Clutch wear

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Nov 9, 2008
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Can you abuse a clutch without making it smell like burnt clutch? Or is that the definition: if you heat it up enough to smell, then you've abused it?

I was backing my utility trailer up my driveway over the weekend, and I had to slip the clutch the whole way. It's a short 4x8 so it requires slow going and frequent correction. I didn't smell anything out of the ordinary afterwards, but it made me wonder about it.

I know clutches are a wear item but I'm not sure I want to swap one all the same.
 
In your case, Im sure its fine. You were likely going slow with lower load, lower rpm, etc.

Yes you can wreck a clutch without smelling a thing. Jam it into 1st gear at 65mph. Be prepared to tow it home.
 
You don't want to do that often. Go to a parking lot and practice backing up. once you get good at it youll be able to setup the approach properly then reverse without clutching using mirrors.

For some the easiest way to backup a trailer is to put hand on bottom of steering wheel ...its a thing you can google.
 
Can you abuse a clutch without making it smell like burnt clutch? Or is that the definition: if you heat it up enough to smell, then you've abused it?

I was backing my utility trailer up my driveway over the weekend, and I had to slip the clutch the whole way. It's a short 4x8 so it requires slow going and frequent correction. I didn't smell anything out of the ordinary afterwards, but it made me wonder about it.

I know clutches are a wear item but I'm not sure I want to swap one all the same.
they can smell and end up fine, and they can not smell and never recover. If you keep rpm low (idling speed) while dragging the clutch you will be fine, they can keep that up whole day. It's much worse if you add rpm and power and then slip the clutch
 
Your typical passenger vehicle MT is a pain to back up a trailer with. They're geared too high. No pretty way to do it.
 
Yeah it isn’t fun. I was out in the field one day and it really did not like uneven soft terrain. Thankfully it will be a while before I have to pull the trailer out there again.

my tdi was fine but this Camry has zip for torque at idle.
 
Sometimes depending on how the vehicle is geared you have no choice but to slip the clutch under those conditions. Does it cause extra wear? Unfortunately yes. Having said that many clutches driven as you mentioned still last a very long time.
 
The way I learned was to consider the RPM difference between the input and output. If you're revving the engine to 3000 RPM and trying to engage that clutch disc moving at 0 RPM you have major slippage and wear. If you're bumping the clutch to keep it moving slowly at idle speed wear will be minimal. Sometimes reverse is just geared too high and there is no other way.
 
I plugged in my scanguage once while backing the trailer up under load, flat ground but it was dirt so I think the narrow tires were sinking in a bit. Engine heated up nicely while doing that, no small clutch slip there.
 
Can you abuse a clutch withoutI check making it smell like burnt clutch? Or is that the definition: if you heat it up enough to smell, then you've abused it?

I was backing my utility trailer up my driveway over the weekend, and I had to slip the clutch the whole way. It's a short 4x8 so it requires slow going and frequent correction. I didn't smell anything out of the ordinary afterwards, but it made me wonder about it.

I know clutches are a wear item but I'm not sure I want to swap one all the same.
 
I have tested clutches in my cars, and ones I'm interested in buying, by shifting into highest gear, setting parking brake hard, applying power, and slowly releasing clutch. If engine stalls, clutch is good. If not, clutch is weak and needs replacing. Crude, quick test- pass or fail
 
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