Give Midlane Truck & Trailer Repair a call right away if your truck’s clutch is acting up. A clutch can generally last anywhere from 50,000 miles to 100,000 miles. After this time, the clutch will need to be replaced or rebuilt. We can inspect your clutch and determine the best course of action to repair it. We are going to list the signs that your clutch is going bad below.
Changes in the Clutch’s Feel
One thing that happens with a bad clutch is that it starts to feel different underneath your foot. The clutch may sink to the floorboard without catching or it may feel soft and spongy. In some cases, the clutch will also be extremely difficult to depress. The clutch should always give you the same resistance. If it doesn’t, there is something wrong.
Higher Catch/Bite Point
In addition to changing how it feels underneath your foot, a faulty clutch may also end up with a higher catch point than normal. This is the point where the clutch catches and you shift the gears. Sometimes, when a clutch is going out, the catch point will get higher and higher until you have the clutch replaced. We can do that for you at our shop.
Burning Odors/Overheating
Your clutch may also start to release burning odors because it is overheating. This is a problem called “slipping.” When a clutch slips, it is no longer able to stay engaged even though you still have the pedal pressed down. This causes the clutch to generate too much heat and creates the additional problems we are going to discuss next.
Problems Shifting the Gears
When the clutch is engaged, it can be nearly impossible to shift the gears. When the clutch is engaged, it has taken the power away from the engine and moved it to the transmission so you can shift the gears seamlessly. If the clutch slips out of engagement, you will have difficulty shifting the gears because the power is still with the engine.
Hesitating Acceleration
You will also notice that your truck’s acceleration hesitates when you release the clutch. This, too, is a sign that the clutch has slipped out of engagement and the transmission does not have the power that it needs to turn the drivetrain, i.e., the truck’s wheels.
Gears That Grind or Growl
It’s a safe bet that the clutch has slipped if your gears grind or growl every time you shift them. Again, the power is still with the engine when it shouldn’t be, and this is why the gears make a grinding noise when you shift the gearshift.
Call Midlane Truck & Trailer Repair in Eugene, OR, today if your truck is having clutch problems. It doesn’t matter if you drive a light-duty truck or a semi.