EXEDY is a globally renowned performance clutch manufacturer founded in Japan in 1923. Their flagship range comprises standard OEM replacement clutch kits suitable for standard passenger, light commercial and Japanese commercial vehicles. EXEDY is also well known for designing and manufacturing performance clutches with its extensive performance clutch line-up including Sports Tuff, Safari Tuff and EXEDY Racing Clutch.

EXEDY Australia also supplies clutches for the heavy commercial industry. Its Truck Tuff range covers American and European drivetrains, while EXEDY’s Agri Tuff range comprises OE replacement clutches for Yanmar, Kubota and Iseki as well as well-known brands such as John Deere and Massey Ferguson.

The role of the clutch is to disconnect the engine from the rest of your driveline to prevent your 4WD’s engine from stalling as soon as you stop as well as facilitate smooth gear shifts. At the rear of your engine is a large metal disc called a flywheel which the clutch plate and pressure plate are bolted to. When you release your foot off the clutch pedal the pressure plate pushes into the clutch plate which then pushes into the flywheel, the high friction brake pad like material on the clutch plate bites into the flywheel and is locked into each other which sends drive to the wheels via the gearbox.  

 

 Exedy clutches

 Clutch Plate

The clutch plate with it’s rough surface grips the flywheel and the clutch cover/pressure plate together The clutch plate is made up of the same material as a brake pad as it job is to also absorb a lot of the shock from engaging and disengaging the clutch This makes it the most common part to wear and tear overtime

Flywheel (Optional*) The flywheel is attached to the crankshaft and clutch and helps transput the kinetic energy of the engine to the rest of the car. Some cars come out of the factory with Dual Mass or a Single Mass flywheel, a DMF has 2 flywheels pressed together and a SMF is a single flywheel. If you have a DMF you need to replace it every time you change your clutch however if you have a SMF you can change the clutch without changing the flywheel This is why DMF > SMF conversion kits are popular as they are more convenient and make changing your clutch much less expensive in the long run.

Clutch Cover (aka Pressure Plate) The clutch cover also known as pressure plate is what disengages the clutch allowing you to switch gears If the power from the crankshaft isn’t disengaged the engine will stall/shut off

Spigot Bearing / Alignment Tool The spigot bearing supports the input shaft of the gearbox, if the bush wears out it could lead to the gearbox being misaligned Helps with installation of the specific clutch making sure it is aligned perfectly

 

If you’re a relatively serious offroader and have heavy accessories fitted to the vehicle, power upgrades, high towing requirements or fitted larger tyres, the short answer is: definitely yes.

If any of the before mentioned criteria applies to you, you’re probably asking more from your 4x4 clutch than it was physically designed to handle. This is especially the case for late model Landcruisers and Hiluxes as the standard units are so limited that a 10hp upgrade would invalidate any warranties surrounding the clutch.

Which begs the question, how would serious off-roading with accessories hold up with my clutch then? If you feel like your 4WD’s clutch isn’t working as hard as it used to, it's more than likely a slipping clutch and you’re in prime position to get yourself a 4x4 clutch upgrade.  

 Exedy heavy duty off road 4x4 clutches

EXEDY offer a giant range of high quality OE replacement clutches to suit pretty much any 4WD in Australia, however they also offer an extensive range of heavy duty off road 4x4 clutches:

Safari Tuff Purposely engineered to meet the demands of serious four wheel driving Comprises a purpose engineered cover assembly which boasts a minimum 25% increase in clamp load in comparison to standard. High quality clutch disc which has upgraded damper springs and premium grade friction materials Safari Extra Tuff Built specifically for vehicles with modified ECU’s and other performance modifications as well as vehicles that are used in the toughest conditions Perfect for towing a heavy van or boat or in any situation where the transmission of increased torque through the drivetrain is required Delivers a minimum 25% increase in clamp load force when compared to the Safari Tuff range

This concludes our EXEDY clutch buying guide, always keep in mind that your 4WD can only perform as good as its weakest link. If your 4x4 clutch is shuddering, slipping, or just too hard to control you’ll spend your time fighting your 4WD, rather than enjoying it.