Various Topics on Dodge Trucks

..lho..

Looking at an old beater to use just for plowing my driveway. It will never
be on the road and will only be used to push snow, probably never leaving
1st gear.
It has a 318 with an auto trans that slips in third gear. Seems strong in
1st and 2nd.
Do these transmissions use the same clutch packs for all the gears? Is it
slipping in 3rd because of the load and will eventually slip in 2nd than
1st? Or is 3rd a separate clutch from 1st and 2nd?
thanks

.... ..nk..

"calhoun" <builderpaul@"pants".invalid> wrote in message
news:nw5Ac.177446$hY.176084@twister.nyroc.rr.com.. .
> Looking at an old beater to use just for plowing my driveway. It will
never
> be on the road and will only be used to push snow, probably never leaving
> 1st gear.
> It has a 318 with an auto trans that slips in third gear. Seems strong in
> 1st and 2nd.
> Do these transmissions use the same clutch packs for all the gears? Is it
> slipping in 3rd because of the load and will eventually slip in 2nd than
> 1st? Or is 3rd a separate clutch from 1st and 2nd?

1st gear is a function of the rear clutch which remains applied in all
forward gears, 3rd is a combination of the front and rear clutch so the 3rd
gear slippage is the fault of the front clutch.
Since the front clutch isn't used in 1st, the trans should serve your
purpose but there is a caveat; the front clutch is also used in Reverse so
there might be a problem with Reverse down the road. The front clutch apply
pressure is significantly higher in Reverse than it is in 3rd so there may
never be a problem in your application.
Clutch slippage is often caused by hardened rubber seals, if this is the
case, a transmission additive that softens seals might get you some
improvement.

..lho..

"John Kunkel" <kunkel.j@shorts.comcast.net> wrote in message
news:l9kAc.129104$Ly.21221@attbi_s01...
>
> "calhoun" <builderpaul@"pants".invalid> wrote in message
> news:nw5Ac.177446$hY.176084@twister.nyroc.rr.com.. .
> > Looking at an old beater to use just for plowing my driveway. It will
> never
> > be on the road and will only be used to push snow, probably never
leaving
> > 1st gear.
> > It has a 318 with an auto trans that slips in third gear. Seems strong
in
> > 1st and 2nd.
> > Do these transmissions use the same clutch packs for all the gears? Is
it
> > slipping in 3rd because of the load and will eventually slip in 2nd than
> > 1st? Or is 3rd a separate clutch from 1st and 2nd?
>
> 1st gear is a function of the rear clutch which remains applied in all
> forward gears, 3rd is a combination of the front and rear clutch so the
3rd
> gear slippage is the fault of the front clutch.
> Since the front clutch isn't used in 1st, the trans should serve your
> purpose but there is a caveat; the front clutch is also used in Reverse so
> there might be a problem with Reverse down the road. The front clutch
apply
> pressure is significantly higher in Reverse than it is in 3rd so there may
> never be a problem in your application.
> Clutch slippage is often caused by hardened rubber seals, if this is the
> case, a transmission additive that softens seals might get you some
> improvement.
>

Thank you for this is a very informative reply.