Clutch Replacement in Bantham

Bantham sits at the mouth of the River Avon, with a beach, surfers and, on summer weekends, a lot of cars squeezing down narrow lanes. A car with a poor clutch is a real nuisance when you are in a queue or trying to leave a busy car park.

If yours is slipping, grabbing or has gone stiff, Automaster can inspect it and quote for the right fix. We are at Longcombe Cross near Totnes and work on petrol and diesel cars and vans.

Why does a clutch fail after surf trips and summer queues?

Wear is down to how a clutch is used, not just how far the car has gone. Slipping the clutch on hills, holding the car on the biting point and repeated starts in traffic all add heat, and heat is what wears the friction material.

A car loaded with boards, bikes or luggage works the clutch harder again.

If you regularly carry heavy loads or a trailer, tell us. It does not change the diagnosis, but it helps explain how quickly the clutch wore.

What are the symptoms of a worn clutch?

A clutch that is on its way out may slip when you accelerate, judder when moving off, bite very high on the pedal or feel heavy. You might notice a burning smell or struggle to find gears.

A pedal that sinks to the floor or sticks is more often a hydraulic fault than a worn plate. Either way, have it checked.

A clutch fault that appears suddenly after a long day of stop-start driving is still worth checking, even if it seems to ease overnight.

• Slipping under load
• Judder at pull-away
• Pedal sinking or sticking
• Difficulty finding gears
• Burning smell

What is included in clutch replacement and flywheel work?

We remove the gearbox, fit a new pressure plate, driven plate and release bearing, and inspect the flywheel. If a dual-mass flywheel is worn, we recommend replacing it together with the clutch, because a tired flywheel can quickly damage a new kit.

Once refitted, the pedal feel, biting point and gear selection are checked.

Fitting a good-quality kit and checking everything on the way back together gives the car a clean start, and you will feel the difference in the pedal.

Do you cover Bantham and the surrounding villages?

Yes. Drivers from Bantham, Thurlestone, Bigbury, Kingsbridge and Loddiswell bring their cars to Automaster at Longcombe Cross, Longcombe, near Totnes.

If your car is struggling to disengage the clutch, avoid heavy traffic and steep lanes until we have looked at it.

Automaster is known as Clutchmaster for exactly this kind of work, so a clutch question from a Bantham driver is one we are used to answering.

How will you work out the cost of my clutch job?

It depends on the vehicle, the amount of dismantling needed, whether the flywheel is worn and whether any hydraulic parts are at fault. Different cars take very different amounts of work.

Ask for a quote with your registration and a description of the symptoms.

If the clutch has been playing up for a while, the flywheel is more likely to be affected, which can change the quote. Honest detail about how long the problem has been there helps us give you a realistic idea.