I am the “JD Clutch Doc” aka “Clutch Doc” I have reconditioned hundreds upon hundreds of Gator primary clutches for a wide variety of models.
I have wanted to write a post about this subject for a long time, but have hesitated because I was afraid people would see it in the wrong way. My intention is for this information to be helpful, not to make more business for us.
The dry clutch system as used on Gators is just that, a DRY system. Introducing any sort of lubricant is a bad thing to do. It might free up a stuck clutch for a short period of time, but the effect, if any, will be short lived. Even if there are cases where it frees up the clutch mechanism, the belt itself relies on friction. The purpose of lubricant is to reduce or eliminate friction. Any lubricant that makes its way to the belt, which is pretty much imminent, will result in slippage and/or shortened belt life.
A few years ago, I saw a YouTube where someone put lubricant on the clutch and demonstrated that it worked properly after its application. I fully expect that shortly afterward they had as much or more trouble than before use of the lubricant. I think that they were trying to be helpful and just didn’t realize the consequences.
I have hesitated to write about this for fear that people that don’t know us and how we do business, might think that I am only writing this in an effort to get more business. I dont need to do that. We have plenty of business.
When I get one that has been lubricated, I have to run it through the cleaning process multiple times which means it is more costly for me, both in time spent and materials used. I price our work on a flat rate. The frequency of receiving lubricated clutches seems to be increasing. My goal is for us to hold our prices down. If I continue on a flat rate price I could end up having to raise the price on all units to compensate for this. That is not fair to those who do not try lubricant.
I don’t clean the clutches for cosmetic reasons, although I do like to send a nice clean clutch back to our customers. I clean them thoroughly because it is the only way that I can thoroughly inspect for cracks. Inspecting for cracks so customers don’t pay for service on a bad core is a very important step.
If your Gator reaches a point where it grinds when going in gear with engine running, we have a ridiculously high success rate solving this problem for you. I have no way to prove that soaking with lubricant won’t solve your problem, but I have yet to see a case where it has been successful.
Thanks for reading. Hopefully your clutch works flawlessly for the life of your Gator. If there comes a time when it needs attention, we look forward to assisting you.
For more information please contact us at info@jdclutchdoc.com
I have wanted to write a post about this subject for a long time, but have hesitated because I was afraid people would see it in the wrong way. My intention is for this information to be helpful, not to make more business for us.
The dry clutch system as used on Gators is just that, a DRY system. Introducing any sort of lubricant is a bad thing to do. It might free up a stuck clutch for a short period of time, but the effect, if any, will be short lived. Even if there are cases where it frees up the clutch mechanism, the belt itself relies on friction. The purpose of lubricant is to reduce or eliminate friction. Any lubricant that makes its way to the belt, which is pretty much imminent, will result in slippage and/or shortened belt life.
A few years ago, I saw a YouTube where someone put lubricant on the clutch and demonstrated that it worked properly after its application. I fully expect that shortly afterward they had as much or more trouble than before use of the lubricant. I think that they were trying to be helpful and just didn’t realize the consequences.
I have hesitated to write about this for fear that people that don’t know us and how we do business, might think that I am only writing this in an effort to get more business. I dont need to do that. We have plenty of business.
When I get one that has been lubricated, I have to run it through the cleaning process multiple times which means it is more costly for me, both in time spent and materials used. I price our work on a flat rate. The frequency of receiving lubricated clutches seems to be increasing. My goal is for us to hold our prices down. If I continue on a flat rate price I could end up having to raise the price on all units to compensate for this. That is not fair to those who do not try lubricant.
I don’t clean the clutches for cosmetic reasons, although I do like to send a nice clean clutch back to our customers. I clean them thoroughly because it is the only way that I can thoroughly inspect for cracks. Inspecting for cracks so customers don’t pay for service on a bad core is a very important step.
If your Gator reaches a point where it grinds when going in gear with engine running, we have a ridiculously high success rate solving this problem for you. I have no way to prove that soaking with lubricant won’t solve your problem, but I have yet to see a case where it has been successful.
Thanks for reading. Hopefully your clutch works flawlessly for the life of your Gator. If there comes a time when it needs attention, we look forward to assisting you.
For more information please contact us at info@jdclutchdoc.com
it will end up costing more $$$
