As modern cars become increasingly more advanced, the DIY guy often finds that home repairs are getting more and more complicated.
Used to be replacing a clutch was a Saturday-morning job with friends and a beer, but that has turned into a rather expensive visit to the local mechanic or dealership. Along with more sophisticated clutch mechanisms come problems that are not so cheap or easy to repair.
One of our readers had a clutch failure and asked why he had to pay for the repair even though the vehicle was still covered by the maintenance plan. His problem was that the clutch in his car - an expensive German brand with a very modern clutch system - had been replaced twice in less than 20 000km. The clutch on this particular model could not be replaced without the dual-mass flywheel being replaced as well.
OK, so I’ve lost you already.
Flywheels are designed to provide a smoother take-off and less judder when changing gears; many modern examples have a shock absorber between two pieces of steel making up the flywheel. This design is great until you have to pay for the replacement, which can set you back almost R20 000 on some vehicles.
Anyway, back to our reader who wanted to know why he had to pay for the clutch. The clutch is a wear-and-tear item that can be abused by the driver. If it is determined that the clutch failure is due to driver abuse or neglect, you will be liable for the cost, even if you have a maintenance plan.
ASK FOR A REPORT
The wear on a clutch is not determined by the whim of the service provider but by the clutch manufacturers, who have years of experience and can determine exactly why a given clutch has failed. If, for whatever reason, you feel that you have been given the run around, ask for a report that shows how the clutch failed. It’s rare for a clutch to fail because of poor quality materials in manufacturing.
Clutch failure can also be caused by incorrect fitment and oil seepage onto the friction surfaces. On vehicles that have both the slave cylinder and the thrust bearing as a single unit, also known as a concentric bearing, the cost of a clutch replacement can also be extremely expensive.
The design of a modern car has a lot of advantages but the do-it-yourself guy is finding it more difficult to maintain his vehicle.
Does this mean that the manufacturers don’t want you to leave the dealerships?
The special tools required to work on cars these days literally force the owner to seek out a dealership or aftermarket service centre.
I have had instances in my shop where clutches have lasted the lifetime of the car. The other side of that coin is I have also had clutches last five days. A clutch can be burnt out in 10 seconds.
So, if you want to eradicate your clutch-wear problems you need to change your driving style.
Drive in a manner that clutch slip is at a minimum under load. The thrust bearing is a different design to the wheel bearings so don’t keep the clutch depressed when standing for long periods in the traffic - that’s why every gearbox has a neutral position. This saves the grease drying out in the bearing.
Finally, wheel spinning may look cool when dad is paying for the repairs, but isn’t great for clutch longevity. - Star Motoring
Sagie Moodley presents a radio motoring show with Adam Ford on Mix FM (93.8) from 7-9pm every Wednesday.