Clutch slippage

464Saloon
464Saloon Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
This has been something I noticed since I first got my Special. My overdrive is just wired to a toggle switch and usually I just drive in that since it is so short legged without it. When accelerating hard and changing gears, the clutch seems to slip right after the gear change then grabs. Seems to be more noticeable now that I have Twin H on it. I did a fluid change on it a couple of months ago and didn't seem to make a difference. Actually no fluid came out so it might have been dry. Is the clutch damaged or is driving with the OD on too much for these clutches if accelerating hard? Ultimately I would like to go with a taller rear end and wire the OD back to stock and use it for highway cruising or light loads. What would be suggested to do here?

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  • Aaron D. IL
    Aaron D. IL Senior Contributor
    464Saloon wrote:
    This has been something I noticed since I first got my Special. My overdrive is just wired to a toggle switch and usually I just drive in that since it is so short legged without it. When accelerating hard and changing gears, the clutch seems to slip right after the gear change then grabs. Seems to be more noticeable now that I have Twin H on it. I did a fluid change on it a couple of months ago and didn't seem to make a difference. Actually no fluid came out so it might have been dry. Is the clutch damaged or is driving with the OD on too much for these clutches if accelerating hard? Ultimately I would like to go with a taller rear end and wire the OD back to stock and use it for highway cruising or light loads. What would be suggested to do here?



    A lot of people don't like to go through the trouble to change the clutch fluid so if you buy one don't be surprised if it's dry. Barring that the clutch seal might have a leak the next thing I'd check too is that your pedal linkage is adjusted properly...if it's not, it can cause slippage when the clutch is engaged.. even though you may have enough surface left on the clutch. Also you're not supposed to use OD below 25 mph... maybe you knew that but the book says it's a bad idea. You should be in 2nd gear at least. I have a toggle switch on my OD and I just use it as a 4th gear and wait till I'm already crusiing in 3rd.
  • kamzack
    kamzack Senior Contributor
    464Saloon wrote:
    This has been something I noticed since I first got my Special. My overdrive is just wired to a toggle switch and usually I just drive in that since it is so short legged without it. When accelerating hard and changing gears, the clutch seems to slip right after the gear change then grabs. Seems to be more noticeable now that I have Twin H on it. I did a fluid change on it a couple of months ago and didn't seem to make a difference. Actually no fluid came out so it might have been dry. Is the clutch damaged or is driving with the OD on too much for these clutches if accelerating hard? Ultimately I would like to go with a taller rear end and wire the OD back to stock and use it for highway cruising or light loads. What would be suggested to do here?



    Ken Cates has the ideal trial fix for clutches in our cars. Look into his website for his flush procedure. He suggests using a flush medium(escapes me right now) to help with removing the glaze that occurs from running dry of Hudsonite. I had slip in a 49 Commodore 6 with OD. Used his flush method and it quit slipping. I'd also suggest useing toggle switch, as this gives you better control as to when to engage OD. I only use OD in extended periods above 30 to 35 MPH. Your Hudson came with one 2 ratios 4:09 or 4:56. If you go to a taller gear you'll overload the clutch. The most I'd go is 3:73 if you're set on changing the ratio. My car would cruise 70 to 80 mph with factory gear. Using stock OD wireing set-up in traffic will casue excess wear and tear on 55yr.old, plus, parts. Keep the OD cable pushed in and take advantage of the freewheeling, reduces the the W&T on said components. When you have a bit of an extended drive above 30 to 35 flip da switch and cruise. When I got my car it didn't have a kick down switch under the accelorator, so I tied in the selinoid hot source and installed a flip swtch left of the column kinda out of sight. Hope this helps and thanks for letting me share.

    Kim

    PS, gear ratios stated are approximate, but in that range
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    One of the Irish optimist Murphy's Laws says "If it aint broke, fix it until it is". The original set-up with a govenor switch to control the speed at which you use the overdrive is still the overall best method of operation. The designers knew what they were doing, and any variation from this is likely to lead to problems one way or another. Having said that, I would advise against excessive use of the kick-down on the Step-downs. I have seen the clutch spline twisted on some input shafts, and I would artribute this to the power applied when kicking down to direct drive. The sudden jerk of of the extra power applied when the ignition is interrupted and the clutch has to soak up an instantaneous increase of 30% in speed when the change is made is obviously a little harsh on the somewhat slender clutch spline.

    I agree that overdrive should not be used with higher than 4.1 rear end, or you will definitely overload the clutch. I had a '50 Pacemaker which had o/d, and the clutch used to overheat badly, until the pedal was almost on the floor, with the swelled corks. Something had been altered over the years, as it only had a 9" clutch, which of course is completley inadequate to handle overdrive. this might be somethign to check. If flushing the clutch and checking the pedal clearance doesn't cure your slippage you will have to replace the cork disc.

    And remember Murphy also said "If you fiddle with a thing long enough, it will ultimately break".

    Geoff.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    I will agree with Geoff. In my younger days I have twisted the clutch shaft into in two Hudson eights. A 47 and a 49. Also tore the hub out of a couple of clutches.
  • 464Saloon
    464Saloon Senior Contributor
    We went through the clutch linkage, cleaned, adjusted and replaced the bushings. No fluid came out when we drained it so we just added in the measured amount. Possibly it need more if the corks were dry and it go soaked up. Haven't tryed the flush procedure as with all the other work I have been doing the car is never running long enough to get to that point. It really only happens when you shift quick under hard accelerating. If I don't shift too fast it bites fine under any load so that is what confuses me. If the clutch was bad I would expect it to slip under any heavy load. On the other hand I have never had a clutch with this design either.
  • Park_W
    Park_W Senior Contributor
    I agree with Geoff on the kick-down. On my Hornet and on all others' cars in which I've installed OD, I've put the kickdown switch over near the headlight dimmer switch so I can drop it out of OD without "floorboarding" the gas pedal. I much prefer this arrangement.
  • Uncle Josh
    Uncle Josh Senior Contributor
    I have run my KD switch like Park for years. Much easier on the machinery.



    BTW, you guys who bypass the governor need to read the warning in the manual.



    "If transmission does not shift out of overdrive when the car is brought to a stop and the car then rolls backward slightly, the transmission will lock. The car can not be moved forward or backward by the engine or by towing."



    In other words, it's locked up tighter'n'Billy B'Darn and you'll have to take it apart to free it.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Uncle Josh, wasn't it you that was going to try Marvel Mystery Oil in the clutch? What's the word on that?
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