The 4 Terrain clutch is manufactured by Clutch industries, and information can be found on the dedicated 4 Terrain page;
https://www.4terrain.com.au/
There is also a press release specific to the Triton on the Clutch Industries page;
http://cimedia.com.au/4TerrainClutch_Mitsubishi.html
First impressions
The clutch arrived in a timber box, which will now be used to hold some recovery gear. It's a nice touch, as I feel that anything that can be done to reduce packaging waste, is a step in the right direction. Reuseable packaging makes sense!
Inside the box
First thing you see is the pressure plate. It has the usual gold zinc finish that most manufacturers go for, and closer inspection reveals that it is made by Valeo. For those that don't know, Valeo are one of the world's largest automotive parts manufacturers, and I have had good experiences with their clutches over many years. Valeo were also the first clutch manufacturer to include an alignment tool with every clutch, which is certainly a useful addition. The assembly has been balanced, as you can see by the weights added to the plate. Interestingly, the geometry of the diaphragm spring is different to the OEM, which means that although the clamping force is greater, the clutch pedal will feel lighter, and have improved modulation at the friction point. Clutch industries state the following features;
The cover assembly’s pressure plate is manufactured from Spheroidal Graphite casting material, which has yield strength 300% higher than standard castings. The materials microstructure also improves heat dispersion. The cover assembly also incorporates greater clamp load than a standard cover assembly. This translates to more torque capacity.
Next up is the friction plate. This is where the aftermarket items really differ from the OEM setups.
The pressure plate side is a conventional design, although it uses a high grade friction material. Clutch industries state;
The Aramide friction material exhibits 50% less wear than a conventional clutch disc’s friction material. This material also reduces the effects of fade. Fade is the decline in the clutch system’s ability to transmit torque as operating temperatures increases.
The flywheel side is where it gets interesting; many of you will be familiar with metallic button clutches, and this plate uses the same concept, but with a very heavy duty composite button instead of a "brass" button. This design will significantly reduce slippage, whilst maintaining drivability in traffic. It will also go a long way in preventing hot spots on the flywheel. Coupled with the increased clamping force of the pressure plate, this should be one tough clutch! The drive hub also features double, heavy duty springs.
The rest of the kit
The thrust bearing and the spigot bearings are also supplied. They are Japanese bearings, not cheap junk. There are variations in the Triton spigot bearings, so both are supplied in the kit. The previously mentioned alignment tool is also shown.
I toyed with the idea of fitting this kit myself, but I have no undercover area that will fit the Triton once it's on ramps. given the crappy weather, I really don't want to do this outside! It sucks having to trust someone else to do the work, but I know a very good mechanic who will do a great job on it. I have booked the Triton in to get this kit fitted in 2 weeks, and while it's up on the hoist, I am also putting a new rear main seal in (genuine Mitsubishi). It's not leaking, but while the box is out, I may as well do it.
I'll update this thread once the clutch is in, and also post pictures of the fried OEM unit.
. Once you upgrade the hinges/latch on the crate, it makes an awesome little storage box for recovery gear, etc.
