Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hey, another question about clutches. Has anyone had experience towing heavy loads for extended periods. I am towing a 3t van around OZ with my GU TD42 and after 13,000km appear to have stuffed the clutch. It was a new Sunbury Brakes Hardcore clutch which has ceramic buttons on pressure side and normal type clutch surface on the flywheel side. Has anyone had one of these clutches fitted and how did it perform. I have experienced a lot of shudder taking off unless you load it up heaps, if you take off gently it will shudder like all @%$#, don't believe its good for drivetrain. I am aware of the Safari tuff and 4 Terrain are there any others that are up to the task as it is under the pump all the time. Cost is not an issue. I also don't want it to be taken that I'm bagging the Hardcore clutch as until it is out and inspected I don't want to blame it(could be weeping oil seal). However there are plenty of people out there doing a lap with std Patrols towing similar not having problems. I am just after options and what others have experienced in a similar situation. At the moment I am in Brisbane and would like to know where I can get a clutch and a mechanic I can trust to change it. Any help appreciated!

has to be something wrong there 13000kms maybe its a factory fault in it, but also how do you drive it? do you ride the clutch alot? have you got bigger tyres? what diff ratios have you got? if you have 35's on 4.1's that will put alot of strain on it.

maybe its worth going for something like the Exedy sports tuff? i know alot of people with them that tow and it has never let them down.

but then again every one willhave their own opinions on clutches

you don't use button clutches for towing. they don't like to be slipped at all.

the biggest killer for clutches while towing is the driver. sorry to say it.

don't slip the clutch. use an organic clutch. use as little rev and as little clutch slip as you can to get moving, once you have the clutch all the way out, then feed the power in.

i had a customer a few years back with the same problem as you. he kept getting me to fit clutches, each more hardcore then the last. each time they would get less and less kms before failing.

i convinced him to put a stock clutch back in and change his driving style. as far as i know that clutch is still going.

I have a custom isuzu truck/nissan patrol hybrid clutch. I was told it will handle 600ft/lb. Its a full organic plate and is still as light as standard on the pedal.

I'm running 37" tyres as daily's and never had any issues with it.

nick performance clutchs in brisbane is the best by far!! give them a call

It could also be an issue with the flywheel.

1MadEngineer wrote:nick performance clutchs in brisbane is the best by far!! give them a call

Thats who builds these, talk to doug, he is a clutch guru for any application and horse power.

I would give Direct Clutch Supplies (Brisbane) a call. They have built many clutches for modified Patrols. I know they used to build lots of the winch challenge trucks and imagine they still do...

why is every one recommending a performance clutch in a towing application?


It's the wrong clutch for the job.
As far as he has told any of us, it's a stock TD42T, it's not making a hell of alot of power.


He was using a ceramic button clutch and slipping the hell out of it to mask a driveline shudder that was brought on by having the wrong clutch for job.

It's not surprising the clutch didn't last.

brad-chevlux wrote:why is every one recommending a performance clutch in a towing application?


It's the wrong clutch for the job.
As far as he has told any of us, it's a stock TD42T, it's not making a hell of alot of power.


He was using a ceramic button clutch and slipping the hell out of it to mask a driveline shudder that was brought on by having the wrong clutch for job.

It's not surprising the clutch didn't last.

Hence my recomendation above, isuzu truck is not exactly a performance machine but is designed to handle torque loads. I would not use a button clutch in anything street driven.

Hey Nastytroll, any idea on how those Isuzu/nissan hybrid clutches are priced, I'm almost in the market for one, need to know if I'm in the ballpark.

They sound like the ducks nuts

Cheers, Dano.

nastytroll wrote:I have a custom isuzu truck/nissan patrol hybrid clutch. I was told it will handle 600ft/lb. Its a full organic plate and is still as light as standard on the pedal.

I'm running 37" tyres as daily's and never had any issues with it.

x2 for the isuzu/patrol combo, i've had one fitted in the past and they are a heavy duty unit

Thanks for the input fellas have sourced a Safari Tuff and mechanic to change in Brisbane. Brad I only used this clutch on recommendation from the supplier and after actually using one for my application agree with your opinion as I was after the ST originally. I am sure the hardcore clutch would be fine in the right application and have found that the input shaft seal is leaking and that's why the slippage has occured(no fault of the clutch). I did contact the guy about the shudder a few months back and was told that it should disappear as the clutch bedded in so I gave it some time to develop as I did not want to pull the box while travelling. He did say that full ceramic clutches are grabby, but that ceramic/organic shouldn't have a problem and I will say that it is not as bad as it was initially. I have to pull the box to fix the seal so will put the organic clutch back in as recommended. After the trip is over and I get back to the workshop I have a few more performance mods planned so the Safari Tuff gets the nod.

dano80 wrote:Hey Nastytroll, any idea on how those Isuzu/nissan hybrid clutches are priced, I'm almost in the market for one, need to know if I'm in the ballpark.

They sound like the ducks nuts :D

Cheers, Dano.

Give doug a call mate at nicks performance clutches, I got mine years ago, I have 3 in 3 different gq's.

Safari Tuff from NPC + new seal from Nissan = me heading north for winter.

glad to see you got it fixed mate! have a good trip

Nice one!!! I love mine!!! Im sure youll love yours!!!!!!!!!!! GIVE IT HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!