Clampdown's backstory

On Cybertron,Clampdown was under Thunderhoof's command. When the Autobots found him,he reported Thunderhoof's criminal enterprises to the authorities,leading Thunderhoof's arrest. Clampdown later tried to blackmail a member of the High Council,possibly because he knew something was up and that's why he got arrested and put aboard the Alchemor. When the ship crashed on Earth,he went into hiding in the storm drains under Crown City as he looks homeless and could'nt find his way back on Cybertron,his actual home. One night,he accidentally encountered a pair of human street racers,but frightened them off by trashing one of their cars from the shadows.
Bumblebee and his team attempted to arrest him in his sewer hideout but the panicked crab managed to escape by tearing apart a main pipe,washing the Autobots away. As he left the sewer,he was approached by Steeljaw,who offered him to join him and sworn to protect him. At Steeljaw's hideout,Clampdown failed to attempt to impress Underbite and Fracture.  Then,Thunderhoof arrived. Though Steeljaw tried to cut the hostilities short,Thunderhoof was having none of that and charged after Clampdown. Clampdown fled with Thunderhoof in pursuit,Steeljaw chasing them both and Underbite and Fracture following them,probably out of curiously.

The Autobots found Clampdown hiding in a garbage dump. Clampdown offered that if he tells them Steeljaw's hideout that the Autobots would let him free. Bumblebee accepted. However,the Decepticons found them,leading them to a brawl. After Steeljaw freed the other cons and escaped having Clampdown as their new member of the pack,they soon find him still suspicious.
In the episode Prisoner Principles,after been handcuffed together with Strongarm,she sworn to protect Clampdown from any threads. He tried to help Strongarm for arresting Thunderhoof. Later,he saved Strongarm and Bumblebee,which proves that he does in fact care about the Autobots. If Strongarm didn't handcuffed him at the end,they would have giving Clampdown a chance to join their team instead.