We are new to caravaning. On our second trip the clutch went when I was trying to reverse my caravan up a slight grass hill. It is a 2004 Ford Mondeo Estate 2.2 TDCi, surely the clutch should be man enough to do this shouln't it? The MTPLM is 1335kg and there was only in awning in the van plus a few bits and pieces. What I am worried about is spending £600 to get the clutch done only for it to go again when towing/reversing the caravan. Any one else had this problem? Thanks
Clutch gone on Mondeo TDCi
- Thread starter William_374459923
- Start date
The problem with the modern diesel is the large torques that are produced, this will quickly set a clutch to smoking, and sometimes destroy the clutch altogether.
Slipping the clutch is the main culprit, along with excessive revs. This is easily done. I had a primera smoking on a hill start, the audi quattro smoking on a slight slope trying to get onto a busy single carriage way, revs and slipping the clutch in both cases.
There has been many posts on here about burning clutches while reversing. I often think the brake override may not be working correctly, or the brakes are over adjusted. You are not aware of the power the car is giving out, i have actually set of with the motor mover engaged with the xtrail, the car did not "feel" right, that's all that alerted me!
The answer is to fit a mover, consider it an investment, transfer it to the next van etc, and it will pay for its self.
I will never tow without one, we couldn't physically push our van, and i find reversing a chore.
Slipping the clutch is the main culprit, along with excessive revs. This is easily done. I had a primera smoking on a hill start, the audi quattro smoking on a slight slope trying to get onto a busy single carriage way, revs and slipping the clutch in both cases.
There has been many posts on here about burning clutches while reversing. I often think the brake override may not be working correctly, or the brakes are over adjusted. You are not aware of the power the car is giving out, i have actually set of with the motor mover engaged with the xtrail, the car did not "feel" right, that's all that alerted me!
The answer is to fit a mover, consider it an investment, transfer it to the next van etc, and it will pay for its self.
I will never tow without one, we couldn't physically push our van, and i find reversing a chore.
Hi William
We too have a Mondeo TDCi saloon. We were to go on holiday two weeks ago last Sunday, on the Friday before the clutch went. We managed to get it repaired on the Saturday before we went.
It also cost us
We too have a Mondeo TDCi saloon. We were to go on holiday two weeks ago last Sunday, on the Friday before the clutch went. We managed to get it repaired on the Saturday before we went.
It also cost us
I take it your mondy has the 6 speed box ?? i two with 2.0 tdci and only reverse on flats or down hill as the reverse is to high, i got a second hand motor mover for
A lot of people don't realise that most cars have a reverse gear with a drive ratio close to that of second gear. Also on modern cars, manufacturers are cost driven to make parts cheaper and cheaper just to survive.
I've worked in the second level motor industry where the customer ( lotus for example) constantly demanded annual "cost downs". This can be achieved at first by squeezing your raw material/subcontractors until they can't afford to go any further down the discount line. Then you end up making parts thinner or form materials that only just comply with strength/endurance requirements set by the customer. I years gone by you used to hear of things being built to last, but now you hear more about life expectancey of parts.
I personally drive cars of pre 2000 manufacture as they seem to have better durability. My current Laguna estate 1998 vintage has done 185'000 miles and still has it's original clutch despite towing caravans and car trailers at 100% of the car's tow capacity.
Also the car manufacturers are making their cars more electronically complicated which means that the customer has to use franchise workshops for even the most basic repairs and as we all know, the franchise dealer charges top dollar.
I must say
I've worked in the second level motor industry where the customer ( lotus for example) constantly demanded annual "cost downs". This can be achieved at first by squeezing your raw material/subcontractors until they can't afford to go any further down the discount line. Then you end up making parts thinner or form materials that only just comply with strength/endurance requirements set by the customer. I years gone by you used to hear of things being built to last, but now you hear more about life expectancey of parts.
I personally drive cars of pre 2000 manufacture as they seem to have better durability. My current Laguna estate 1998 vintage has done 185'000 miles and still has it's original clutch despite towing caravans and car trailers at 100% of the car's tow capacity.
Also the car manufacturers are making their cars more electronically complicated which means that the customer has to use franchise workshops for even the most basic repairs and as we all know, the franchise dealer charges top dollar.
I must say
It seems to be a 'modern car' problem. (maybe it is the non-asbestos lining that is not as good) I assume (maybe wrongly) larger 4x4s have a heavy duty clutch. I agree however the main problem is probably too high a reverse gear ratio, you just cannot do it like a truck can!
My first trip out last year towing with a new Audi A4 produced clouds of smoke from the clutch when reversing onto a pitch with a slightly sloping access. It bought out the wardens to investigate as they thought the stench was an electrical problem in their switchgear.
We had already been pondering on the ins and outs of a mover, mainly from the point of saving our backs, but this convinced us as I did not want to face frequent bills for replacement clutches. A quick reverse on to the pitch and juggle about if neccessary with the mover. Best accessory we have invested in I think even though it is a lot of money.
Bill D.
My first trip out last year towing with a new Audi A4 produced clouds of smoke from the clutch when reversing onto a pitch with a slightly sloping access. It bought out the wardens to investigate as they thought the stench was an electrical problem in their switchgear.
We had already been pondering on the ins and outs of a mover, mainly from the point of saving our backs, but this convinced us as I did not want to face frequent bills for replacement clutches. A quick reverse on to the pitch and juggle about if neccessary with the mover. Best accessory we have invested in I think even though it is a lot of money.
Bill D.
hi angela we tow with a mondeo 2.0 tdci est and when we started reversing with it there was terrible smell so we stopped and struggled to push the van up a little incline repeated the situation the following weekend and i was really worried about the clutch so we then fitted a mover and i must say havent hardly done any reversing since money well spent
emmerson
The last time i had to change a clutch was when i had a Mk1 cortina, and that was due to a leaking crankcase bearing seal.
I would have a mover fitted with any tow car, its just so much easier, for hitching up, and parking.
Back then as now the cost of a auto box replacement against the manuel, has a price penalty, and lets not forget the extra cost new for auto, and the degraded economy of auto.
So my answer is NO.
The last time i had to change a clutch was when i had a Mk1 cortina, and that was due to a leaking crankcase bearing seal.
I would have a mover fitted with any tow car, its just so much easier, for hitching up, and parking.
Back then as now the cost of a auto box replacement against the manuel, has a price penalty, and lets not forget the extra cost new for auto, and the degraded economy of auto.
So my answer is NO.
Facebook
Twitter