While the old saying of “needing good tyres to put the power down” is true, without a performance 4×4 clutch – you won’t be putting any power down at all!
Your clutch transfers the engines power from the flywheel to the gearbox, which in turn drives your propshafts and axles. Replacing a clutch is not a quick or easy job, but the benefits of giving you this information now, is so that you don’t have an unfortunate circumstance when you’re sitting in the bush with your family, waiting to be rescued because the weight you’ve put on your rig has deteriorated your old clutch.
The main culprits leading to clutch failure are heat and plate wear that are caused by:
• Improper clutch technique by new and old drivers
• Too much torque as a result of software tuning or tunning chips.
• Weight overloading of vehicle (Heavy canopies, water tanks, fridges, bullbars and roof top tents)
And this is exactly why we recommend Terrain Tamer fortified clutches. Because if you look after your rig, it will certainly look after you.
The Terrain Tamer Fortified Clutch was purposely designed with the extreme weight and engine capacity of armoured vehicles in mind, the Terrain Tamer Fortified Clutch is ideal for vehicles with GVM upgrades (where the clutch is often the weakest point), or for those carrying extremely heavy loads or with increased power from upgrades such as chips, aftermarket exhausts and turbos, offering up to an 80% increase in torque capacity.
Employing exclusive Terrain Tamer tooling, and with all components made in Japan, the Fortified Clutch includes an innovative clutch disc design that utilises a unique combination of both Velvetouch ceramic material on the engine facing and organic material on the transmission facing. This design works to deliver smoother engagement, as well as an increase in damper spring capacity, friction material coefficient and the burst strength of the facing. Where applicable, it also features a 3 stage damper design.
The Fortified Clutch cover assembly features a spheroidal graphite anti burst pressure plate casting in order to both extend the life of the clutch, and allow it to run cooler in extreme situations, and is anodised for maximum corrosion resistance. It offers higher clamp loads and additional drive straps for strength, where required.
This should give you peace of mind when wondering to the open plains of the Kgalagadi, or before you depart for any international destinations such as Botswana or Namibia.
Trust us, the only item that you don’t want on your adventure, is a rescue!
Watch the episode below made by two Terrain Tamer employees in Australia on fitting their new heavy duty clutch plates to their Fly wheel. It will also show you where the Clutch plates go if you didn’t already know.
Plus, you will also see first-hand from the experts – as to why this vehicle modification is recommended by many 4×4 overlanders in South Africa.
Remember – if you’ve got a question about your current clutch please do get in touch with us below.
