Burnt out clutch?

Clutchless

Hi there,

1st time poster on here.

I'm driving an 08 4X4 with very low mileage(18k). I'm based in Dublin so it really has only gotten road use. It was acting up last week so I brought it back to the main dealer who informed me that the clutch had burnt out.

I was really surprised at this, given that the mileage is so low and the fact that I am an experienced 4x4 driver.

I did however lend the vehicle to a friend to do some towing recently, and this only became an issue since then.

Is this a mere coincidence or could a days bad driving towing something heavy have done this much damage??

I ask as I know this person will want to borrow my jeep again and if he caused this then I would be disinclined to lend it to him again.

Apologies if this seems like a dumb question, but myself and the garage are wracking our brains as to how this happened, as it is a rare occurence.

Awaiting your replies.

Derek.

peasant

Towing something very heavy and/or towing while riding the clutch could easily kill your clutch within a few hours.

Drummerboy08

peasant wrote: »

Towing something very heavy and/or towing while riding the clutch could easily kill your clutch within a few hours.

A few hours? More like minutes, especially if the person was not experienced in driving a 4x4 whilst towing a heavy load. I've seen a clutch burnt out by a transporter driver, who couldnt get a van onto the lorry as it was wet.

I'd try to find out, exactly what was being towed, where it was towed to and from - is there any hill starts involved, is there a lot of traffic lights/junctions/roundabouts etc.
If there are any of the above, chances are it happened at one of them.

Clutchless

Really?

So it's likely that this friend of mine could have done the damage then?

That's disappointing.

This is my 3rd jeep and I've never had an issue with a clutch before, nor have I had one in a car previous to that.

Thank you for your speedy reply.

Derek

Drummerboy08

Sounds like your friend caused the damage so, considering it has never happened to you before.

robtri

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

A few hours? More like minutes, especially if the person was not experienced in driving a 4x4

Clutchless wrote: »

Really?

yep, it can be literally minutes not hours when towing stuff....

sorry to say, sounds like your mate is at fault....

Clutchless

Drummerboy, he would have been towing a big enough boat about a 250km distance and then up and down a relatively steep slipway.

This must have been the cause.

No lending of my jeep again. You do somebody a favour and this is the thanks you get:mad:

Derek.

kavoweb

absolutely no doubt that a clutch,even a brand new one can be burnt out in a jeep within an hour or so. i have seen it myself when a mate tried to tow in a mobile home onto a site .... bad driver = expense. (always) sorry mate.

peasant

Yepp ...heavy boat and heavy Jeep up a steep slipway, select first gear high instead of first gear low, let clutch out half way instead of fully and rev the whole shebang up the the slipway ...end of clutch.

It really can be done as quickly as that.


But even if you're doing nothing wrong, towing something that is just too heavy can also kill a clutch.
The clutch simply can't cope and starts to slip ever so slightly, which will burn it after a distance

Clutchless

The jeep itself would have a towing capacity of >3 tonnes, so should have been well able for the job.

It must have been the driver.

I have learnt a hard lesson.

Thanks guys.

Derek.

road_high

Have to say i'd be pretty mad. I hope he offers to pay for the damage ??

Clutchless

I'll have to have a think about it on how best to approach that one mfitzy.

I won't be lending him my vehicle again tho, I know that much.

Derek.

Matt Simis

My car is on its 3rd clutch in 18mths (2000miles)! I got it 3wks ago and the next day the clutch burnt out completely.
I wouldnt accept it could be that easy (ie stock clutch, new clutch than 12mths later another new clutch and flywheel, then I buy it, new clutch required again) but from bring the cltuch plate and disc to various places, they all said the same thing, you can destroy with within hours (not talking towing boats here!) from horsing around or bad clutch work.

To the Op, iif your friend can afford a boat, he can afford a dedicated (2nd hand cheap) towing car (or 4x4 if you wish) with an AUTO box!

reilig

Clutchless wrote: »

Drummerboy, he would have been towing a big enough boat about a 250km distance and then up and down a relatively steep slipway.

This must have been the cause.

No lending of my jeep again. You do somebody a favour and this is the thanks you get:mad:

Derek.

It is a 6 speed landcruiser that you have by any chance?

I have a friend with one of these and the first clutch went at 20k km, the second at 35kkm and the third (which was brought in from the UK especially for it) at just over 60k. He is currently on his 4th and its a 07 model.

Its a company 4x4 so he's not too worried about the cost, but he has been driving landcruisers for 15 years and this one just seems to have a weakness which causes excessive wear on the clutch. He pulls a light trailer an odd time, but nothing excessive.

Clutchless

Matt Simis wrote: »

To the Op, iif your friend can afford a boat, he can afford a dedicated (2nd hand cheap) towing car (or 4x4 if you wish) with an AUTO box!

Perhaps.

Although I have found a manual box to be better when it comes to towing boats up slipways, it gives you more control.

As a previous contributor said, he must not have selected 1st gear low range and knackered the clutch.

The tide would have been low when he was removing the boat too, so the manouvre would have involved quite a steep sharp inclined.

Eitherway, I am now as my username states me to be 'clutchless' and facing me a nice little bill:rolleyes:

Derek.

mickdw

I would be very annoyed and wouldnt be too worried about how I would put it to him.

Clutchless

Reilig it is not a Landcruiser but a Range Rover.

My third one and the first to ever give clutch trouble.

It's all quite mysterious, so I can only assume, for now, that my colleague did the damage.

Derek

kippy

Has your colleague ever borrowed a vehicle off you before?

He could easily have caused the damage without actually knowing it. I have to be honest I would assume a vehicle of that type would be well able to do what is asked of it in relation to towing and it would be relatively good at it, however I suppose if driven the wrong way it could cause problems.

Clutchless

Kippy,

No, He hasn't, he was stuck at the time so I gave him a helping hand.

He has a smaller type jeep himself, but it would not have anything like the gear or suspension system that my vehicle has. And I think this is what may have flummoxed him.

I should perhaps have pointed it out but one forgets these things when one gets used to them. However thinking about it I suspect that his own vehicle would not even offer a hi and lo gear range, so he probably just slapped my jeep into first and rode the clutch up the slipway.


It's disappointing, but ultimately I suppose I should have taken him thru it as opposed to just handing over the keys.

Such is life I suppose.

Derek.

kippy

Clutchless wrote: »

Kippy,

No, He hasn't, he was stuck at the time so I gave him a helping hand.

He has a smaller type jeep himself, but it would not have anything like the gear or suspension system that my vehicle has/Land rovers generally have. And I think this is what may have flummoxed him.

I should perhaps have pointed it out but one forgets these things when one gets used to them. However thinking about it I suspect that his own vehicle would not even offer a hi and lo gear range, so he probably just slapped my jeep into first and rode the clutch up the slipway.


It's disappointing, but ultimately I suppose I should have taken him thru it as opposed to just handing over the keys.

Such is life I suppose.

Derek.

Yeah, its a pity from both sides obviously. Have you mentioned it to him yet?
He may realise after you tell him (even if you dont make it obvious) that he could well have been a major factor in the issue.

road_high

Have to say you're taking it very well indeed. But at the end of the day it was his actions which cooked your clutch. How much will the repairs be?

Farls

Ouch, must of been your mate that done the damage. You should definitley get him to pay for the repair cost though, just tell him out right that the clutch is slipping since he borrowed it.

A mate of mine burned out the clutch on his 08 cruiser earlier this year towing a tractor, he tried to get it fixed under warranty but no go!

I've smelt my clutch once on my 08 L200 pulling a lad out of a ditch in the snow last winter but it was my own fault for not selecting 4wd low, luckily I noticed the smell right away and corrected myself.

You should ask if he noticed a funny smell going up the slip way? You can't miss the smell of a burning clutch.

road_high

I wouldn't be surprised if your friend noticed the clutch going after he had it and said nothing; mayb e that's just my cynical nature but that's human nature too!
Personally if I had borrowed what is presumably a very expensive vehicle (any new model Range rover is the guts of 100k new I understand) I would be so careful to mind it, particularly if I was towing such a large object.

CJhaughey

The reason the newer model Landcruisers have problems with clutches is that they have gone from a 260mm clutch to a 240mm unit, I guess to try and make the vehicle more 'carlike' and less like driving a light truck.
Thats a big difference in driven area.

Abelloid

Farls wrote: »

You should ask if he noticed a funny smell going up the slip way? You can't miss the smell of a burning clutch.

He must have IMHO.

antodeco

If you do need to tow something, what is the best course of action to prevent it?

R.O.R

Clutchless wrote: »

Reilig it is not a Landcruiser but a Range Rover.

My third one and the first to ever give clutch trouble.

It's all quite mysterious, so I can only assume, for now, that my colleague did the damage.

Derek

There's a bit of a funny smell off this, and it isn't the clutch.

AFAIK a 2008 Range Rover comes as an Auto only. I'm 99.9% sure they haven't put a manual box in to them since the new model in 2003.

Farls

R.O.R wrote: »

There's a bit of a funny smell off this, and it isn't the clutch.

AFAIK a 2008 Range Rover comes as an Auto only. I'm 99.9% sure they haven't put a manual box in to them since the new model in 2003.

Found 1 manual 08 RR on autotrader.co.uk

Autotrader RR

*Having looked at the pictures thought it *looks* like an auto!!!

Drummerboy08

R.O.R wrote: »

There's a bit of a funny smell off this, and it isn't the clutch.

AFAIK a 2008 Range Rover comes as an Auto only. I'm 99.9% sure they haven't put a manual box in to them since the new model in 2003.

Good spot. There's no price for a Manual variant anywhere I can see. According to the spec list, they all come with 6 speed auto boxes.

Anan1

R.O.R wrote: »

There's a bit of a funny smell off this, and it isn't the clutch.

AFAIK a 2008 Range Rover comes as an Auto only. I'm 99.9% sure they haven't put a manual box in to them since the new model in 2003.

I was thinking the same thing myself..

Clutchless

I'm very impressed by the knowledge on this forum:)

It's not a Range Rover I'm driving, it is a similarly large jeep, but not a Land Rover made one.

The clutch has been burnt out and the whole thing may be covered by warranty yet and I don't know who reads here so I don't want to say the exact vehicle, as if it is known that towing was involved I certainly won't get covered.

I trust that makes sense.

Derek.

Gran Hermano

antodeco wrote: »

If you do need to tow something, what is the best course of action to prevent it?

Reading this thread, best option seems to be to just borrow a mates.

Madame Razz

I actually have a Land rover in which the clutch has been replaced. Low mileage and genuinely no towing or off roading involved. It's being covered by warranty as nobody(including me) can figure out how it happened, so it's being put down to 'one of those things'

Can happen *very* occassionally with newer Land rovers apparently.

EDIT: I've just seen that the OP doesn't drive a Land rover. Oh well :rolleyes:

kippy

antodeco wrote: »

If you do need to tow something, what is the best course of action to prevent it?

Use a Massey Ferguson.

Zonda999

Clutchless wrote: »

I'm very impressed by the knowledge on this forum:)

It's not a Range Rover I'm driving, it is a similarly large jeep, but not a Land Rover made one.

The clutch has been burnt out and the whole thing may be covered by warranty yet and I don't know who reads here so I don't want to say the exact vehicle, as if it is known that towing was involved I certainly won't get covered.

I trust that makes sense.

Derek.

Fair enough but its fairly unlikely!:)

Drummerboy08

Clutchless wrote: »

Reilig it is not a Landcruiser but a Range Rover.
My third one and the first to ever give clutch trouble.

Clutchless wrote: »

He has a smaller type jeep himself, but it would not have anything like the gear or suspension system that my vehicle has. And I think this is what may have flummoxed him.

Clutchless wrote: »

I'm very impressed by the knowledge on this forum:)
It's not a Range Rover I'm driving, it is a similarly large jeep, but not a Land Rover made one.

Im confused now. At first you claimed it wasnt a Toyota Landcruiser, but a Range Rover. You also claim that your jeep has fairly sophisticated suspension, which a Range Rover does have.

Now, Here's the funny bit. When someone copped that a Range Rover doesnt actually have a manual gearbox, you claim that its not a Range Rover? This doesnt make any sense, and does indeed smell funny. You claim to have had three of them, so you should know it inside out, never mind what model it is.

BTW, no matter what it is, it is very easy for an experienced mechanic to tell whether or not a clutch has been damaged by driver error or wear and tear. I dont think you'll get this covered as easy as you think.

unkel

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

When someone copped that a Range Rover doesnt actually have a manual gearbox, you claim that its not a Range Rover? This doesnt make any sense, and does indeed smell funny.

+1

All current model Range Rover and Range Rover Sport are automatic afaik. Maybe it's a Discovery? I can understand OPs initial hesitation to mention a make and model, but changing the make / model halfway through the thread is akin to lying. Why don't you tell us the truth, OP?

CJhaughey

unkel wrote: »

+1

All current model Range Rover and Range Rover Sport are automatic afaik. Maybe it's a Discovery? I can understand OPs initial hesitation to mention a make and model, but changing the make / model halfway through the thread is akin to lying. Why don't you tell us the truth, OP?

The OP also said it wasn't Landrover made.
Doesn't leave many options.

kippy

CJhaughey wrote: »

The OP also said it wasn't Landrover made.
Doesn't leave many options.

I tell ya its a massey!

Madame Razz

I can kind understand the OP reluctance to give too much info away.

I started a thread on here when buying a vehicle and was asked out right by a salesman had I written the thread on the notoring forum on boards; so it goes to show you never know who reads here.

But if it isn't a Landrover, I'd say big Landcruiser, Patrol, or large Pajero.

They're the only 'Range Roveresque' vehicles around I think......

BTW....

*stupid girl question alert*

This thread has me all freaked.

Is it really all that easy to burn out a clutch?? I've been asked to lend my jeep a few times and this thread has made me think it won't be something I'll be doing in a hurry tbh.

Drummerboy08

Yes it is that easy im afraid!

If the op is worried about it, why did he say Range Rover, and then claim it wasnt? Its strange. A Landcruiser/Patrol/Pajero wouldnt be Range Rover-esque, they would only be a similar size. A Q7 or x5 would be along the same lines.

Madame Razz

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Yes it is that easy im afraid!

If the op is worried about it, why did he say Range Rover, and then claim it wasnt? Its strange. A Landcruiser/Patrol/Pajero wouldnt be Range Rover-esque, they would only be a similar size.

They'd be similar in towing capacity tho surely, and a Nissan Patrol certainly up there in price terms etc.

I think the OP was attempting a sort of decoy by making out that he had a 4x4 similar to his own....which burned obviously.....

A lot like his clutch really:p

Drummerboy08

Madame Razz wrote: »

They'd be similar in towing capacity tho surely, and a Nissan Patrol certainly up there in price terms etc.

I think the OP was attempting a sort of decoy by making out that he had a 4x4 similar to his own....which burned obviously.....

A lot like his clutch really:p

Its actually a PAthfinder these days, which retails at around €48k. A new RR Sport is around €71k.

Madame Razz

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Its actually a PAthfinder these days, which retails at around €48k. A new RR Sport is around €71k.

I've seen 08 Army Patrols about the place tho, so I assume they were still available in Ireland last year???

(I know Mitsubishi got the tender for the army vehicles this year)

Drummerboy08

Madame Razz wrote: »

I've seen 08 Army Patrols about the place tho, so I assume they were still available in Ireland last year???

(I know Mitsubishi got the tender for the army vehicles this year)

I think there were very few of them left, most of which went to the Army. The Pathfinder replaced it in 07 IIRC.

Madame Razz

Shame, they were a nice bus:)

Really don't like the Pathfinder I must say.


We're only a Cluedo game away from what the OP is driving:p

jayotala

""""*stupid girl question alert*

This thread has me all freaked.

Is it really all that easy to burn out a clutch?? I've been asked to lend my jeep a few times and this thread has made me think it won't be something I'll be doing in a hurry tbh.[/quote]""""""

You can burn out a clutch in any vehicle in a matter of minutes and if you really get it hot you'll blow a hole in the bell housing, which will prob result in a new gearbox. I've seen it more than once, a lot more. If you burn out a clutch in a vehicle with a flywheel you could end up damaging the flywheel, and they ain't cheap.

BlackWizard

I think he drives a Suzuki Jimmy but is afraid to admit it.

kirving

I'm telling ye lads, you want one of these!




Apart from a Q7 or an X5, what else would be in the same league as a Range Rover? The best option would probably be to buy a big old 4x4 just for towing if the OP's friend's 4x4 isn't up to the job.

CJhaughey

Kevin Irving wrote: »

I'm telling ye lads, you want one of these!




Apart from a Q7 or an X5, what else would be in the same league as a Range Rover? The best option would probably be to buy a big old 4x4 just for towing if the OP's friend's 4x4 isn't up to the job.

I would say the 100 series LC are a nicer vehicle, but you're right they aren't in the same league they are a step up:D