How To Distinguish A New Clutch From A Regenerated One?

Valeo as one of the largest global manufacturers of parts for the first assembly and aftermarket market, carries out tasks in the field of environmental care. One of the basic actions in this matter is the professional regeneration of parts that can be reused. Thanks to the Valeo factory regeneration process, we receive regenerated clutches of the same quality and operating parameters as brand-new ones. As proof of this, Valeo provides the same two-year unlimited mileage warranty on both new and remanufactured clutches for trucks and buses.

Full customer information

Despite the identical quality of new and remanufactured clutches, Valeo makes every effort to ensure that the buyer of the company's products always receives full information about what he buys. That is why Valeo Service uses separate reference numbers for new and remanufactured clutches. This applies to both clutch kits and clutch components that can be regenerated, i.e. pressure plates and clutch plates. In addition, remanufactured Valeo clutch kits are described in the TecDoc catalog as REMANUFACTURED and marked with the service exchange symbol, which are two connected arrows - green and red. New clutch kits are always described as NEW in TecDoc.

The difference can also be seen by studying the labels of both products. In the case of a remanufactured one, the service exchange logo is on the label, the new kit in this place has no marking (see below).

Determining whether a given clutch is a new product or subjected to factory refurbishment is also possible if we do not have its packaging or it is not possible to check the reference number. Just look carefully at the clutch disc or clutch pressure plate. On both of these elements, the remanufactured product has a visible VES logo. It is an abbreviation of the "Valeo Exchange System", which is the core collection system currently operating in some European countries. The new product has no marking here, so the VES logo gives us clear information.

Construction differences

If we are not sure whether the VES logo is on the clutch or pressure plate, we can still verify whether we are dealing with a new or remanufactured product. The difference can be seen in the construction of the regenerated pressure plate. There we find a spacer ring, absent for the new product. The use of a ring results from the necessity of machining the pressure plate during regeneration, which changes its thickness.

The pressure plate also needs to be balanced after the regeneration process. In her case, we will always find more than one place of balance. A new product may or may not have one such place at all - because it may not have to be balanced after the production process.

In the case of the clutch plate, we should focus on searching for the VES logo. Attempts to recognize whether it is a new or regenerated product after its construction may not give 100% certainty. A regenerated clutch plate has many features in common with the new one. It has the same new original friction lining and the same original way of attaching the lining to the support plate.

 Factory regenerated vibration dampers can be used (if they have been inspected at the factory and qualified for regeneration). However, this is not a sure condition, since brand new vibration dampers are also used. Apart from this fact, distinguishing regenerated mufflers from new ones is very difficult and sometimes impossible.

It is worth noting that the release bearings are not subject to regeneration under any circumstances. Both the new and remanufactured kit includes a brand new release bearing - so this element will not find any information that will give us knowledge whether the entire clutch kit is new or remanufactured.