Help! I have no drive

dag019 · Jul 31, 2025

That is the tittle everyone else uses so thought I would jump on the band wagon. And while true that I have no drive, it is because my clutch has gone, I think I have torn the centre out of it. Went to pull away, sudden jolt, horrible whirring sound from the bell housing and no drive. Pedal feels strange and makes no difference and can put it into gear with the engine running.

I did notice a piece of clutch spring in the wading plug hole (too large to remove) when it was on the ramp for its MOT a couple of months go so knew it was only a matter of time.

My question is how long would you expect a clutch to last? I have a 200tdi, LT77, 1.2 transfer box, 265/75 AT tyres. I fit the valeo 130 clutch and cover (UQB000130G, URB100760G). This clutch has done about 50k miles with far more of them towing than I would usually do, but probably only 3-4k of towing miles. Is that about right or has it failed early?

marjon · Jul 31, 2025

For me any clutch plate that falls apart rather than wears down, is an early failure.
You dont abuse it. The vehcile its speced for tows in countries all over the world.

I hadnt heard of clutch plates ripping centers out in my younger days but it seems to happen often now.
My Dad and Uncles ran a garage, as a youngster I used to look in the scrap and cant recall ever seeing a clutch plate in bits just worn out.

Well unless you absoulty abuse the clutch with the amount of power you chuck through it, dont think your 200tdi will do that.

J

dag019 · Jul 31, 2025

marjon said:
Well unless you absoulty abuse the clutch with the amount of power you chuck through it, dont think your 200tdi will do that.

Are you trying to say the mighty 111bhp (when new, although well maintained so am hopeful not too many horses have escaped) is not a huge amount of power? How very dare you!!

marjon said:
I hadnt heard of clutch plates ripping centers out in my younger days but it seems to happen often now.

I am, at this point, just guessing that that is the problem, but will post up some pics of the wreckage when I split the gearbox. Same again parts have been ordered on express delivery so may be here for the weekend, if not looks like a day off work next week!

Brown · Jul 31, 2025

Yes, I had something similar with a clutch friction plate in the spring of 2019. I had just changed the clutch 18 months prior and hoping for a much longer life. I can't remeber offhand if it was a Valeo or an AP, but it was the sort of thing where the splined boss in the middle is a seperate piece which appears to be staked or peened into the sheet metal disc of the friction plate. It's a cheap and convenient way of manufacturing them, as you can mix and match centre bosses with friction plates to fit a variety of vehicles, and not much casting or machining is needed. On taking the clutch out, the boss was so loose in the plate that you could turn it by hand.

Last time I swapped the gearbox I put a LOF clutch in, and their friction plates are all one solid piece of metal so the boss can't come loose. I know some of you have had problems with LOF products, but mine's been fine so far.

dag019 · Aug 1, 2025

Brown said:
Yes, I had something similar with a clutch friction plate in the spring of 2019. I had just changed the clutch 18 months prior and hoping for a much longer life. I can't remeber offhand if it was a Valeo or an AP, but it was the sort of thing where the splined boss in the middle is a seperate piece which appears to be staked or peened into the sheet metal disc of the friction plate. It's a cheap and convenient way of manufacturing them, as you can mix and match centre bosses with friction plates to fit a variety of vehicles, and not much casting or machining is needed. On taking the clutch out, the boss was so loose in the plate that you could turn it by hand.

Last time I swapped the gearbox I put a LOF clutch in, and their friction plates are all one solid piece of metal so the boss can't come loose. I know some of you have had problems with LOF products, but mine's been fine so far.

I did consider LOF, which variant did you fit? But because of the mixed reviews I stuck with the one that I know and am used to. This is the first time I have had one fail. Usually mine get changed because the gearbox is out for a rebuild rather than because it has worn out or broken. This is a first for me.

Flossie · Aug 1, 2025

Same exact set up as me.
42k and the rivets came lose on the friction material and sheared on a valeo. Loads of meat left on them too.

lynall · Aug 1, 2025

dag019 said:
Are you trying to say the mighty 111bhp (when new, although well maintained so am hopeful not too many horses have escaped) is not a huge amount of power? How very dare you!!

I am, at this point, just guessing that that is the problem, but will post up some pics of the wreckage when I split the gearbox. Same again parts have been ordered on express delivery so may be here for the weekend, if not looks like a day off work next week!

Actually defenders had 107bhp not the discos heady heights of 111bhp :banana:

lynall · Aug 1, 2025

I do a few truck clutches, and nearly every failure is the release bearing failing.
Must be a decade since I last saw a worn out clutch plate.

dag019 · Aug 2, 2025

lynall said:
Actually defenders had 107bhp not the discos heady heights of 111bhp

Yes and I deliberately chose the 111 as it is a 200tdi from a disco to replace the wonderful power house piston cracker 19j it came with originally

dag019 · Aug 2, 2025

lynall said:
I do a few truck clutches, and nearly every failure is the release bearing failing.
Must be a decade since I last saw a worn out clutch plate.

I have had that before. That is the only other clutch failure I have had in the 330k miles I have done in the 110. I guess modern clutches are “better” (I use the work loosely given current circumstances) similar to modern brakes and do not wear like they used to.

Flossie said:
Same exact set up as me.
42k and the rivets came lose on the friction material and sheared on a valeo. Loads of meat left on them too.

I will throw up some pictures when I take it apart. Still awaiting parts. The clutch cover is a special order from paddocks. So despite paying for next day delivery they need to get it form somewhere else first. In doing some googling it seems to be more common that I would like. I know a few people on here have had similar issues.

Brown · Aug 3, 2025

dag019 said:
I did consider LOF, which variant did you fit? But because of the mixed reviews I stuck with the one that I know and am used to. This is the first time I have had one fail. Usually mine get changed because the gearbox is out for a rebuild rather than because it has worn out or broken. This is a first for me.

I got one of their 'roadspec' ones. I've got a TD5, so the friction plate doesn't have any springs in it - all the springs are in the dual mass flywheel. But I liked their one piece design, with no separate boss in the middle to come loose. I was also pleasantly surprised by their release bearing which was all metal rather than the plastic bodied ones which you get with most other kits, and their clips to hold the bearing to the fork and the push rod to the other end seem nicely made too. Unless this one fails badly, I'll get another when it's worn out.

dag019 · Aug 6, 2025

That will be the problem then:

I know others have had similar problem. But just to show it is not a new issue with modern parts. When I sent these pics to my dad he sent back some photos of him with the gearbox out of a Toledo at the side of the road which had done the same thing and stripped the centre out of the clutch plate. And that was in the late 70’s!

Help! I have no drive

dag019

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marjon

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Brown

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dag019

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Flossie

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lynall

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