The Importance Of Working With The Right Mechanic

Clutch dragging is what happens when you try to change the gears, but the clutch struggles to disengage from the current one. You should suspect that this is the case if you also hear a loud noise while trying to change gears. Here are four things that may make your clutch drag:

Warped Pressure Plate

The pressure plate is a spring covered with a metal cover. When you press the clutch pedal, it provides friction for the clutch disc, which transfers the power to the flywheel for the disengagement of the gears. If the pressure plate is damaged or warped, then it won't provide this necessary friction. The imperfections are common in old trucks or those whose transmissions have been damaged, but you haven't rebuilt it. The solution is to have your mechanic replace the warped pressure plate.

Slack Cable or Worn Out Seals

Vehicles use either clutch cables or hydraulic systems to connect the clutch pedal to the other components of the clutch system. If your truck uses a cable system, and it slackens, then the result may be a clutch drag. The slackening is usually caused by normal wear and tear that causes the cable to stretch. If this happens, then pressing the pedal may not transmit the necessary power to disengage the gears.

As for the hydraulic clutch systems, the damage occurs if the seals wear out, and the fluid leaks. It may also happen if the seal damage allows air to leak into the hydraulic fluid. In both cases, the viscosity of the fluid is interfered with, and it doesn't transmit the requisite power.

Deal with the problem by regularly servicing the clutch system; it's particularly necessary to replace worn out seals or adjust slackened cables. Riding the clutch, a practice that involves resting your foot on the pedal to avoid complete release, is a bad driving habit that may cause this problem.

Contaminated Driven-Plate Faces

The driven plate, which is also known as the clutch disc, operates largely because of its friction lining. Moisture, oil, grease and other contaminants reduce the friction of these plates' faces, which interferes with the effectiveness of the plates. Regular cleaning of the components is necessary to get rid of the contaminants and maintain the requisite friction.  

Never ignore this problem, even if the clutch drags only for s short while before disengaging and engaging. If you continue operating the truck in this condition, then a domino effect may ensue, and other parts of the transmission system may be damaged too. Contact a service technician, like Color Country Diesel Inc, for more information.