Clutch Question

[Jspafford]

First off, this may be completely normal operation..

I know my way around a transmission, I've replaced it twice so I know about how the clutch operates, etc.

This current clutch is the LUK from Pepboys. It has between 25-30K on it, been in there since 2006.

Ok, so this weekend, I had to close up and winterize my mom's camper. I only have the B2 and the wife's Sport Trac. I used to load up the F-250, but this is all I have. I knew I had a bunch of stuff to load, so I took my small 4x8' trailer.

I loaded about 10-15 cinder blocks on it, a steel fire ring (semi rim) and some other crap. I have no idea the weight. It pulled it fine, though.

We had torrential downpours most of the overnight hours Friday night. When I went to get in the truck Sat morning I was sinking into the ground just walking. Anyway, I hitched up the trailer which was up out of the way. I needed to load some more stuff onto it. I pulled it down the hill and started to back it into the camping lot. I had to back it uphill. I was on gravel, but was going to end up in the grass.

As I began to back up the truck kept wanting to stall, obviously, load going backwards up a hill. So I had to keep giving it more throttle. Then the rear tire hit the grass. It immediately began spinning. Set e-brake, got out, locked hubs, shifted into 4-Hi. Went at it again.

The trailer has narrow 4.80X8 tires which began to sink almost immediatly.

Anyway... Long story short... I know too late!

There was a time in backing up that I had the clutch pedal completely released... or it sure as hell felt like it and I was not moving. The truck was trying to stall, but it never did.

It just did not feel right. So I ended up jerking it back into 4-Lo and it was fine.

My question is, is it possible for a clutch to just not hold and then be fine at all other times. Is the clutch just not big enough?

On the way home with it I floored it in 4th and I have no slipping.

Weird...

 

[gw33gp]

There was a time in backing up that I had the clutch pedal completely released... or it sure as hell felt like it and I was not moving. The truck was trying to stall, but it never did.

It just did not feel right. So I ended up jerking it back into 4-Lo and it was fine.

My question is, is it possible for a clutch to just not hold and then be fine at all other times. Is the clutch just not big enough?

On the way home with it I floored it in 4th and I have no slipping.

Weird...

When you say the clutch pedal was completely released, I take it you mean the clutch pedal was all the way out. That means the clutch was fully engaged as opposed to being released. That makes your statement a little confusing.

As long as it is still working without slipping, it is most likely OK. You may have overheated the clutch a little by slipping it in 4WD hi to get everything moving. This could cause the clutch to slip a little when fully engaged under high load.

I don't know much about LUK but it may be a bit on the weak side. The clamping force of the pressure plate may be suitable for normal driving but doesn't stand up well to heavy duty use.

 

[Jspafford]

Correct. With the pedal completely released... Meaning up all the way.

I think if I do another clutch I will do the 4.0L clutch.

LUK is supposed to be comparable to the OEM.

 

[tanbuddy]

Happened to me before in 2 hi on pavement. I was trying to push my friends dead truck uphill, but that didnt work. Slowly engaging it just made it slip. If i let it out harder it spun the tires. The clutch worked fine after that, and i know to use low range from now on lol

 

[4x4junkie]

I think if I do another clutch I will do the 4.0L clutch.

Best thing you could do.

My stock 8-7/8" clutch was the same way, it's just too damn small. Any little bit of heat and it stops grabbing all the way.