The clutch is an essential part of your truck, and although they are designed to be long-lasting and durable, they do bear the brunt of a lot of wear and tear. There are ways to reduce the impact of your driving on your clutch to make it last longer by reducing the stress you put it under – taking your truck out of gear and into neutral when waiting at traffic lights or in long queues, for example – but no clutch will last forever.
When things start to go wrong with your clutch it can make the vehicle dangerous or even impossible to drive. Luckily there are a lot of easy to spot warning signs, varying from slightly irritating to really hazardous, which can warn you that your clutch may need to be replaced. These signals range from smells to sounds and sensations.
When these warnings start popping up when driving your truck, don’t ignore them! The sooner you respond to the signs the better. Keep an eye out for these signs and you can get ahead of the game and get your truck clutch replaced before any serious damage is done.
Soft or spongy clutch pedal
One of the earliest signs that your clutch may need replacing is a soft or spongy feel to the clutch pedal. If your clutch pedal starts to feel spongy, or needs to be pushed down further than it used to be in order to function, this could be a warning that your clutch is starting to fail.
Getting to know how your clutch pedal normally feels is an essential part of looking after your vehicle, as it will help you to be aware of any changes as they occur. Noticing a subtle difference in the feel of your clutch could prevent more serious issues later on.
Slipping gears
If you find your truck slipping out of gears uncontrollably or seemingly at random, this is a sign that your clutch may be starting to fail. You might notice sudden revving or feel some hesitation as your truck slips out of gear without any input from you.
Not only is this very annoying as a driver, it can also become an issue of safety for both yourself and other drivers on the road, as it can make driving your truck dangerous as the vehicle becomes harder to control. Having problems trying to keep your truck in gear is a very clear signal from your vehicle that the clutch isn’t performing as it needs to, and so it may be time to order a replacement part.
Sticky clutch pedal
As soon as you notice your clutch starts to feel sticky, you should stop driving and seek the help of a mechanic. If your clutch pedal ends up fully stuck down it renders your truck undriveable and this could be dangerous if you get caught out on the road.
This is another reason to make sure you pay attention to the feel of your clutch pedal underfoot under normal circumstances, so that you can very quickly recognise a change. You don’t want to find yourself out on the road with an unusable clutch pinned down to the floor.
Burning smell
A burning smell when you use your clutch is a surefire way of knowing the clutch needs replacing. The smell could be very subtle or overwhelming in strength, but either way it should be taken notice of.
A burning smell from your vehicle at any time is a cause for concern, whether it’s coming from your clutch or the wheels, engine or anywhere else, so should always be treated with caution. To see if a burning smell may be coming from a failing clutch you might notice that the smell coincides with slipping gears or an odd sensation when pressing down the clutch (either stickiness or sponginess).
Strange noises
If your clutch is having issues, you might notice strange noises when you change gear. It may be the same sort of grinding sound you hear if you get the timing wrong with your clutch and gear shift when changing gears, just happening without any manual errors at all or much more frequently. The sounds could also be more like clunking or even banging.
As a general rule, any sounds that you don’t recognise coming from your vehicle whilst driving should be treated very carefully. If they happen when you’re changing gear then it may well be the clutch that needs replacing, but it is worth checking with a mechanic.
If you keep on top of these warning signs you can save yourself from a lot of issues down the line by simply getting a replacement truck clutch early on. At Premier Truck Parts we are trusted independent suppliers of every truck part you could ever need including, of course, replacement clutches. We carry out thorough tests and checks on all of our parts, so you can rest assured that your new clutch will stand the test of time.
With our super fast delivery, you could have your replacement clutch delivered the next day or even the same day you realise you need one.
For advice or to order a replacement clutch for your truck, get in touch with our team today. We have been supplying replacement truck parts for over 20 years and will be more than happy to use our expertise to help you.
