May 9, 13 •
Torque Converters, World News •
Comments Off on Torque Converters History: Powering Progress Through the Years
Like the majority of the inventions throughout history, the torque converter arose out of a desire for convenience and efficiency. It became apparent to designers that internal combustion engines were not transferring the full amount of power being produced into used energy. On top of this fact, the torque of the engine was only be controlled in a rudimentary fashion. In order to solve the problem, the torque converter came into existence. They first enjoyed widespread use in locomotives and strictly diesel units. However, as the advantages of the torque converter became apparent, it began to be installed in vehicles of all sizes and levels of complexity. The invention of the automatic transmission for cars and trucks is when the invention really hit its stride. With the popularity of this form of transmission, there was also a great deal of incentive to develop the technology that was governing the device’s performance. Read Full Article →
Our industrial product distributor experts explain why machines need oil coolers and heat exchangers.
Texas is hot. So are many of the places where our parts and workers find themselves. Even in cool weather, cranes, tractors, front-end loaders, and all other large machines, expel a large amount of energy to do their jobs. If you remember much from grade-school science, or if you happened to study the subject in some sort of advanced degree, you know that heat is energy. All that energy makes those machines pretty hot. Read Full Article →
Apr 2, 13 •
Air Clutches •
Comments Off on How Do Air Clutches Work?
Ever wondered how air clutches work? K&L Clutch and Transmission has the expert answer!
An industrial air clutch for heavy machinery performs a very important job in relation to an engine and how power or torque is transferred. A typical engine has an output shaft as can be seen on an automobile engine at the flywheel position. A clutch is a device, usually a system of plates or grabbing disks that engage the power from the flywheel and transfer it to the transmission. A PTO, or power takeoff shaft, performs the same function and is commonly found on heavy construction equipment or farm machinery. The engine clutch engages with the PTO shaft so that it may spin or drive another component, like a tiller or peripheral device. Compressed air is used to engage or disengage the engine from the driven component, rather than using hydraulic (oil) or centrifugal force. Read Full Article →
Mar 11, 13 •
Cranes, News, World News •
Comments Off on New Technology Spotlight – UNIC Mini Cranes
Image courtesy of unic-cranes.co.uk
Typically we provide clutch and transmission services for some of the world’s largest and most powerful cranes. Our crane parts, clutches, transmissions, power take-offs, torque converters and brakes can be found doing work in a wide range of countries for a variety of jobs. But sometimes jobs on a smaller scale are still too much for us to do without some assistance. For those jobs, a large crane may be too much. For some of those jobs, a large crane may not even fit.
UNIC Cranes Europe claims to have “the world’s most compact mini cranes,” and it seems like they’re right. The company, based in England, has engineered and built some of the most impressive cranes on the market. Their cranes, which they call “spider cranes,” are small, light, durable and able to reach areas that are typically very difficult to access. Read Full Article →
Feb 24, 13 •
News •
Comments Off on Choosing The Right Power Take Off (PTO) For Your Machine
If you’re here, it’s likely you don’t just have a passing interest in industrial power take-offs. You’ve either used a PTO before or are planning to use one soon. And if you’re using PTOs, you know that there is a wide range of types and brands that can be installed and utilized for various powerful machines.
Feb 13, 13 •
News •
Comments Off on Industrial Torque Converters: The Usefulness of Torque Fluid
Water is considered one of the most important elements in nature. The prevalence of water (it covers over 70% of the earth) and it’s fundamental role in survival results in it being one of the most studied and versatile substances in existence. Humanity has figured out many ways to utilize the potential that water has, from impressive dams and turbines producing hydroelectric power to squeezing it into small pipes and spaces to provide cooling for engines. Water isn’t the only important fluid with industrial applications – another substance that has become increasingly important and adaptable is hydraulic fluid, which is an essential element in the function of industrial torque converters.
As we well know, as operators and distributors of these hard-working parts, power take offs serve quite a few uses! They began around World War I as additions to tractors and have since been adapted to fit many different purposes. Dump trucks use them to lift their dump boxes and release their loads. Fire trucks use them to pump water through their hoses. They can even be installed on trucks to operate wenches and small cranes. These add-ons provide more than just extra machinery, they provide the user with a tool that can take care of almost anything they need.
Jan 3, 13 •
News, World News •
Comments Off on Happy New Year from K&L!
K&L Clutch and Transmission would like to wish our valued customers a safe and happy New Years, and all the best for 2013.
We are grateful that you chose us for your heavy machinery clutch and transmission parts and service needs and we hope we can continue to offer you the highest quality in goods and service as we move forward into the new year.
We try to actively defend our reputation, if you have any concerns with our service, please don’t hesitate to let us know. If you have already benefited from our top quality parts and excellent customer service, allow us to thank you again! Feel free to check out our range of products.
Nov 30, 12 •
Torque Converters •
Comments Off on Common Torque Converter Problems
Issues With Your Heavy Machinery?
Some Symptoms of Possible Torque Converter Problems
If you’ve been in this field long enough, you’ve likely dealt with a few common torque converter problems. Although we are confident in the excellent capabilities, and reliability, of the torque converters we provide, we also know that problems do occasionally arise. Considering the extreme mechanical feats of your heavy machinery, and the tasks required of the torque converters in those machines, this makes sense. What also makes sense, then, is being prepared. Read Full Article →
The Boom: The boom of a crane is the long, telescopic, or fixed, arm that is used to move objects.
The Counterweights: The counterweights are stabilizers placed near the cab’s exterior that prevent the crane from becoming unbalanced when lifting heavy loads.
The Jib: The jib is the lattice-like structure that gives the boom the freedom to extend.
The Rotex Gear: The Rotex gear affords the crane the ability to rotate its apparatus, thereby better enabling it to do its job from awkward standpoints. Hook rollers are also used in some crane applications.
Like the majority of the inventions throughout history, the torque converter arose out of a desire for convenience and efficiency. It became apparent to designers that internal combustion engines were not transferring the full amount of power being produced into used energy. On top of this fact, the torque of the engine was only be controlled in a rudimentary fashion. In order to solve the problem, the torque converter came into existence. They first enjoyed widespread use in locomotives and strictly diesel units. However, as the advantages of the torque converter became apparent, it began to be installed in vehicles of all sizes and levels of complexity. The invention of the automatic transmission for cars and trucks is when the invention really hit its stride. With the popularity of this form of transmission, there was also a great deal of incentive to develop the technology that was governing the device’s performance.
Our industrial product distributor experts explain why machines need oil coolers and heat exchangers.
Ever wondered how air clutches work? K&L Clutch and Transmission has the expert answer!
If you’re here, it’s likely you don’t just have a passing interest in 
Water is considered one of the most important elements in nature. The prevalence of water (it covers over 70% of the earth) and it’s fundamental role in survival results in it being one of the most studied and versatile substances in existence. Humanity has figured out many ways to utilize the potential that water has, from impressive dams and turbines producing hydroelectric power to squeezing it into small pipes and spaces to provide cooling for engines. Water isn’t the only important fluid with industrial applications – another substance that has become increasingly important and adaptable is hydraulic fluid, which is an essential element in the function of 
As we well know, as operators and distributors of these hard-working parts, 
K&L Clutch and Transmission would like to wish our valued customers a safe and happy New Years, and all the best for 2013.
The Boom: The boom of a crane is the long, telescopic, or fixed, arm that is used to move objects.
