I drive an 06 Kenworth T-600, CAT C-13 Engine with an Eaton Fuller 10 speed transmission. Current mileage is just over 900K miles. I've been driving the truck for 2 years.
The transmission shifts great after getting it into first. I press in on the clutch, not typically all the way to the floor when starting out. Shifting from 2-10 is smooth as glass. My boss jumped in the truck to move it the other day and when he saw me, he jumped my ### because he claimed the clutch brake was out. He claimed he could not get the truck into gear at all without shutting off the engine and putting it into gear, then restarting it. I've never ever had this happen to me. I've read just about everything I can find on the interweb, but there is no real explanation of how to know when a clutch brake is out. Can you guys offer me some level headed explanation of how to know for sure when a clutch brake is out? What causes it to go out? How I could possibly be driving it to cause it to go out? He's just gonna yell, and I'm not gonna learn anything. Thanks for your help.
Clutch Brake Question
Discussion in 'Kenworth Forum' started by bigessfour, Jun 28, 2019.
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Clutch engages when you press the clutch to the floor. It feels like a sponge, and the gear goes in smooth, from a dead stop though. It’s only meant to engage from a complete stop when your trying to put it in gear. That’s it’s purpose.
Dave_in_AZ, Bean Jr., spsauerland and 2 others Thank this. -
Were you able to put it in gear at a stop without grinding? If so I'd say it's fine.
bigessfour Thanks this. -
I have a habit of putting it in gear before a complete stop. Grinding gears or slamming them is not in my vocabulary.
stwik, spsauerland, bigessfour and 1 other person Thank this. -
When you push the clutch all the way down to the floor only at the dead stop, you'll feel the clutch brake like the other person said it's like a sponge.
What that does is it stops the transmission from turning and you can put the truck right in gear. This is only to be used when you are at a complete dead stop, never when the truck is moving at all ever.
If you push the clutch all the way down to the floor and you go to put the transmission in gear and it grinds and it doesn't want to go in, then the clutch brake is not working. If you push the clutch all the way down to the floor and you are able to put the transmission in gear without any grinding or anything else, then the clutch brake is working.
It's that simple. But if you use the clutch to shift, only push the pedal far enough to disengage the clutch. You can damage the transmission if you push the clutch to the floor while the truck is moving.
Only use the clutch brake when you are at a complete and total dead stop. -
Btw, clutch brake can be adjusted just like your clutch.
stwik, Dave_in_AZ, Bean Jr. and 1 other person Thank this. -
To the OP....
It is possible that the clutch can malfunction intermittently causing slight drag and for the clutch brake to act ineffective. It's actually quite common when a disc dampening spring starts to dislodge from a broken spring or disc. Have the adjustment and brake squeeze check by a qualified individual, and keep a feel for it to happen again. What hour boss felt may have been real. If it happens again and the brake checks good its clutch replacement time.Dave_in_AZ, spsauerland, bigessfour and 2 others Thank this. -
Thanks for all of your answers. In my history with the truck, I may have never driven it with an operational clutch brake. It's an old beat up grain truck that has been abused. He has had the clutch brake replaced two times, I'm not going to say I am the best super trucker out there, It does grind a touch, but it's not impossible to get into first gear. In my mind, that is the way it's always driven, and I am having a hard time understanding what's going on.
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stwik and Dave_in_AZ Thank this.
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Engaging the clutch brake one time while the truck is not at a dead stop breaks the tit off of it and ruins it.
It may try to grab a little without it, but it will need replacing.
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