Auto and Truck Repair and Advice
Serving the Gainesville and Hawthorne Florida Area

Clutch Repair , Replacement
for Cars and Trucks

How Your Car Works: auto system descriptionsHow Your Car Works: auto system descriptions
How Your Car Works: auto system descriptionsHow Your Car Works: auto system descriptions
How Your Car Works: auto system descriptionsHow Your Car Works: auto system descriptions
How Your Car Works: auto system descriptionsHow Your Car Works: auto system descriptions
How Your Car Works: auto system descriptionsHow Your Car Works: auto system descriptions

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CLUTCH COMPONENTS

Vehicles with manual transmissions all have a clutch that needs periodic adjustment and repair or replacement. The clutch system consists of the following components:

CLUTCH DISK (or DISC):

The clutch disk is covered with a special lining (used to be asbestos: now it's a fiberglass composite). The lining material is similar to the material used on your brake pads. When you release the clutch and let it "slip", you are wearing the clutch lining material. When the lining material is all worn away, you need a clutch job, just like you need a brake job when your brake pads wear out. The Clutch disc is sandwiched between the pressure plate and the flywheel.

Click here for Pictures and Diagrams of Clutch Plates

PRESSURE PLATE

The pressure plate is is a spring loaded device which presses the clutch disk against the flywheel. It should be replaced with each clutch job because its springs can weaken and its surface can warp or become unevenly worn, causing slipping, chattering, or locking up of the clutch. Reusing the same pressure plate can make a clutch job fail before its time.

Click here for Pressure Plate Images

THROWOUT BEARING (OR RELEASE BEARING):

The throwout or release bearing presses on pressure plate to release clutch. It should also be replaced with each clutch job.

Click here for Pictures of throwout or release bearings

PILOT SHAFT BEARING OR BUSHING:

(Some Cars) The pilot bearing or bushing supports the outer end of the transmission input shaft. It is located in the center of the flywheel or end of crankshaft.

Click here for Pictures of pilot bearings

FLYWHEEL:

The flywheel is the other surface the clutch disc rubs on. It often must be resurfaced (turned) when the clutch is replaced.

Click here for Pictures of Flywheels

LINKAGE:

Several types of linkage are used to connect the clutch pedal to the throwout bearing and pressure plate. These include:

Clutch cable

Many cars have a clutch cable linkage. A cable can be run around corners and allow flexibility of car design. A clutch cable can wear out, bind and get stiff, or break.

Hydraulic clutch

A hydraulic clutch linkage is even more flexible than a cable. A hydraulic clutch has a clutch master cylinder behind the clutch pedal and a clutch slave cylinder at the transmission. Both cylinders, master and slave, can fail and cause a clutch pedal that won't release the clutch. (low pedal, grinds going into gear)

Rod and bellcrank linkage

The rod and bellcrank linkage has a series of rods and pivots that connect directly to the clutch. This is probably the most reliable linkage, usually outlasting the car. Unfortunately it's also the least flexible and isn't found on many cars because of that. Mostly found on trucks, vans, and older vehicles.

Symptoms of a misadjusted or malfunctioning Clutch Linkage

A clutch linkage adjusted too tight can cause slipping and wear out the clutch prematurely.
A clutch linkage which is too loose or fails can make the clutch not release and make it impossible to get into gear. On some vehicles a chattering clutch on release can be caused by a bad clutch linkage.

Air Cooled VW Beetle clutch linkage problems

The air cooled rear engined VW Beetle had a cable operated clutch. This cable ran through a tube which was mounted in 3 places inside the car body. When a weld on one of those tube braces breaks, the clutch will chatter and jerk on release, as well as giving adjustment problems. You have to know where to cut on the body, then cut a hole in the "tunnel" in the middle of the car and re-weld the brace.

DIAGNOSTICS

Slipping

(Engine rev's up but car speed does not increase, or rpm's start going up as you go up a hill) Slipping is either a bad clutch disk or misadjustment of the clutch.

Won't go into gear or hard to shift or low pedal

If your car or truck won't go into gear, grinds when you shift into reverse, or is hard to shift or has a low pedal, either a bad linkage (cable or hydaulic failures are common) or bad pressure plate is probably the problem.

Clutch makes noise


A whirring noise which changes as you press and release the clutch pedal can be a throwout or pilot bearing.

NOTE: I have a recording of a bad throwout bearing in my NOISE LIBRARY


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Auto, Car, and Truck Article List

A
ABS: Anti-Lock Brake Systems
ADVANCE: Car ignition timing
ALTERNATORS and Car Battery
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS
B
BAD CAR DESIGNS
Bad Drivers: How NOT to drive
BATTERIES: Auto, Car or Truck
BELTS AND HOSES
BEARINGS
BODY AND BUMPER REPAIRS
BRAKE REPAIRS: Car or Truck
C
Car Washing and Care
CARBURETORS:Car & Truck
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT
CLEANING: Engine Cleaning
CLUTCH REPAIRS: Car & Truck
COMPRESSION: Car Engine
COMPUTER CAR CONTROLS
CV JOINT OR CV AXLES
D
DISTRIBUTORS (IGNITION)
E
ELECTRIC WIRING REPAIR
ENGINES: Car & Truck
ENGINE CLEANING
EXPANSION PLUGS
F
FILTERS: OIL, AIR, ETC.
FREEZE PLUGS
FUEL AIR MIXTURE
FUEL INJECTION: Car & Truck
FUEL PUMPS: Car & Truck
G
GAGES AND "IDIOT LIGHTS"
GASKETS AND SEALS
GLASS: WINDOWS AND WINDSHIELDS
H
HEADS & HEAD GASKET
HOSES AND BELTS
I
"IDIOT LIGHTS" AND GAGES
IGNITION TIMING: Car & Truck
J
AUTO JACKS: lifting cars safely
K
L
LEAN "Car runs lean"
LIGHTS: WARNING OR "IDIOT LIGHTS"
Limp Home Mode
M
MIL Light
MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS
N
NO START: Car Won't Start
O
OIL CHANGES
OIL: What's right for your car?
OIL LIGHT ON OR GAGE LOW
P
PCV Valve
Q
R
RADIATORS: Car and Truck
RICH: Car runs rich
S
SEALS AND GASKETS
SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT
SPARK PLUGS
STARTERS: Auto, Truck
T
THERMOSTATS
TIMING: IGNITION TIMING
TIMING BELT & TIMING CHAIN
TIRE REPAIR
TRANSMISSIONS: AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSIONS: MANUAL
U
V
VACUUM ADVANCE
WARNING LIGHTS OR"IDIOT LIGHTS"
Car Washing and Care
W
WATER PUMP REPAIR
WINDOWS AND WINDSHIELDS
WIRING REPAIR
X
Y
Z

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