Eaton has upgraded its line of Advantage Series heavy-duty clutches with design enhancements to improve durability, reduce vibrations and enable smoother shifting with torque ratings of up to 2,250 lb.-ft.

Original equipment manufacturer production is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2017 with aftermarket production beginning in the third quarter. Changes to Eaton Advantage Self-Adjust and Eaton Easy Pedal Advantage clutches include a reduction in part numbers from 41 to 28 by combining several earlier models into one. The line will still cover all heavy-duty truck applications while allowing dealers to reduce inventory levels.

“The improvements we have made support the changing requirements of contemporary diesel engines and powertrains, including downspeeding designs,” said Ben Karrer, global product strategy manager, Eaton. “In addition, this newest line of clutches is the smoothest and most durable ever developed by Eaton.”

The clutches will feature a new strap drive system that affixes the intermediate plate to the housing on the clutches to prolong clutch life by eliminating lug fatigue that could evntually lead to failures. The design also eliminates a noisy rattle that is associated with the prior lug design.

Eaton’s soft rate dampers absorb engine vibrations to prevent driveline damage and are now standard on all clutches. This technology enables downspeeding at all torque ratings up to 1,850 lb.-ft.

A new spring separator system will permit cleaner, quicker disengagement with the engine for more efficient, smoother shifting. The Advantage Self-Adjust model will now also feature a second wear tab indicator, giving maintenance personnel better access during visual inspections.

Eaton Advantage Self-Adjust clutches in a new truck application are warranted for three years/350,000 miles. The new truck warranty for Eaton Easy Pedal Advantage clutches is two years/200,000 miles. Aftermarket warranty coverage for both designs is two years/unlimited miles. Release bearing lube intervals for all Eaton Advantage heavy-duty clutches is 50,000 miles.