[seanzook06]

In the last two months I have installed a spool into an sj70. I'm that time since installation it has been through two clutches, and possibly on the way to a third. The first two were while out wheeling, partially due to driver error as the person driving the car was riding the clutch a little at the time, while going up steep rutted and rocky climbs.
Since then a heavy duty exedy clutch has been installed. It has only been driven twice since the install, both very short distances 5 - 10 k and no off-road driving. Carefull attention was paid not to ride the clutch at all. During the second drive I was in the passenger seat of the car, and once or twice noted the faint smell of burning clutch. At the time the clutch was not being ridden at all.
The driver noted that the springy feel of the heavy duty clutch is gone, and the pedal goes a long way up now before the clutch engages, as if the clutch is burning out.

A few things to note - the car is over tyred and under geared. 29 inch tyres with stock gearing. 4.9 gears are being installed on Monday to fix this.

I just want to know is the spool a direct cause of this problem. I don't see how a spool can kill a clutch in a couple of short on road drives particularly with a heavy duty clutch.
It seems each time a new clutch is installed it starts to go quicker than the last.
The first clutch was already on the way out when the spool was installed, but it lasted for a few weeks after the spool install including multiple wheeling trips
The second clutch lasted a two hour drive to the wattagans and died at the end of the first track of the day - taking the hard line climb out of cpt80, with no prior warning throughout the drive up or the rest of the track.
This brand new heavy duty clutch sounds like it's on its last legs after only two short drives,
To me there seems to be a pattern here.


Another thing to note, this isn't my car, however my car is also an sj70, and has been running the same tyres. It doesn't have a spool yet. My clutch has also been on its last legs since I bought it over a year ago, but I have had no issues with it burning out or slipping at all, despite being told by mechanic that I will need a new clutch soon.

My question is where to go from here? I will at least be pulling the diff out and double checking the spool Install, backlash specs, etc.
It would be great to get some advice on the clutch side of things however.
Thanks sean

[Gwagensteve]

More traction always puts more load on the clutch. Tall gearing puts more load on the clutch, but stock clutches last very well generally.

Sounds like the clutch isn’t properly adjusted or installed plus driver error.

[seanzook06]

Problem solved, reductions are in and it is a completely different car off-road now, no more clutch problems on road either. clutch was adjusted slightly