Into the Clutches…….

In any vehicle with a manual transmission, which most hard working heavy duty vehicles have, the hardest working component is without a doubt, the clutch.

When a trucks clutch is not working correctly, the wear and tear from this fault can make it necessary to replace the entire clutch system which an not a cheap exercise, so regular checking will definitely assist in isolating an issue before that issue creates a bigger one.

Although there are a few factors that can cause a clutch to fail, here are the most common: .

• One of the leading causes of clutch failure is extended poor driving style. Every move the driver makes means your clutch is either engaging or disengaging and in so doing, is creating heat and friction, resulting in wear and tear. Continuous careless driving habits can have a massive impact on all major components of a vehicle but driving in a reckless manner, can lead to overheating and accelerated wearing of the clutch pad.
• Another common cause of clutch failure is oil leaks. Leaking oil from the transmission or the trucks engine results in a built up of contaminants on the clutch disk resulting in the clutch slipping or vibrating, which, if not repaired, causes the clutch disk to eventually wear out and loose effectiveness.
• A less obvious but still very common cause of clutch failure is without a doubt, overloading. An unbalanced load or a load that outweighs the carry capacity of your vehicles trailer will lead to unnecessary accelerated wear on you vehicles clutch. The strain that this places on the entire engine, especially the clutch means that the components have to work much harder that they were designed for.

Without getting too technical, it is important to note that both friction between the clutch, pressure plate and flywheel as well as driver habits, effect the amount and speed at which the clutch deteriorates. Regular clutch checks, as well as occasional clutch services are necessary to keep you fleet performance at optimal level.

If a faulty clutch is not repaired in time, one of the side effects would be that the slipping clutch would result in higher revs to maintain a normal speed, resulting in poor fuel economy and increased wear and risk that the clutch could fail at any time.

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Be Kind to your Fleet!