• From: Aumsville, Oregon (Near Salem)
  • Registered: 2010-08-22
  • Posts: 1,913

Topic: Massive clutch explosion

This isn't Lemons related, or even car related, but I think you will enjoy the story and photos.   It mirrors what we sometimes see at the track, with connecting rods refusing to stay inside the engine.

My good friend, Richard Walker, just returned from the big Tulare (California) tractor show with photos and a story.   I'll let him tell it in his own words:

"I was at the Tulare antique tractor show this past weekend and witnessed quite a spectacular incident at the tractor pull.  A hot-rodded turbo IH Farmall 1206 from the '60's, doing its first pull since being souped up, did a strong pull, belching out a thick trail of black smoke.  At the end, the driver put it in neutral prior to reversing so they could unhook the chain.  The engine started to run away uncontrollably at high RPM's due to the huge quantity of unburned fuel in the system.  As it revved higher, the clutch violently exploded, and the disintegrating metal shrapnel shattered the cast iron bell housing, cut the tractor in two, holed the fuel tank, and sent debris flying everywhere.  There luckily were no injuries from the flying debris,"

http://www.nelsonusa.com/alan/clutch/ClutchExplosion01E.jpg

http://www.nelsonusa.com/alan/clutch/ClutchExplosion02E.jpg

http://www.nelsonusa.com/alan/clutch/ClutchExplosion05E.jpg

Photos copyrighted by, and used with permission of, Richard Walker

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  • From: St Louis, MO
  • Registered: 2009-08-06
  • Posts: 1,014

Re: Massive clutch explosion

Holy shitballs, I've seen blown clutches tear a chunk out of a frame rail, but this takes the cake.

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  • From: Central NC
  • Registered: 2009-05-05
  • Posts: 1,681

Re: Massive clutch explosion

And that is why you put a damper/throttle plate on the intake of a diesel.

Glad no one was hurt.

  • FJ40Jim
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Re: Massive clutch explosion

Had someone been killed, this would be sad.


But since nobody was injured, it's F-ing hilarious!

"Tractor for sale- cheap.  Needs clutch & minor repairs.  Runs strong!"

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If God meant for us to race, we'd all have baggy Nomex skin.
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  • Spank
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  • From: Escondido, CA
  • Registered: 2009-06-10
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Re: Massive clutch explosion

FJ40Jim wrote:

Had someone been killed, this would be sad.


But since nobody was injured, it's F-ing hilarious!

"Tractor for sale- cheap.  Needs clutch & minor repairs.  Ran when parked!"

FTFY

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  • From: Corona, CA.
  • Registered: 2009-08-03
  • Posts: 359

Re: Massive clutch explosion

Good thing the driver was wearing his safety jeans and cotton shirt, in case of incident!

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7 Reply by Parkwod60 (edited by Parkwod60 2012-04-26 10:38 PM)

  • From: Van Nuys, CA
  • Registered: 2011-02-11
  • Posts: 3,862

Re: Massive clutch explosion

This is why drag race cars don't use cast iron bell housings. I don't know much about tractors, but I seem to recall the motor/bell/tranny are a large portion of the front structure of the thing.  That would explain how it got split so cleanly in half

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  • NSF
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  • From: Cocoa, FL
  • Registered: 2010-06-26
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Re: Massive clutch explosion

Two for one sale.

This space for rent.
  • From: Columbus, OH
  • Registered: 2009-05-26
  • Posts: 2,839

Re: Massive clutch explosion

I have never seen anything like that in my entire life.

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  • From: Yorba Linda, CA
  • Registered: 2010-12-19
  • Posts: 388

Re: Massive clutch explosion

One of my favorites. Splits the block...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0iTLrI9G7k

  • From: Shippensburg, PA
  • Registered: 2010-11-18
  • Posts: 1,963

Re: Massive clutch explosion

Someone had a tranny come apart last year at NJMP.  Parts came thru the floor.  I believe the driver got away with only a bruiesed leg.

I saw a flywheel come off a Chevelle as he was going down the backstretch at a local dirt track.  Fortunately for the driver it went up as it left, going thru the bell housing, floor, and dash just above the steering column.  It went some 50-60 feet in the air before landing in the infield between two sprint car haulers.  No one was hit and the clay infield absorbed most of the energy when it landed.  Amazing to see the teeth on the ring gear act just like a saw blade as it exited the car.

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  • From: Doylestown PA
  • Registered: 2011-04-05
  • Posts: 760

Re: Massive clutch explosion

racinrob wrote:

Someone had a tranny come apart last year at NJMP.  Parts came thru the floor.  I believe the driver got away with only a bruiesed leg.

It was the Abarf Fiat 131.  I was right behind it on the straight when it happened.  Very impressive explosion.  They were pitted next to us - you could have put a basketball through the hole in the floor.  The driver was very fortunate.  When I saw the car at the next race I thought to myself, I bet there's some pretty serious metal where the hole used to be, and indeed there was.

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  • From: South of Chicago
  • Registered: 2011-11-26
  • Posts: 750

Re: Massive clutch explosion

Years ago when I got started in road racing I was in a race and we had just taken the green flag. This was a traditional side by side start and a VW Rabbit missed  an up shift and over reved his engine. Don't know how high the RPMs went but the cast iron flywheel let go!

Parts were flying up in the air, down on the track and bouncing around. I has 1-2 pieces hit my car hard enough and big enough to put dents in the floor.

After the race was over I went over to examine the carnage! The hood was bowed up, the firewall had big dents, lucky for the driver only dents and not holes, and the engine and trans were hanging in the car much like the tractor looks like. You couldn't have done any more damage if you had dropped a hand granade in there.

  • From: Elburn, IL
  • Registered: 2010-12-16
  • Posts: 3,425

Re: Massive clutch explosion

NSF wrote:

Two for one sale.

I can see the Craigslist posting:

I have for sale the rearend, transaxle and bodywork from a Farmall tractor.  First $250 takes it.

Also have available the front end, hood and miscellaneous engine parts.  Shouldn't have to pick up too much to make it complete.

$500 for the package.

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  • From: St Louis, MO
  • Registered: 2009-08-06
  • Posts: 1,014

Re: Massive clutch explosion

Mike C. wrote:
racinrob wrote:

Someone had a tranny come apart last year at NJMP.  Parts came thru the floor.  I believe the driver got away with only a bruiesed leg.

It was the Abarf Fiat 131.  I was right behind it on the straight when it happened.  Very impressive explosion.  They were pitted next to us - you could have put a basketball through the hole in the floor.  The driver was very fortunate.  When I saw the car at the next race I thought to myself, I bet there's some pretty serious metal where the hole used to be, and indeed there was.

I think this is what you're talking about.

http://images.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/04/LNJ11-BlowedUpParts-08.jpg

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  • Baron
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  • From: DFW
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
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Re: Massive clutch explosion

I was reading up on how an sfi bell housing gets certified: they spin a flywheel inside the bell and kit it with a cutting devise until out let's go. If nothing escapes, it passes.

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  • From: WPB Fl.
  • Registered: 2010-10-27
  • Posts: 1,571

Re: Massive clutch explosion

Scary indeed!

From the pic the tractor blew the flywheel, disk and most of the pressure plate are there including the pressure plate to flywheel bolts left alone when everything else disappeared. Wow

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  • bshorey
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Re: Massive clutch explosion

Why is the tractor driver just standing there?

If this was a tractor pull for sub $500 tractors, the driver would be on his smart phone searching Craigslist and phoning junk yards looking for some ridiculous replacement transmission to throw in there.  Or trying to find a 5 gallon tub of JB Weld to patch the damn thing up.

Sheesh..

bs

  • dsycks
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  • From: Logan Ohio
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Re: Massive clutch explosion

Why? Because race tractor!

Daniel Sycks
  • From: Aumsville, Oregon (Near Salem)
  • Registered: 2010-08-22
  • Posts: 1,913

Re: Massive clutch explosion

bshorey wrote:

Why is the tractor driver just standing there?   If this was a tractor pull for sub $500 tractors, the driver would be on his smart phone searching Craigslist and phoning junk yards looking for some ridiculous replacement transmission to throw in there.  Or trying to find a 5 gallon tub of JB Weld to patch the damn thing up.

He doesn't need to do all that.   This is the Tulare Antique Tractor Show, after all.   He is already at the biggest source of old tractor parts in the state!   I bet that there were at least two bell housings and clutches for sale within 200 yards.

Richard called from the show to tell me about a Detroit Diesel engine for sale that might fit the Super Snipe.   It sold for less than scrap value.   Sadly (or perhaps thankfully) , he didn't have his truck with him.

As for the 5 gallon tub of JB Weld, I'm still looking for that.   Rusty pieces of Super Snipe body parts keep falling off.   smile

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  • From: Croton, NY
  • Registered: 2009-07-14
  • Posts: 160

Re: Massive clutch explosion

PunisherBass wrote:
Mike C. wrote:
racinrob wrote:

Someone had a tranny come apart last year at NJMP.  Parts came thru the floor.  I believe the driver got away with only a bruiesed leg.

It was the Abarf Fiat 131.  I was right behind it on the straight when it happened.  Very impressive explosion.  They were pitted next to us - you could have put a basketball through the hole in the floor.  The driver was very fortunate.  When I saw the car at the next race I thought to myself, I bet there's some pretty serious metal where the hole used to be, and indeed there was.

I think this is what you're talking about.

http://images.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/04/LNJ11-BlowedUpParts-08.jpg

We indeed fabbed up a steel shield over the trans tunnel and have run a couple of races since, including NJMP and its fast (relative term for the 131) straight where this happened last year.  She would not dare bite me again.  Interestingly enough, I just stumbled across this recall notice earlier this week which contains "jammed transmission" and "catastrophic".  You don't say... how funny might it be to go to a new Fiat dealer now that they're back, show them the pics, and say we're here for the recall service?

http://lemon.onecle.com/1978/10/23/1975 … on-recall/

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  • From: Doylestown PA
  • Registered: 2011-04-05
  • Posts: 760

Re: Massive clutch explosion

You've GOT to take it in (if you can find a dealership)!

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  • From: Very Rainy Washington State
  • Registered: 2011-06-27
  • Posts: 1,157

Re: Massive clutch explosion

Video of the event...

Uh oh

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