Toughest clutch?

[TrexMex]

I have a 10" explorer clutch in my 2.9l truck and it won't slip taking off fast uphill on pavement like it did with the small clutch.

What's involved into doing this? just changing the flywheel for a 4.0 one?

 

[Will]

It has more inertia so it's harder to speed it up or slow it down. If you want more acceleration, lighten the flywheel. If you want the truck to be harder to stall when you release the clutch under a heavy load--make the flywheel heavier. The larger diamater also transalates into more area so with the same pedal feel you can get more total clamping force.

 

[gw33gp]

I am not sure it is a good idea to get in the middle of this but here goes anyway.

Michael and Alan, it seems you are both right but are talking about different circumstances. Alan, you are talking about the operation of the clutch overall and Michael seems to be talking about the clutch in a specific situation.

I have to agree with Michael regarding regarding clutch slippage while going down the road. If the clutch does not slip empty it should not slip while towing. This has nothing to do with start up problems, only after the vehicle is moving and the clutch is already engaged (not heated from slipping). The clutch will slip at a specific torque level and having an increased load will not increase the torque put out by the engine. If the vehicle is empty, at WOT the torque is used to accelerate the vehicle. If the vehicle is loaded, at WOT the torque is still used to accelerate the vehicle and load but at a slower rate.

Say the clutch is rated at 250 lb-ft of torque and the engine produces 200 lb-ft of torque. A load that requires 275 lb-ft of torque at the drive shaft will just bog down the engine until the driver wises up and down shifts the transmission to multiply the torque output of the transmission. The clutch will not slip until it gets worn enough that the rating of the clutch falls below the 200 lb-ft level.

If the clutch was very slightly slipping at WOT in a vehicle without a load it may be hard to detect but would become more apparent in a loaded vehicle because the slippage would probably occur over a longer time causing the clutch to heat up more and resulting in more slipping. That is a different circumstance though.

The clutch function and durability at start up is a whole other thing and Alan has that covered.

I use a Brute Force clutch when I replace an OEM clutch. I tow a lot and have had good results with them. I am sure there are better clutches but I know what works for me.

 

[rednine4]

as rpm increases centripedial force wis trying to flatten the diaphram spring and at higher rpm a diaphram clutch can be made to release itself completely! (thus the purpose of the weights on a centerforce clutch to counter this force)

I hate to burst any bubbles.... but a center force clutch "IS" and I mean "IS" (as in bought directly from LUK). A Luk clutch pro gold painted orange with added weights on the fingers of the pressure plate...... many engineers have proven that these weights dont work and in fact just bend the fingers at higher rpm. Think about it for a second... get a picture of a centerforce pressure plate and think about how the weights being on the outside of the diaphram can even have any effect on the clamping load???? the fingers bend because the fulcrum is outside the diaphram...



As for the clutch slipping issues.... If I load my truck down in 4x4 with overloaded weight stand it at 6k and side-step the clutch... the motor bogs and eventually dies... I've done this many times.. If I slowly disengage it at high rpm and then get all the way out of the clutch once it has been slipping, then it will continue to slip.... it's not hard to understand both of your arguements are legit in certain situations.