6T45 Clutch Drum 2008, new and ready to install. Fits the 6T45. Ships fast from the USA.
The 6T45 is the heavier-duty sibling of the 6T40, found behind the 2.4L in vehicles like the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain. When one of these comes in with no top gears, or a rebuild turns up a 4-5-6 drum with hammered lugs, the drum has to be replaced before anything else goes back together. This listing is a new aftermarket 4-5-6 clutch drum assembly sold for 2008 and later 6T45 transmissions. In the box: the drum, a wave plate, a pressure plate and a snap ring. The drum has 36 outer lugs.
Every forward gear in the 6T45 comes from two clutches applied together. The 4-5-6 clutch is shared by the three upper gears: with the 1-2-3-4 clutch it gives 4th, with the 3-5-R clutch it gives 5th, and with the 2-6 clutch it gives 6th, the overdrive cruising gear. This drum is the outer member of that pack. Its lugs drive the steel plates, the wave plate softens the apply so the 3-4 shift is not harsh, and the pressure plate and snap ring give the pack its working clearance. In a heavier vehicle that spends a lot of time in 5th and 6th on the highway, that pack does a lot of work.
Keep the 3-5-R clutch in mind while you diagnose. That pack is the most common failure in the 6T40/6T45 family, and when it goes the driver loses reverse, 3rd and 5th, usually with P0776 stored. If reverse is fine and the losses start at 4th, look at the 4-5-6 side.
Confirm fluid level and condition first, using the hot check at the level set plug, since a low unit can mimic clutch slip. Then read codes and look at the pan. Our 6T40/6T45 delayed engagement guide covers the fluid and pressure checks worth doing before a teardown, and the common problems guide lays out which clutch serves which gear and the failures GM has documented. On the bench, check the drum for cracked or notched lugs, a scored sealing ring bore and a worn bushing.
The listing calls out 2008 and later 6T45 units, and the same assembly is listed for the 6T40 and 6T50. Even so, GM made running changes over the years, including the 2012 Gen 2 update, so match the part rather than the badge. Count the outer lugs on your original drum (this one has 36), compare the height and spline shape, and line up the wave plate and pressure plate against the ones you removed. If anything looks different, send us the year and VIN before you order. For a 2012-and-later 6T45, look at the 6T45 clutch drum for 2012-2021 as well.
Build the pack with new frictions and steels, using the supplied wave plate and pressure plate in factory order, and measure clearance with the snap ring fully seated. Air-check the clutch on the bench before the drum goes in. A drum that has broken up sends debris everywhere, so clean the case and valve body passages and replace the filter; the 6T40/6T45 pan kit with filter and gasket covers that. For the frictions and seals, a 6T45 rebuild kit for 2008-11 fits the early units. Fill with Dexron VI, set the level hot, clear the adaptive values and drive it through all six gears so the TCM can relearn.
| Fits | 6T45 2008 |
| Part type | Clutch Drum |
| Condition | New |
| Brand | OEM |
| Ships | From the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
This particular assembly is listed for 6T40, 6T45 and 6T50 units from 2008 on. Confirm it against your old drum by counting the 36 outer lugs and comparing the overall shape before installing.
It can be the drum, the 4-5-6 clutches, the piston seals or the controls feeding that clutch. Check fluid level hot first, read the codes, then tear down. A cracked or notched drum is a common find once the unit is apart.
New frictions and steels for the 4-5-6 pack, all seals and pistons from a rebuild kit, and a new filter. If the old drum shed metal, clean the valve body and flush the cooler and lines.
Dexron VI. The level is set hot at the level set plug with the engine running, following the fluid level procedure for the 6T family, not by pouring in a set amount.
