Smokin' Clutch

Hi all. I have the 2.7 5 spd manual. I love it. Today I hauled my boat for the first time. Boat trailer and gear are aprox 4500. The ramp was quite steep. I messed up. I had it in L4 but it was not engaged in L4, it was in H4. The truck really struggled up the ramp. At the top the truck was smoking; I could only think it was the clutch. Any similar experiences out there? How can I tell if I damaged the clutch? I'm still under warranty. I appreciate your feedback.

 

first of all, towing 4500lbs is too much for a 4cylinder, the book says somthing like 3500lbs. how did the clutch slip? were you slipping the clutch to keep the RPMs up all the way up the ramp?... or was the clutch let all the way out and still slipping?... or did you just slip it alot at the bottom to get going and then it was fine all the way up?

 

Yes, I did slip it alot to get going. After I got going RPM's would slowly drop until I stopped on top of the ramp (50-75ft). On top of the ramp I noticed smoke and burning smell coming out under the truck for about 10 seconds. I stopped let everyhting cool down and procedded my tow (8miles) back home with no issues. I really feel like a jerk for not making sure I was in L4.

 

well, i slip the clutch in my truck quite a bit to get going on a hill with our backhoe behind the truck (like 6500+lbs) and mine still seems to be fine. dont think i've got mine to the point of actually seeing smoke come out from under the truck. sure have smelled it a few times though.
i say drive it for a while and see if it seems fine, if it does then just watch out next time.

 

It's fine, I do it all the time up steep drives with my boat. My boat also weighs 4,000+lbs. with gas and gear. There no way around it alot of times simpy because you cant put it in 4LO to get up a hill if your merging with traffic atop that hill.

 

i slip my clutch alot it is not good for it but it takes alot to ruin one, i put two clutches in my old taco due to slipping the clutch constently when offroad all the time. if it was a quick on time thing you should be okay. and 4,500lbs it alot for a 4 cyl.

 

yea these clutches are "dry" meaning it's easy to burn one out.. UNLIKE motorcycle clutches, which are "wet" meaning they're bathed in oil and are meant to be slipped more often. Definitely try to minimize your slippage.

Yea, that means you weren't getting enough power in your current gear and the engine was slowly losing to the trailer. That means you gotta downshift (although i'm assuming you were already in first) or else slip the clutch a little more (unfortunately) and get the RPMs up to a high enough range that the engine will pull the trailer without slowing down.

Aka.. Problem: 2nd gear, no clutch, gas floored, slowing down RPMs
Solution: Increase engine power by getting the RPMs up, either by downshifting or slipping clutch until they're high enough to stay up there

 

If you're already moving as fast as you want to and you have to slip the clutch to maintain speed.. you need a bigger engine for the load you have. Sorry.