CLUTCH SLIPPING

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 26, 20 November 1930, Page 6

CLUTCH SLIPPING

One of the commonest faults among novice drivers is excessive slipping of the dutch.

If you want to avoid the necessity of having your car's clutch readjusted too often and relined sooner than need be, do not let it slip, for the friction caused by slipping wears out the fabric facings prematurely and may overheat and warp the discs. *

The throw-out bearing is also severely punished when long-continued slipping occurs.

With the foot off the pedal, if the engine is heard racing or running faster, in high gear, than it should to produce the car speed noted at the instant, the dutch is slipping because it does not engage positively, and this condition should be corrected immediately before further harm is done. Even when the clutch is in perfect condition, it is possible to cause very severe slipping, in case the foot is habitually kept on the pedal, by involuntary pressure exerted there by a nervous driver.

Clutches run so easily that very slight pressure may cause partial disengagement allowing a continual slipping of the frictional .members one upon the other, which wui account in time fox serious wear of the parts involved.

It is so easy for the foot of an anxious novice to become too tense on the pedal that this effect is produced entirely unintentionally.

While every dutch pedal should be so adjusted that it may be moved forward a considerable distance from its position of rest before it begins to release the clutch at all, this free movement is likely to be exceeded by an apprehensive operator and slipping be caused.

As a precaution it is better to keep the loot off the- clutch pedal—but-within' in-

stant reach of itr—at all times except when it is to be used.

Intentional slipping, practised to accelerate a car from a very low speed on high gear, is not advisable, for to prevent stalling of the engine the dutch has to be held,in partial engagement for substantial periods", of time, and the wear on its surfaces is severe.

Changing to a lower gear does away with this abuse.

Never to slip a cluteii more than just enough to enable the engine to pick up the load of the car gently, at starting and after changing gears, is a good rule to follow, if its long service, without atiu;ance is to be expected. Incidentally clutch slipping wastes fuel and tends to overheat things.