Is Clutch dust BAD for you?

Hi All

I was looking at some 10" clutch plates the other day and started wondering what they are made of.

I've heard a few people use the term sintered iron etc and but figure they are probably made of a compound of things which lead me to the next question ...

Is clutch dust bad for you to breathe??

I've never see anyone using dust masks etc when resetting or machining clutches.

I would appreciate some info here.

Cheers

Russ

 

Russ,

I wouldn't go snorting it.. Nor would I eat something with a good coating of it on my hands, but I think that could be said about every sort of fluid or solid on a race car. Breathing clutch dust is about like breathing in any other dust, probably not too good for you in mass quantities, but won't kill you with minimal exposure.

I can tell you there are very minute amounts of tin and nickel in the compound, but is is mostly iron.

 

As a driver my Impact nitro helmet has helped a ton. I also had a good fire in an alky funny and a few guys that have experianced fires there told me that im not going to be able to breath the next day. No problems. I also like to use the warm up mask to blow the clutch off. It too has breathers in it. When im in a hurry the mask don't work. To much time to figure out where I last left it and then you have to clean the shield off to see if its clean or not

 

Home Depot (or whatever you have locally) sells cheap disposable dust masks. You NEVER want to suck dust particles of any sort into your lungs.

Who woulda thunk 30+ years ago that asbestos particles were harmful if not fatal? Who woulda also thunk that mahogany wood sanding dust is very extremely toxic?

The list goes on & on as time passes and knowledge accumulates. Play it safe and protect your lungs. You only have two unless you get a transplant.

The same holds true for inhalation of vapors/fumes, especially from meth & nitro. It may seem manly to suck-it-up and endure whatever you encounter, but over the years there will be a life shortening effect on your body. The effects of exposure are often cummulative, meaning that the effects add upon past effects.

Google some of the substances that we commonly use in the drag race world, and then decide for yourself. If you do so and look at the MSDS sheets, then I guarantee your personal protocols (and those of your team) will never be the same.

 

Thanks for the info, I had no Idea! when I work with it, I'm blowing red snot out for 2 days after I'm finished working with it. I guess it's about Time I use the resperator hanging on my wall for god knows how long full of mahogany dust
Sorry I jacked your thread.
As far as the clutch dust goes, It's also good as a spread for sandwiches and dip for your chips Finger lickin good

 

Thanks for that Justin.

So just to confirm - there is NO organics / asbestos in the discs?


Cheers

Russ

 

There is no asbestos in any American made sintered iron clutch discs and hasn't been for at least 35 years. The trend in the material followed that of brake pads.