Home » Gear review »
LOF Heavy Duty Clutch Upgrade review
After years of travel it was time to make our Defender more reliable by installing a heavy duty clutch from LOF Clutches. Rafiki has seen its fair share of mountain passes, gravel tracks and desert stretches. Over the years, it has done remarkably well in any type of terrain. However, as with any heavy overland build, some components couldn’t cope with the added weight. We started to notice clutch slip on steep mountain passes, and in deep sand. It is therefore we opted to bite the bullet, and install an upgraded clutch, the 2.8TGV POWERspec kit from LOF.
We believe that investing in the right gear can make all the difference. When it comes to clutches, there’s quite a selection to choose from. The aftermarket brands are plentiful, but most offer just a slight variation to the original. And whilst this might be okay for a normal daily driver, we learned that they’re most likely not up to the job when you’re overlanding or hauling trailers. Heavy use requires a better product, and that’s why we decided to upgrade ours when the time was right.
What is the LOF 2.8TGV POWERspec clutch?
The 2.8TGV POWERspec clutch kit is suitable for a range of engines, including our standard 300tdi engine. Designed to be extremely strong and reliable, its specifications make it the perfect clutch for off-road applications, including off-road racing, heavy towing, and overland travel.
It’s the friction of the clutch material that has to move your vehicle forward. When hauling heavy loads, pulling a trailer, or driving through tough terrains, a clutch has to work hard and enough friction must be applied to prevent your clutch from slipping and burning up. The adapted friction material and powerful center hub make it a worthy consideration.
What’s in it?
The clutch kit fits perfectly on our 300tdi and no modifications were required. It’s a standard swap that improves reliability for years to come. The kit that we bought includes the following:
- LOF Clutch Disc (friction plate with HD friction material and high torque sprung center hub)
- LOF Clutch Cover with high-strength diaphragm springs
- LOF Clutches EXTREMEspec Release Bearing
- G90 High-Temperature Assembly Grease
- CNC Wire formed bearing retaining clip
- CNC Wire formed Pushrod retaining clip
- High Tensile Bolt Pack for Clutch Cover
- OEM Spigot bush
Besides installing the clutch kit from LOF, we also opted to install their improved clutch fork and MWM Crankshaft Seal.
Pros
- Improved reliability of your vehicle (a worn clutch in a remote area is a show-stopper)
- The complete kit includes everything you need, including a few welcome extras (clips, etc.)
- High-quality parts; from the friction material to the improved bearing
- Luke, the man behind LOF, is very knowledgeable and eager to advise you
Cons
- Costs more than a standard clutch kit for Defenders
- Pedal weight is slightly heavier but barely noticeable
- Not necessarily available at smaller parts dealers, but you can buy them directly at LOF, or find them at many larger parts dealers (including Euro4x4parts).
Would we buy it again?
After comparing the old standard aftermarket clutch assembly and the heavy-duty upgrade from LOF we can say we would buy it again. Although it’s hard to make a technical comparison just by looking at it, we believe it’s a worthy upgrade. The parts are of very high quality and have numerous upgrades that make the whole setup far more reliable. Extra clips prevent failure of the smaller components, plastic has been replaced by metal and the center hub and friction material are supposed to be a big upgrade too.
After the installation, we noticed a slightly heavier clutch pedal, but it’s barely noticeable. Overall, we do notice a positive difference in how the clutch reacts to pedal movement. Although hard to describe, we feel more confident in off-road situations where we need to change gears. We can definitely feel it’s working steadily and we don’t notice any unwanted clutch slip.
We can conclude by saying we fully believe other overlanders, and folks towing trailers, should consider installing this heavy-duty clutch upgrade. It’s an investment that might save you from a lot of trouble down the road (pun intended). Our advice would be to install it before you set off on a major trip or to bring one along for when your old clutch starts to wear out.
Our approach for gear reviews
As long-term overlanders we fully understand the need for high-quality and reliable gear. We know that if gear isn’t up to standard it can hinder your adventures, resulting in discomfort or a dangerous situation.
We write our reviews after extensive testing and with you – an adventurous overlander – in mind. We hope you appreciate our information, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Additional upgrades
Besides installing the 2.8TGV POWERspec upgrade we also ordered the upgraded Xcess XS clutch fork and MWM Crankshaft Seal at LOF.
Installing an upgraded fork is a worthy investment, as the standard fork is prone to fail. These forks have a common failure point in which the pivot punches through the dome or through the weak fork, rendering your clutch inoperable. This upgrade is essential for anyone in our opinion.
The second upgrade we carried out was the installation of an upgraded crankshaft seal. Although our old clutch was still relatively good, we needed to drop the gearbox because our rear crankshaft seal was leaking. We opted to replace and upgrade everything whilst we were at it. On the recommendation of LOF, we also installed the MWM Crankshaft Seal. This seal is of very high quality but also includes two additional upgrades; extra dust protection, and two additional bolt holes for improved clamping load. Unfortunately, we carried out the installation in a city in Northern Botswana and they couldn’t source high-quality drill bits and taps to install the two extra bolts. However, it’s not necessary to make use of this upgrade and we are still happy with the additional dust protection and quality of the seal itself.
Check out these product shots
Appreciate this info and have something to spare? Buy us a coffee!
We hope our blog provided you with practical information that’s useful to your adventures. Want to dive deeper into this or other subjects, and plan a call? We are here to help!
Hi there adventurer! A quick heads-up: This product is provided (for free or at a discount) to us in support of our adventures. This review contains opinions of our own and is not influenced by the collaboration. We know the importance of high-quality gear and truthful reviews, you will rely on it on the trails, and so do we. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Thank you and stay adventurous!
0 Comments