hi i wonder if anyone can help me with a little problem i have when reversing.i have a 1300l coachman and tow with a omega 2lt. kerbweight 1525kl.now when reversing on a very slight incline i get the smell of berning clutch. the van has just been seviced by an appoved company . i have put the van on axle stands a the wheels run freely , the serviceman tells me the brake mechanism is working fine and swithing over to reverse i have also had a new clutch fitted to the car about 2000 mils ago. i have used this car as a tow car for 3 years without problems including 4500miles this year in europe over the pyrenees and sierras so i do'nt understand why this is happening hope you may be able to through some light on it cheers peter
question for techies
- Thread starter petercoachman
- Start date
Hi Peter, Yes few cars do burn their clutch out when reversing the caravan, The trick is not to use too much rev on the throttle, only way to get round this is a 4x4 or automatic or have a caravan moter mover fitted to the van, we got friends that got brand new cars their clutch still burn out while reversing, hope this put your mind to rest,Happy Caravaning,
Trevor
Trevor
Damian
Moderator
- Mar 14, 2005
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Peter, the problem is, very simply, the flywheel spinning faster than the clutch plate and heating the driven plate, causing burning, and eventually the need for a new clutch.
When reversing up an incline, unless you are the exception to the norm, you will be using more engine revs to achieve backwards motion, and with the added weight of the van, even more than just trying to move the car, so even higher revs, faster flywheeel but still a slow moving clutch plate.
Although you say you have driven over the pyrenees, and other places, I bet none of it was in reverse!!
To avoid burning the clutch, reversing needs to be done on no more than tick over, and with the clutch fully engaged, not as I suspect, with you slipping the clutch to achieve movement control.
Best answer, and maybe cheapest in the long term is a motor mover.
When reversing up an incline, unless you are the exception to the norm, you will be using more engine revs to achieve backwards motion, and with the added weight of the van, even more than just trying to move the car, so even higher revs, faster flywheeel but still a slow moving clutch plate.
Although you say you have driven over the pyrenees, and other places, I bet none of it was in reverse!!
To avoid burning the clutch, reversing needs to be done on no more than tick over, and with the clutch fully engaged, not as I suspect, with you slipping the clutch to achieve movement control.
Best answer, and maybe cheapest in the long term is a motor mover.
just to add to this, the brakes on the caravan don't completely disengage depending on how they are adjusted, giving even more resistance.
Peter,
Had same problem with my Mondeo TDI. What a stink!
Storage position required reversing in pea gravel and up an incline. Solved by reallocation to another position that I was able to pull through, but like you and others I have also now fitted a mover.
Regards
Had same problem with my Mondeo TDI. What a stink!
Storage position required reversing in pea gravel and up an incline. Solved by reallocation to another position that I was able to pull through, but like you and others I have also now fitted a mover.
Regards
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