the 2.6 gas and the 2.3 diesel I am assuming that this one will too. In the picture it does not show both sides of the throw out bearing but it kind of looks like it is different. I thought that might be why they said the kit might not fit. But I have read others have used clutches that worked when Amazon said "this will not fit your.....". I may have to be a "squeaky wheel" and send another message to Efortissimo racing. I am not in a real hurry and in the mean time I am learning a lot.

As far as the transfer cases go I probably should pull the covers and check the condition of them. I might also ask on another forum. Thanks again Rik.

the throw out bearing may be an issue, as there are 2 or 3 different ones. There is a short body, a long body, and a plastic body one I know of, there may be more. compare the one you get with the one on the truck before you go too far with that part of the clutch install

I was thinking of ordering a throw out bearing separately anyway and get a better one that comes with the kits. And maybe a pilot bearing as well. I still haven't heard from Efortissmio Racing yet. And never mind the transfer case question. It appears that the transmissions are different so I am not going to mess with that. The shift lever for the four wheel drive has a small plastic piece on the end that engages the shifting forks that is broken. I wonder if those are available? The shift levers on that other transfer case are different and don't have the plastic part that I could rob. I think it will shift without it but it would just be sloppy loose and may rattle a bit.

Would anybody know the transmission front seal part number? It is a five speed.

the shifter bushing for the end of the shifter is available from a Mitsubishi dealer, or from Mike Warme on this forum. I don't have the input shaft seal number.

I found the input shaft seal number. It is 223014 and Amazon has them in that brown high temp rubber. The clutch release bearing number is 614016 but even bearings of the same number have different lengths. Amazon has one that they say, "this fits your........." but is longer than the one that I have out of the truck. it is longer than the pressed steel ones that have the same number. I wonder if the one that is a little longer will still work? You definitely wouldn't want one that was too long and would not pull back far enough to be off the diaphragm. The one that came out of the truck appears to be high quality of cast and it is still smooth and quiet. I was thinking that a high quality used one might be better than a new cheap one. I am not hard on throw out bearing. I never leave the clutch in while sitting at a red light. If I am coming up on a red light I'll put it in neutral and coast up to the light with my foot off the clutch etc. I still haven't heard back from that Efortissimo outfit and I see that their positive ratings are going down.
Amazon have no reviews on any the the clutch kits that I have looked at. I think I'll try another email to that Efortissimo outfit and then I just may end up going with a standard stage one clutch kit.

About the short or longer throw out bearing. The one listed on Amazon looked to be a little longer. So I bolted the pressure plate on the flywheel without the disc and stuck it on the transmission shaft to be able to check if there would be room for the longer throw out bearing and it appears that the longer one would be better. Without the disc the diaphragm fingers are all the way back towards the transmission and almost seems with the shorter throw out bear in there the release lever with the throw out bearing up against the fingers of the clutch pressure plate has barely an inch of travel before it would hit the edge of the clutch lever opening in the bell housing. If there were a new disc in there the fingers would be farther forward and it seems then there would even less travel for the lever so I think the longer bearing would be better. We will see because I ordered one. But now I have to take the flywheel back the the machine shop because it is about .o30 thousandths out of parallel. With the pilot bearing in the flywheel I stuck it on the transmission shaft and it is obviously out of balance.

Good spotting. That would've caused some grief if you didn't check the flywheel.

Cool info here. Interestingly enough, when I installed a new clutch kit for my 4d55, I debated whether or not to use the original throwout bearing.
However, I ended up using the new one when the time came around to it.
Oddly, for the first couple weeks, I had a little throwout bearing rattle that annoyed me.

It seems to have mellowed out by now, and I just bought a cheap O'Reilly clutch kit for $99.
We'll see how it holds up, but it feels okay I suppose. I probably should have given my flywheel some attention, you are my thorough than I am. Josh

to get the best result, you should have the flywheel and pressure plate balanced together to eliminate run out that causes vibration. most people don't do it, but if you have to have it balanced anyways, now is the time if you have the pressure plate. Another trick is to have the flywheel lightened to reduce rotating mass - there is a raised portion on the back of the flywheel that can be ground down to reduce weight without weakening the flywheel. I did it on Geronimo about 30 years ago, and no issues...

I am glad I checked the flywheel too. The ground surface was perfect but when I was looking it over I could see that there was more of the bevel on the outer edge on one side than the other so I measured it and it was real close to 30 thousandths off. With that much more material on one side than the other it is bound to be out of balance. When I stuck it on the transmission shaft the thicker side when straight to the bottom. The machinist said he didn't have the right adapter for that flywheel so I guess he improvised by putting two together. He said he would get it right this time. I don't know if he has a way to balance the flywheel. It's not that classy of a shop but it is the only one in our small town. The next closest is over 50 miles. I think it he gets it parallel the balance should be okay. It is easy to check by putting a real easy turning pilot bearing in it and sticking on the transmission shaft. If it is balanced it will always stop in a different place then you turn it. I'll check it with the pressure plate bolted on and see how that does. Well anyway, thanks for all the great replies. Rik

so he cut it on a lathe? The shops I used face ground the flywheel - that gives it a random finish.

The man at the machine shop ground the flywheel on a flywheel grinder but he didn't have the proper adapter for the recessed flywheel mounting surface so he improvised. Obviously he didn't dial it in when he mounted it on his grinder. Or even when he started grinding he should have been able to see that it was wrong because the grinder would be hitting on just one side for a long time. I watched several Youtube grinding operations and they always checked the runout with a dial indicator before they started grinding. I still haven't heard back from the machine shop. He might grind it all the way to the ring gear. Maybe he is taking so long because he is trying to find me another flywheel. I have another flywheel but the pilot hole is worn. The pilot bore is good for about an 1/8 of an inch at the bottom so I could use that part of the bore to center the bearing and then locktite the other part.

Also, I ordered a throwout bearing that according to the picture looked better and a little taller but when I got it, it was the same bearing like the one that came in the kit. It is going back. At this point the best throwout bearing I have is the one that came out of it. If you put down against the table and turn it, it is smother and quieter than even a new one. It is obviously a better quality bearing. Later, Rik

Another question. That little transfer case mount that mounts on the frame has about a 1 inch hole in it but the bolt that goes through it is only about a 10 MM. Is there some kind of a spacer to fill up the hole? Or it is just there when there is a lot of torque to limit the travel?