May 1, 2004 12:00 PM

ArvinMeritor's Commercial Vehicle Systems business and its clutch technology partner, ZF Sachs AG, have announced a new, self-adjusting twin-plate clutch designed to reduce the downtime and expense associated with manual clutch adjustments. The Twin XTend 15.5" self-adjusting clutch for Class 8 vehicles continually maintains proper adjustments throughout the lifetime of the clutch.

The Twin XTend clutch will be manufactured by ZF Sachs, with production scheduled to begin during fourth-quarter 2004. ArvinMeritor will provide sales and service support through its DriveTrain Plus organization.

Besides eliminating the need for manual clutch adjustments, the Twin XTend clutch offers:

• Controlled center plate release feature. The cover assembly incorporates this patented feature, designed to prevent clutch drag and provide superior engagement.

• Wear indicator. This provides a simple means of gauging remaining clutch life.

• Long-travel, soft-damper disc assemblies. This design prevents damaging torsional vibrations to harm the drivetrain by tuning the drivetrain's natural frequency outside of the vehicle operating range. Pre-damper versions of the disc assembly are also available for drivetrains susceptible to transmission neutral idle gear rattle.

• Extended-lube and long-life release bearing options. These options can further extend clutch life and reduce maintenance requirements.

• Diaphragm spring architecture. This provides low pedal effort, which increases driver comfort.

The Twin XTend will be available in torque ratings from 1,150 to 2,050 ft-lb.