Take the Guess Work Out of Clutch Maintenance With Road Choice® Self-Adjusting Clutches

As more OEMs turn to hydraulic linkage systems for new production trucks, fleet managers and owner operators are being presented with a problem – how to best identify and prevent premature clutch wear.

That’s because one of the challenges with hydraulic linkage systems is the lack of free travel in the clutch pedal. And without this free play, drivers may not know a clutch needs adjustment until they can’t get their vehicles in gear.

So how can you safeguard a vehicle against accelerated clutch wear or untimely failure? Consider upgrading any manual-adjust clutches in your fleet to a self-adjusting option such as the Road Choice® self-adjusting clutch.

Road Choice self-adjusting clutches deliver high quality at an affordable price by automatically sensing wear and adjusting to ensure they stay at the correct setting. And this is critical because properly adjusted clutches last longer and perform better, reducing unplanned downtime and costly driveline repairs.

Other features of the Road Choice self-adjusting clutch include:

• Cryogenically treated disc springs that stand up better to system stress and wear, virtually eliminating spring failure
• Premium copper-based friction material, which provides consistent torque and a long-lasting clutch life
• A patented actively expanding seal that prevents contamination of the adjusting threads
• A positively engaged ratchet system with a four-lug drive gear that has the capacity to deliver more than 50 ft-lbs of torque to the adjusting ring
• A self-locking worm gear to ensure responsive adjustment
• A unique design that prevents over-adjustment due to system shock by outside forces (i.e., backing into a dock or hitting potholes during disengagement)

Even fleets that are meticulous about manual clutch adjustments can save by upgrading to a Road Choice self-adjusting clutch. That’s because a manual-adjust clutch usually needs to be adjusted at least 13 times throughout its lifecycle. If you consider that every clutch adjustment takes roughly 15 to 30 minutes to perform, installing a Road Choice self-adjusting clutch will save you hours of labor costs per truck.

Before upgrading, though, be sure to resurface the flywheel to prevent premature clutch failure. If the distance between the flywheel’s friction surface and the top of the bold head that holds the flywheel to the crankshaft is less than 5/16”, you must replace the flywheel to ensure proper fit.

All Road Choice self-adjusting clutches are made in the United States with all-new components and feature a two-year, unlimited-mile warranty. To order yours, log on to the SELECT Part Store™ or explore our network of more than 500 North American retailers.