5 Signs Your Clutch May Be Failing

While technology has brought vast improvements to truck transmissions and electronics, the job of your clutch remains the same. It’s the “middleman” that links your engine’s flywheel to the transmission gearing.

Industry data suggests that the average lifespan of a clutch ranges from 350,000 miles, or four years, to 500,000 miles, or five to six years, depending on the truck and its application. Of course, driving habits are a big factor, too. Riding the clutch, upshifting before reaching top gear speed, and engaging the clutch while coasting will all wear a clutch out faster.

A failing clutch will show signs that it’s near the end of its life, so pay attention to the following:

• Noise – Most people know to listen for grinding noises, but growling noises are a concern too, as they may indicate a bad release bearing.
• Hard to shift – Difficulty getting a truck in gear, even after a recent clutch adjustment, can indicate that a disc spring is broken, among other things.
• Unexpected engine revving – If the engine revs in higher gears when you’re on the throttle and under load, your clutch is slipping and may need to be replaced.
• Creep – Your truck may creep forward when the clutch pedal is pushed all the way down because the clutch isn’t disengaging.
• Drivability – Even after a clutch adjustment, your truck is still difficult to control. It launches with the slightest movement of the clutch pedal or doesn’t engage until the pedal is at the top of its release point.

When it comes time to replace a clutch, Road Choice® is always the right choice for new, cost-effective truck parts. Road Choice clutches are specially designed to make driving easier by delivering a soft pedal. In fact, these revolutionary clutches – which are built in the United States, constructed of all-new materials and backed by a two-year / unlimited mile warranty – require up to 25 percent less pedal effort than an equivalent standard unit.

Our ceramic friction material offers a high coefficient of friction (COF), which results in low wear, high reliability and increased torque capacity. In addition, our bushings are pressed and then crimped into the sleeve to extend bushing life. And we only use sealed permanently lubed release bearings on all of our Road Choice clutch assemblies.

Road Choice offers two great clutch options to fit your specific power transmission needs:

• Road Choice self-adjusting clutches have a special seal and patent-pending technology to prevent contamination. Each clutch incorporates a robust adjuster design to ensure proper adjustment mile after mile. And they also have the capability for manual adjustment, if needed.
• Manual-adjust clutches from Road Choice include enhancements such as fiber spacers and single-motion self-locking adjusters. Disc springs are made of cryogenically treated steel in a process that virtually eliminates spring failure.

You can find detailed parts information and an installation guide for Road Choice clutches in the Road Choice product catalog.