Off Roading with a clutch = Bad idea?

[sledgehammer1990]

One night, I got kinda bored and started cruising around. I put both front tires evenly up against a 6" high curb and was just gonna climb over it. I was in 2WD because if I put it in 4WD, the front left hub won't unlock unless I take off the wheel and unlock it manually. I have to get some sort of spring its missing.

Anyway, I gave it some gas and started to let off the clutch at the same time. White smoke started billowing out and I backed off. There was a burning smell and I thought I might have been burning up the clutch. Is this possible?

 

[nitro71]

Shouldn't be. Clutches are fine for off roading. If you're really slipping it and roasting the tires I'd expect some clutch smell. I was towing out a fork lift with a chevy 1500 or something and I was riding the clutch, it was on asphalt to. It smelt bad. No little curb climbing there.

 

[eXcali]

Imagine a 6inch curb as a chockblock, if both your tires are against it and they aren't drive tires you have essentially just chocked them. So your rear tires would be pushing the front tires against the curb. I've used a 4x4 manual tranny offroading, I believe your problem was simply having it in 2wd as I described.

 

[sledgehammer1990]

Well, thats good to know. I kinda thought it was because of not having the front tires pulling my over the curb as well.

 

[IZwack]

You need a numerically higher ratio drive train.

 

[Anime]

Clutches can be better for off-roading if you know what you're doing and have the right equipment.

Having larger tires, lower gears, lockers, and other expensive stuff is what makes it easier.

 

[BrianDye]

Also an iPod to have some mood setting music while your doing it.

Lol jk, but it seems like having a clutch could go either way..good or bad, but deff put in in 4x4 if your climbing a curb or somethin haha.

 

[Burns]

I have smoked my clutch once or twice. I slipped and didnt see it was not in lo-range.

You can easily smoke the clutch

 

[nitro71]

I have smoked my clutch once or twice. I slipped and didnt see it was not in lo-range.

You can easily smoke the clutch

Hence the name.. BURNS!

 

[FireZapper]

Double low and 513's. My clutch has never slipped in 3 years.


Now 327's and 34's it slipped for about a week till I got the gears swapped.


It is all about the gears. Even with an auto, too tall of a gear you will fry the tranny.

 

[HahnsB2]

It's all about knowing HOW to slip the clutch. I've never smoked mine or slipped it enough to ever smell it. Use low RPMs when you have to slip it, high RPMs will build much more heat.
And also, that is what low range is for! There's zero reason to use high range on the trails, at best it's good for some mud, some sand and snowy roads.

 

[sledgehammer1990]

Also an iPod to have some mood setting music while your doing it.

Lol jk, but it seems like having a clutch could go either way..good or bad, but deff put in in 4x4 if your climbing a curb or somethin haha.

Haha, already got the Zune installed and clutch is bad in slow moving traffic. At least I know it isn't that bad, thanks for the help everyone.