Clutch Murderers!!

Well you can't blame this failure on any manufacturer Axle , but this special dual plate clutch fromExidy , made espically for SuperPatrol failed badly.

Due to a bog hole being deeper than expected water was coming in thru the driver side window so the kids couldn't open the door else in would flood the car so by the time they got out the window and winched the bell housing had cooled and sucked in lot of water however the water had mud and grass in it (Swamp) so if you look carefully you will see grass around the fingers edges.

Normally not a problem but with 400kw , well you Know !

Jeez Robin!, ..Better take them back in time , and buy them all Beetles, at least they floated...Lol.......That's looks a very strong unit though.



Cheers Axle.

Axle, I've had my patrol since new so I know that the clutch is original. It's towed a plenty and been just about everywhere and still going strong! Its just clicked over 355,000 Ks.. I often wonder how a clutch can fail in 40 or 50,000ks. They must be given a hard time or some just done know how to use one with some sympathy! But then, just check out Youtube to see what people expect a 3 tonne vehicle to achieve ! Michael

My mates old NA Gq has just clocked up 600000ks on the orinigal driveline. I use to be forever replacing clutchs as a young bloke, but only one in the last 25 years.
Cheers Pete

OH hell I know what ya mean by clutch murderers, I've driven with some people who have terrible clutch habbits.

One bloke, y'd think he didn't have a hand brake, he'd hold the thing on a hill waiting for the lights or at a stop sign using the clutch.

Another would leave his foot permanently on the clutch pedal as if it was some sort of foot rest.

The bloke down the road would come past our place every day and in 200 meters he'd be thru 4 gears and riding the clutch into every one...engine cold and labouring all the way

Then there are those who start of in second gear because they can or are too lazy to shift an extra gear..of course they have to ride the clutch to do it.

Some people just should not be allowed to drive a manual.

By the same token, some vehicles have barely adequate clutches, most of the small japanese vehicles in the 80's had much bigger clutches than the 6 cylinder american derived vehicles like holden and ford of the same period.
It never made sense to me that a 1200cc honda civic had a bigger clutch than a 202 Torana......but it had a bigger crown wheel too.

I have also found that aftermarket clutch plates are better quality and more durable than fitted OEM by any brand....and that is without buying the up market replacement.

Yep I scratch my head and wonder why a 2 or 3 year old vehicle should require a replacement clutch......but why should a vehicle of the same age require a replacement radiator or exhaust system.

cheers

I'm no expert on clutches, but my understanding is they are either in or they are out. You only slip them to take off at the lights and you dont slip them when the revs are 5000rpm. I burnt a clutch out on my old gixxer learning how to do wheelies, since then I havent burnt any out.

If you are driving responsibly in the bush and taking care and NOT churning uo tracks you do need a good clutch to transmit the necessary torque to the wheels and often a high degree of torque is required.
No vehicle in the Australian bush needs anywhere near 400kw and although you can get the power out of an engine, having the power is a total waste.

No vehicle crawling through our bushland will ever require very many kw at all, torque yes, high power output NO. All vehicles travelling on the highway or bush use the torque and some power ability, only Police during pursuits require the high power. It is after all a rate of doing work. if you are in the bush then the rate is low.

To develop 400kw it won't be happening at an environment saving rate and only will be developed when the engine is running at far greater speeds than is required for bush work.

Savage and abusing comes to mind. To use the power of 400kw it has to be ripping up tracks, gouging mud holes and making the tracks impassable or other users.

Just having the power doesn't mean much at all and seems to be more a statement of increased manhood size, rather than being in proportion to the need.
Possibly, it is because of vehicles like this,authorities restrict and close access to our Australian bush.
To me it is nothing to crow about and something the users should be ashamed of.

Ross M

Good morning
Where would we be without young people doing things we have not done, making things better than we had, not doing any harm to themselves or anyone else, and enjoying themselves at the same time , all I can say to those young fellas, go for it .

Clutch murderers ?

I was once in a car pool with a chap who owned a Ford Cortina. He could only do one thing at a time so to change gears :

1. Take foot off accelerator.
2. Press in the clutch and change gear.
3. Let out clutch really fast until the gear box went Ting.
4. Press accelerator.

Strong gear boxes on those Cortinas.

Jerry.

Axle,
most Patrol owners know if you have a stock 4.2 and put 33" tires on it, you nearly have to slip the clutch to take off in first gear going down hill LOL
Cheers Dave

Clutch????
Oh yeh, I remember them, had one in an old FJ Holden.