Who's running a 5 speed Richmond?

[67speedfreak]

Wondering what clutch you guys are running.
I am running a dual friction Centerforce.

Having a problem with notchy feeling shifts not smooth at all.

Called Richmond today and they said It is most likely the clutch set up not disengaging all the way. They recommend .070 clearance with the cluch disengaged.

They said they have been having a few complaints about guys running the dual friction clutches not having enough clearance w/ the clutch disengaged.

Anyone else run into a similar problem?

Thanks,
Brian

[HILROD]

I have a 6 speed Richmond. It is a bit notchy, a little worse than a Tko 600 that I installed in another Camaro. The type of fluid used can help a lot. I have used red line and GM fluid without problems.

[TwinSting]

I run a richmond 5 speed in my 65 Impala behind a built 409 only putting out 512hp with a zoom clutch and it works fine. Shifts smoothly.

[andrewb70]

Wondering what clutch you guys are running.
I am running a dual friction Centerforce.

Having a problem with notchy feeling shifts not smooth at all.

Called Richmond today and they said It is most likely the clutch set up not disengaging all the way. They recommend .070 clearance with the cluch disengaged.

They said they have been having a few complaints about guys running the dual friction clutches not having enough clearance w/ the clutch disengaged.

Anyone else run into a similar problem?

Thanks,
Brian

Have you checked the air gap to see if you are getting at least .070" as Richmond recommends?

Andrew

[jcs]

I have an old Doug Nash 5-speed (same thing) that I've rebuilt and it is still pretty notchy when shifting it slowly. I have a McLeod street twin clutch, set up the air gap per McLeod's instructions. I think it is just inherent in the transmissions.

[jasonsnova]

few years back i had a richmond in my car with a d/f clutch .....same thing very notchy shifting , clutch seemed fine ...tried adjusting it it made no differance.....its how richmonds are(the 5speeds anyway), i was never happy with the richmond, and now i have a d&d t56 with a d/f clutch and it is the best shifting trans i have ever had.

[68sixspeed]

I think that is Richmonds generic excuse on the shifting. I confronted one of the engineers about it after telling them how I've checked all the alignments, gaps, runout, even tried a different clutch and kind of got on their case about it - and basically the only excuse he could come up with is because of the amount of rotating weight that needs to change speed, esp on the 1-2 shift it just can't shift that fast since the gears need to slow down. Differnent lube can help, but it sounds like they are all that way.

[jasonsnova]

I think that is Richmonds generic excuse on the shifting. I confronted one of the engineers about it after telling them how I've checked all the alignments, gaps, runout, even tried a different clutch and kind of got on their case about it - and basically the only excuse he could come up with is because of the amount of rotating weight that needs to change speed, esp on the 1-2 shift it just can't shift that fast since the gears need to slow down. Differnent lube can help, but it sounds like they are all that way.

haha ....thats funny ....as i recall i called richmond when mine wasnt the best shifting....he said it has to be my clutch or the alignment of the pilot bearing....kind of gave me a attitude and the story of "listen buddy we got guys shifting these behind bigblocks at 8500rpms with no problems" ..........ya thats when i sold it

[andrewb70]

As a counterpoint, I have been pretty happy with my Richmond 6 speed. I don't know if the internals are different than the 5spd. It is a little notchy but I kinda like that. It has a very "gated" feel to it. I don't know that a T56 shifts better, which I have owned as well.

Andrew

[67speedfreak]

Have you checked the air gap to see if you are getting at least .070" as Richmond recommends?

Andrew

Not yet.
Car is apart right now. Going with a little smaller cam and a cab and intake change.

When I get it back together I will check the gap.

What clutch and pressure plate are you running?

Thanks,
Brian

[mikes69z]

I have a Doug Nash (Richmond) street 5 speed in my car. It has the 3.27 first gears and I combined it with a 2.73 gearset in the rear. It's sweet, and recommend the gearing setup.

For comparision, my '98 Camaro has a T56 in it, and the Nash 4+1 upshifts very nice - every bit as good as my T56, but it's a little notchy on the downshifts. It also whines slightly - probably because of the gear helical angle is the same as an M22 rockcrusher.

For clutch, I'm running a stock diameter with a Borg and Beck 3 finger style plate (don't recommend that!!) Stay with a diaphragm pressure plate!!

Overall, I really like this trans!

Mike

[Banks68]

Brian, i am running with the new 5 speed with over drive from richmond in a 68 camaro. seems to be a great transmission. i also run with the cf dual friction with no issues. the tranny does whine a little in cruise gears, but seems to be bullet proof. i am running a 540 BB. what i like most is the cruise gear.

[funcars]

I have one myself and they do have an agricultural feel. I would not buy another, but I already had it. You can improve the feel a bit by modifying the linkage to use bronze bushings and reduce the play in the shifter. But it is still what it is - old tech with larger tolerances, etc. It has some benefits (if you get it cheap): easy to rebuild, can live with a little more concentricity misalignment and it usually doesn't need tunnel mods.

[ZZ430]

I'm trying one of the new Super Street 5-speeds with O/D behind a 383 that goes into a 68 Nova.

[molyorange 77]

My 6spd R.O.D is that way also, I think they are all like the way everyone is discribing them. Richmond told me that it would wear in and get a little better but not much, And they also told me to change fluid to a different weight and I was using the recommended REDLINE. Also I'm using a RAM diaphram and street-strip disc. I talked to a guy at cruisin the coast and He has 4 of these in vehicles and He said they were all exactly the same. But all in all I like mine!

[ZZ430]

You can improve the feel a bit by modifying the linkage to use bronze bushings and reduce the play in the shifter.

The Long shifter?

[mikes69z]

I'm trying one of the new Super Street 5-speeds with O/D behind a 383 that goes into a 68 Nova.

I like that pic - SWEET!!


I used a Hurst shifter on my DNE 4+1 to gain more tunnel clearance. The tightest spot was the arm on the rear of the case for shifting 1-2. However, at some point I would like to switch to the Long shifter that has the reverse lockout...

[crash]

Mike, could you E-mail the sketch of the Camaro shifter mount for 5-speed into a 1969 Camaro??? Thanks... Crash
[email protected]

[mikes69z]

Crash,

How have you been!!

You mean that template I made to fit the shifter through the console on a 1st gen Camaro?

It works like a charm and I sent you a PM with the drawing.

Any questions, drop me a line