Blue fan clutch mod...Thread has gone to hell, read at your own risk (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter landtank
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Power is pretty consistent, but voltage is all over the place. Good to invest in voltage regulators for anything you care about. Parts from US are not hard to get, but you have to wait for it sometimes. You can order anything in any shape, for any weight for a flat rate (customs pre-paid is included in rate). They have a standard box that is 18" x 24" x 22" and you can ship one of those from California for $55 regardless of weight. It takes 25 days to get here.
The airbags work awesome! The LJ78 has a droopy back end to start with so for about $70 it was an awesome upgrade. I combined it with the Rancho 9000XL shocks cause I drive on a lot of gravel roads that degrade to deep rutted muddy fun. It is nice to leave them soft on the washboards, and stiff on the trails to control the body roll. It seems like a good setup for the coil sprung chassis.
I just ordered a blue hub fan for it from the states. My dad is gonna measure it to see if it will fit. Found it on Amazon.com for $138 and the RC Diff Oil for $7 too - like Landtank posted. I haven't had overheating problems except recently now that the thermo quit on the fan. It already has a blue hub, but it is "baby blue" so I am hoping it's just the "old" style.
The airbags work awesome! The LJ78 has a droopy back end to start with so for about $70 it was an awesome upgrade. I combined it with the Rancho 9000XL shocks cause I drive on a lot of gravel roads that degrade to deep rutted muddy fun. It is nice to leave them soft on the washboards, and stiff on the trails to control the body roll. It seems like a good setup for the coil sprung chassis.
I just ordered a blue hub fan for it from the states. My dad is gonna measure it to see if it will fit. Found it on Amazon.com for $138 and the RC Diff Oil for $7 too - like Landtank posted. I haven't had overheating problems except recently now that the thermo quit on the fan. It already has a blue hub, but it is "baby blue" so I am hoping it's just the "old" style.
Blue mod and 10k
Purchased my blue from CD, including two tubes of 10k. Thought I would go ahead and open it up and get it ready in preparation for my new 3 row that comes in next week. First surprise to me was when I opened it up and noticed how little fluid was in there. There couldn't have been much more than a tube and that might be liberal. Let it drain for a long time next to a heat source. Tested the upper half and I had one hole half open at 100, the other slightly open, and one completely open at 110 and the other half or more open. Does this sound about right to you guys?
Purchased my blue from CD, including two tubes of 10k. Thought I would go ahead and open it up and get it ready in preparation for my new 3 row that comes in next week. First surprise to me was when I opened it up and noticed how little fluid was in there. There couldn't have been much more than a tube and that might be liberal. Let it drain for a long time next to a heat source. Tested the upper half and I had one hole half open at 100, the other slightly open, and one completely open at 110 and the other half or more open. Does this sound about right to you guys?
- Thread starter
- #544
I set them up as close to half and half as I can at 95*. I've had some that don't open until 128*, those cause cooling issues.
Once you open it up its really simple. You have two dis-similar metals that expand at different rates, the clutch housing and the valve disc inside that has the round spring in the center of the outer front. Just place it in and out of heat and watch the "valve" open and close then use a thermometer to find 95F...set screws tight. DONE
hope that helps
hope that helps
- Thread starter
- #547
I get 65.00 if you send a clutch to me. That is me adjusting it, adding 6K oil and shipping it back to you.
I can also sell you a modified new clutch for 195.00 which includes shipping.
So once you buy a new blue clutch there are mods you have to make to them? 
I was thinking about buying one since I am in Arizona and am getting ready to remove mine for another repair and thought I would just take care of this while it is off. I am a little confused why I would have to make a mod to a new part? I read through some of the thread here but I can not figure out why a mod needs to be done.
Tony
I was thinking about buying one since I am in Arizona and am getting ready to remove mine for another repair and thought I would just take care of this while it is off. I am a little confused why I would have to make a mod to a new part? I read through some of the thread here but I can not figure out why a mod needs to be done.
Tony
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So once you buy a new blue clutch there are mods you have to make to them?
For whatever reason (possibly noise and/or fuel economy) they reduced the drive on the newer clutches. In my observation the new blue hub is the wimpiest.
For AZ you need strong fan drive. The first question is what clutch is on your rig? If it's original it's probably an Eaton (good clutch) or Aisin black hub (great clutch). If it's one of those and it's in good mechanical condition (bearing good, not excessively leaking) I would change the fluid and run it.
I have plenty of fluid, your welcome to some. The fluid is the most common failure, when changed, like new or better performance (depending on the fluid viscosity) is restored. Refilled clutches have been very reliable.
- Thread starter
- #550
I personally like the blue clutch over the original black hub Aisin. They moved the bulk of the shearing to the outer edge which would seem to give it some mechanical advantage over it's predecessor.
Doesn't matter much up here in New England as all the clutches have gone to crap by now and need to be replaced regardless. The only OEM option is the blue clutch that I know of.
Doesn't matter much up here in New England as all the clutches have gone to crap by now and need to be replaced regardless. The only OEM option is the blue clutch that I know of.
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The word is removed, the new blue only has the second and fifth ridge, the early clutches have all five. For me the result is what matters and with the same viscosity fluid, the early clutches smoke the new blue hub, it's not even a contest. In our experience they require about twice the viscosity fluid to be on par in performance.
I agree the blue hub are good clutches, but here most of the early units are still in great condition, so why not use them? Most of the rigs in our club run earlier clutches with great success. I know of one original black hub that has over 300K mi, has 10K fluid and works very well. If not exposed to rust, they are very durable units.
I believe I have the original assuming the Aisin is a "black" hub and mine is metal aluminum color from what I can see. I am getting ready to repair the oil leak in my oil pump cover and have to remove my fan is why I was looking to upgrade mine. Not knowing the PO's history of the vehicle I was only tryin to make sure I do not find myself replacing a head gasket in the Arizona heat.
- Thread starter
- #553
Kevin they made two changes to the clutch when they came out with the blue clutch. Yes they removed shearing area from the center ring and added it to the outer one. Call it waht you want.
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I see way more than 2 changes/differences between them, but like I said for me it's about the performance.
Hit the trail with a bunch of rigs, all have 10K fluid, it's ~100F and all have the A/C on. It's very obvious which ones have blue hubs by simply walking past them. It's no contest, no meters are needed, the early clutches simply pull much more air than the later blues.
Open the doors and compare A/C vent temp, again no meter needed, the early clutch rigs are much cooler, an obvious difference. The blue hub owners are talking about electric fans, etc. Put 20K+ fluid in the blue hubs and the problem goes away, they preform on par with the early clutches.
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The hub is the part that bolts to the pulley, the nuts tighten to it. If original, plain metal looking = Eaton, black = early Aisin, blue could be early or late type Aisin, all blues are replacement units.
Bring it to the club Sonic meet in Tempe on Friday night and we will id it.
- Thread starter
- #556
this thread is about modifying a blue hub clutch. Looks like a thread dedicated to all the rest should have been started some time ago but would still be a good idea.
Interesting thread Landtank; a lot of info to absorb! Is there a consensus on the weight of the fluid to be used when refilling the stocker clutch, 6000 or 10,000?
- Thread starter
- #558
I doubt that there will ever be a consensus on this topic. I always use 6000cst and have had good results with it. The oil if bought through a hobby store is not all that expensive and if you can do this yourself then I'd say start low and move up if needed. My reasoning is that the heavier oil might inpact MPG and if you don't need it then it's a waste on resources.
Cruiserdrew
On the way there
I used the 10k hobby store oil and noticed no change in my already terrible mileage (12)
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There can't be, owners have differing uses for the rigs, they are operated in widely varying climates and the clutches have different mechanical characteristics. That is the beauty of the ability to tune them, make a guess on viscosity, if it's not enough step up to thicker. It's a simple and inexpensive process.
