Clutch going out???

[Cattletrkr]

The last few weeks my clutch has been terrible in reverse. With a load behind it's almost impossible to back up w/o going to 4lo. Forward there doesn't seem to be much pedal left, it's either in or out for the most part.

I've never had a clutch go out before. Are these warning signs? With 163K on the factory clutch I know I'm on borrowed time. I'd just like a little time to order a new one before this one goes bye-bye.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

RPM matching gear and road speed? It may already be too late, though.

 

[DMather]

if 163K is borrowed time... . what does that make my 344K? (still stock, still runnin)



The most common problem I have seen with clutches when the transmission starts getting "stiff" (or impossible) AND it isn't the transmission that is the problem is a heavily worn throwout bearing OR a broken finger or two on the pressure plate. I've got one broken finger on my pressure plate and, in addition to listening to it rattle like a loose heat shield, it lets the clutch drag juuuust enough to make first and reverse tough when standing still.



You can check to see if you have this type of problem by shutting down the engine when it it happening and, if it easily drops into gear, you are not getting a full release on the clutch. Time to change out the parts. (I'm still putting mine off...



If you drive it like a diesel and keep the slipping to a minimum the friction plate will go many, many 100's of miles. Usually the pressure plate fingers fatigue before the plate goes.



Good news and bad news... . The bad news is that it will be inconvenient to shift smoothly and you may have to lay out some $'s to fix it... . The good news is that it won't leave you stranded.

 

[Cattletrkr]

I say "borrowed time" becuase my trailer weighs up to 30K and between the extra weight and the extra hp I figure the stocker can't last forever. I'ts gotten jumpy like this in the past but it usually goes away after a week or two. I've been told clutches get "feathered" and if/when that wears off they smooth out again. Maybe this time it's just taking longer.

Every now and then it's a little tough to get into 1st or reverse but it's not any worse than when it was new.

RPM and road speed match the way they should.

Maybe I just need to back up to a big stump and smooth it out myself.