It’s essential to keep your clutches in good condition so that your industrial vehicles can run smoothly. Clutches play a very vital role in the industrial vehicles and therefore need to be maintained well every time to avoid any breakdown or unnecessary wear and tear. While most of these clutches come with maintenance manuals from the manufacturer, some are not so easy to understand, and you need help maintaining all industrial transmission parts. This article will provide a complete guide on how you can maintain your clutches to ensure better and longer service.
- Reduce the Heat from Internal Friction
Reducing heat is one of the most important ways of maintaining industrial clutches. Reducing heat from internal friction helps to avoid problems such as an increase in internal friction like if the clutch is engaged partially by shifting gears. Slipping the clutch to gain extra momentum when carrying a heavy load leads to a high level of heat generation because of the internal friction.
If you want your clutch to last longer, don’t force the gears to gain extra momentum. Instead, start with the slower gear as you move on. Don’t let the slipping action reduce the lifespan of your industrial clutch. Slipping produces too much heat, which endangers the clutch of an industrial vehicle.
- Draw Air Out of the Liquid
Make sure you draw out the air that has been generated by the internal friction in the clutch. The air is normally found in the hydraulic fluid, which activates the clutch. The clutch will not function well or will have negative performance due to the spongy air effect. Removing the air out of the hydraulic fluid takes different forms. You can apply automated bleeding, which is simpler in the most equipped industrial vehicles. There is also the manual one, which involves the use of a bleed screw on the cylinder of the clutch. Open it while your colleague presses the pedal to the floor. Close the bleed screw before releasing the pedal and ensure all the air inside has been drawn out.
You can top up the hydraulic fluid after a good air bleed. Check and keep an eye on the fluid color. If you notice that it has turned dark and cloudy, you should replace it to improve the performance of the clutch.
- Operate Your Clutch Properly
Make sure you are aware of other operational habits that can cause damage to the clutch and other industrial transmission parts. Though the most part in the clutch that damages so often is the inside plate, you should also be aware of other bad operational habits like the throw-out bearing, which occurs mostly in the industrial vehicles. Avoid putting a small amount of pressure in the pedal when it is not engaged. You can avoid such by simply putting your left foot on the floor when you don’t need to shift gears. By doing this, you will be increasing the durability of your clutch.
- Use the Handbrake
Don’t leave your vehicle parked when you have engaged the clutch. Engaging the clutch when parking your vehicle exposes the disks to constant strain which can cause damages. Leave your vehicle in the neutral then engage the handbrake. You will extend the life of your clutch by using the handbrake to park your vehicle.
Proper maintenance of your clutches ensures durability and smoother operations. This also gives you peace of mind as you won’t run operational problems often because of constant damages. Maintaining the clutch not only improves the efficiency of the vehicle but has a positive ecological impact; hence you must take this seriously.
