Velvet Drive 5000 Series ("Liberty")
The 5000 series is Velvet Drive's aluminum-case line, built as the 5000A (in-line) and the 5000V (V-drive). You'll see part numbers starting 2001 and 2002, and the Liberty series versions starting 3001 and 3002. Chris calls it the 5000 or Liberty series, "whichever you want to call it."
5000 vs. Liberty
According to Chris, the main difference between the 5000 and the Liberty is the case. They beefed up the casting of the case and changed the pump housing style, but it still uses the same pump.
Why they're labor-heavy
All the little springs and things inside are why 5000s are so expensive to rebuild. The clutch drum is held onto the shaft with 12 bolts, there are more return springs than Chris cares to count, and you've got snap ring after snap ring to take off.
The filter and pressure regulator sit under the same cover. Take the cover off and you'll find the spring for the pressure regulator, with the filter or screen down below. That plate is under a lot of pressure, so be careful: start with the two top bolts and loosen them a couple of turns at a time until the top pops.
Known weak points
On a 2002-005 5000V, the little phenolic or plastic thrust washer on the input shaft gets brittle over time and breaks. Then the shaft is allowed to move a slight bit, and that's not good for the transmission. On the 5000A clutch pack side, there's supposed to be a thrust washer between the input shaft bearing and the clutch gear. On one pack we opened, you could see it starting to wear on the bearing and on the gear.
The input shaft changed over the years. The current-production 5000 input shaft has a long spline, and the shoulder on the early version is shaped differently. The two aren't interchangeable as-is: one can only go in place of the other if the shoulder has been recessed. The early version also shows where the damper was striking it.
If you find the old collared springs in there, they need to be replaced with the updated springs.
Maintenance
Change the transmission fluid on a 5000 at least once a year or every 100 hours, depending on how you're operating it. We've pulled one apart where the fluid looked pretty good coming out, and the magnet had picked up all kinds of sludge and slime.
