Clutch Repair And Maintenance | How To Maintain My Clutch

As we continue to use our car, more components of the car will be subjected to wear and tear. One of the most troublesome parts of a car is the clutch, as the condition of the clutch depends on a lot of factors, including the way we drive. In this blog, we shall read everything there is about clutch repair and maintenance.

Making sure your clutch is in perfect condition is important because your safety depends on it. An improper working clutch could result in an accident in a worst-case scenario.

How Does The Clutch Work?

The clutch in a car is that which facilitates the essential movement of your car. Every manual car has a clutch pedal, and some automatic transmission cars also have clutch pedals, although most automatic cars use a torque converter instead of a clutch pedal.

Whenever your car is turned on, the engine is constantly rotating, even if your car is at a standstill. The clutch controls the friction between the engine and the wheels of your car, so that your car’s engine can operate without the wheels turning.

A large friction disc inside the clutch encounters the engine’s flywheel, when you press on the clutch, thus putting your car in a standstill state. When you release the clutch pedal, your car is put into motion.

The Friction Disc Clutch: How Does it Work?

The friction disc inside the clutch is the most essential component inside the clutch. This is because it connects with the flywheel and can wear out over time. The friction disc is the component that mostly needs a lot of attention due to its function.

The friction disc transfer power from the engine to the gearbox, is what puts your car in motion or stops it, depending on your need and usage of the clutch pedal.

Upon releasing the clutch pedal, the friction disc is pressed against the flywheel, thus making the clutch and the engine rotate at equal speed. When the clutch pedal is pressed down, friction is released.

Because the friction disc constantly comes in and out of contact with the flywheel, it can easily wear and tear out of time.

How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Slipping Clutch?

Since the clutch is one of the most used parts in a car, even careful usage of the clutch pedal cannot save your clutch over time. It will become worn down and will require replacement no matter what, after a certain period of time. Most modern cars have clutches that will last for up to 75,000 miles or even more, when the clutch is used properly and smoothly. However, even this does not mean that you wouldn’t have to replace your clutch in time.

It is always advisable for you to visit an expert to get your clutch replaced as it is not something that you would be able to do by yourself. Vehicles that are used to tow other vehicles experience faster wear down of clutches, as there is a lot of weight that is placed on the friction disc.

Always make sure that you visit an experienced mechanic when trying to replace your clutch, because amateurs would not be able to do the job perfectly. Replacing a clutch can cost anywhere between £250 and £1,000, depending on your car.

Also Refer To: Car Repair Costs

How to Reduce Clutch Wear

If the flywheel is spinning at the same speed as your clutch, then there wouldn’t be any wear and tear. Similarly, there wouldn’t be any wear if the clutch is fully disengaged, as the friction disc does not encounter the flywheel at all.

This means that the wear and tear of your clutch happens only when you engage and disengage the engine. Since there is no possibility for you to avoid engaging and disengaging your clutch, all you can do is be mindful of how you press and operate your clutch pedal. Always be gentle with your clutch pedal, so that there wouldn’t be any extra wear and tear than necessary. Change the gears gently and carefully as well, so that your clutch is not pressed or pulled away from the clutch pedal suddenly.

The most important part of using your clutch pedal gear is when you operate in the first gear. Carefully shift into the first gear, always, and gently take the pressure off the clutch pedal to start moving. This is an important part, given that most clutch pedal wear and tears occur in this step.

Using your clutch pedal gently can increase the lifespan of your clutch pedal by a lot.

Is Your Clutch in Need of Repair or Replacement? / When Is a Clutch Repair or Replacement Needed?

The most common and severe problem for a clutch is slipping, which is very easily identifiable. Other problems can also occur, nevertheless, for your clutch, depending on your usage of the clutch.

These problems can be anything, ranging from loosened cabling to a leaking clutch cylinder, all of which prevent your clutch from being controlled effectively.

The minute you feel that your clutch is not working the way it is supposed to, or if you notice that it has begun to shudder or slip, that is when you should understand that something is wrong with your clutch.

Car Clutch Maintenance Advice

Here are a few tips that can help you maintain your clutch and help reduce the wear and tear of your clutch:

1. Reduce The Heat From Internal Friction

Most of the problems faced by a clutch are because of the heat generated by internal friction. Heat due to internal friction can be caused when the clutch is partially engaged, which takes place when shifting from one gear to the other. Avoiding such situations can reduce the heat.

Slipping is another action that can result in heat buildup in the clutch. Slipping is usually done to gain extra momentum, which can otherwise be done by starting in a lower gear and building up from there. This will avoid a lot of heat and is so much better for the clutch.

2. Let The Air Out Of The Fluid

The internal heat caused can produce small pockets of air in the hydraulic fluid, which activates the clutch. This can result in the clutch developing a spongy effect, and not being precise anymore. To avoid this, the air should be let out of the hydraulic fluid. The simplest way to do this is through an automated bleeding system if that is something that your car has. The manual way involves accessing the bleed screw on the clutch’s slave cylinder and opening it while someone else presses the pedal to the floor. Always top up your hydraulic fluid after this, and keep an eye on its colour, because it will need to be replaced if it gets dark or cloudy.

3. Change Bad Operational Habits

As mentioned earlier, using your clutch properly is important, as bad usage or operational habits on your clutch can easily result in a clutch that stops working well within a short period of time.

Avoid keeping any sort of pressure on your clutch pedal, if you do not need to use the clutch pedal in the first place, as it is one of the most common, and often unnecessary mistakes that can result in a clutch that doesn’t function properly.

Conclusion

The clutch forms the most important function of any car, as it is that which enables the motion of your car. It is important for you to take care of your clutch and be mindful of the way you are using it, as clutch repairs and replacements can be quite costly. Apart from the clutch, there are other repairs and replacements that may need to be done for your car, which can arise due to various reasons, and often, they aren’t very costly. To avoid such unforeseen, costly expenditures on your car, it is always advisable to get your car warranty, which will cover all the repair costs for your car.

Warranty Direct covers all electrical and mechanical repair costs, including clutch pressure plate, clutch cable, clutch master cylinder, clutch slave hydraulic cylinder, pedal self-adjustment assembly, release fork, and hydraulic pipes. Get an extended car warranty. today and drive carefree every day!