Clutch Wear

Nick-Mandy

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Hi folks,

I recently ventured out to north of Barnstaple in North Devon. I encountered the ridiculous 10%, 16%, and 25% gradients. Not a real issue, but stupidly, I filled both fuel and water tanks up to the top beforehand. This caused me on one or two (maybe three) occasions to really put excessive stress on the clutch.

Away from that area, I continued to go up and down the gearbox excessively for another day or so, although this time the fuel level was half as much and water tank was 20% full.

Now in an area of reasonable hills and valleys, after a while driving I get a smell of overheating (I presume from the clutch plates).

My 3.5 ton vehicle has only travelled 10,700 miles from new, and although the clutch still works perfectly, I am stressed out that I've damaged the clutch so early on in its life.

I am no mechanic so I rely on experienced motorhomers help here.

How long should a clutch last? (I thought 60k miles, but I maybe wrong).
Are there any signs that indicate in advance that the clutch plates are on their way out?
Can they be checked for wear without splitting the gearbox?
Should I be worried and just be careful in future?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
 
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The clutch only wears when it is slipping. Keep your foot off the pedal and it should last several million miles. Though I'm not sure how that would be possible!
If you change gear neatly with little or no 'slur' the only time the clutch will wear is when you stop and start. So chances are it'll last a few hundred thousand miles.
If you use the clutch to hold on hills, or you prod the clutch to keep the engine alive under heavy load, you can wear the clutch out in five thousand miles or less.
The reality will normally be somewhere in between.
If you bought the van secondhand, you can't tell who drove it before, so you can't guess how long the clutch will last. Nobody can give a sensible figure.
 
It's also worth noting the difference between the dynamic coefficient of friction and the static coefficient.

If the clutch starts slipping, reduce the load (throttle) until it grips, then you can ease the power back on.

Also be aware that slipping makes it hot. Heating makes it slip. So ease off to let it cool down.

If the heat builds up for a long time, it can weaken the pressure plate springs, which leads to slipping, heat. But that's pretty rare.

Much more common failure is the release bearing, which isn't designed for continuous operation. Rest your foot on the clutch pedal and you overstress the release bearing
 
Have you noticed a sudden rise in engine revs without a similar increase in speed that is the prominent sign of clutch slip . It is unlikely that a burn smell will occur without noticing the above . If you are using the clutch properly going up and down gears should not really be a problem . HTSH .
 
Have you noticed a sudden rise in engine revs without a similar increase in speed that is the prominent sign of clutch slip . It is unlikely that a burn smell will occur without noticing the above . If you are using the clutch properly going up and down gears should not really be a problem . HTSH .
I think I am over worrying.
 
A burning clutch plate has a distinctive smell, unlike a normal engine overheating smell. A DPF regenerating also can have a smell that can be similar to a burning clutch. I noticed this with a Kia that we had a few years ago, I worried it was the clutch but the smell went away and the clutch was fine.
You‘re more likely to notice the clutch slipping when driving, than to smell it.
 
A burning clutch plate has a distinctive smell, unlike a normal engine overheating smell. A DPF regenerating also can have a smell that can be similar to a burning clutch. I noticed this with a Kia that we had a few years ago, I worried it was the clutch but the smell went away and the clutch was fine.
You‘re more likely to notice the clutch slipping when driving, than to smell it.
Yes, in the first month I used my new motorhome, the dealership skipped pass the DPF regenerating and a vehicle fire did cross my mind.
I think I got this confused with a overheated clutch.
With everyone's expert advice, I know now there isn't anything wrong with the clutch (but maybe the driver).

Thank you all.
 
Do you smell the smell going up or coming down these gradients? If it’s down then it’s just the smell of your brake linings.
 

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