Clutch Replacement in Bigbury

Bigbury is a coastal South Hams village close to Bigbury-on-Sea and Burgh Island, and in summer the narrow lanes fill up with visitors. Crawling in traffic, waiting for gaps and setting off again and again is exactly the kind of driving that wears a clutch.

If your car has started to slip, shudder or feel odd underfoot, Automaster can look at it.

Why does my clutch slip or judder?

Slipping usually means the driven plate has worn thin or the pressure plate is no longer clamping properly, so the engine cannot pass its power through. Judder when moving off can come from a glazed or contaminated clutch surface, a worn flywheel or a problem with the engine and gearbox mounts.

Neither symptom cures itself. Both tend to progress, and the heat from slipping can damage the flywheel as well as the clutch.

A smell of burning and a clutch that stops biting on a hill is a clear sign to stop using the car for anything demanding.

• Revs rise but speed does not
• Shudder when pulling away
• Smell of burning friction material

What does a clutch replacement involve?

On most cars the gearbox has to come out to reach the clutch. We then fit a new kit, normally a pressure plate, driven plate and release bearing, and check the flywheel surface and the spigot and input shaft area before refitting.

Because so much work goes into reaching the clutch, replacing the parts together makes sense. It is rarely worth refitting a tired release bearing or pressure plate after paying for that access.

When is a flywheel replacement needed?

Many modern cars have a dual-mass flywheel, built with springs inside to smooth out engine vibration. These can wear, causing rattle at idle, judder or a clunk when the engine starts or stops. A solid flywheel can be heat-marked or scored.

Where the flywheel is worn beyond what is acceptable, replacing it with the clutch protects the new parts. We will explain what we see and what your options are.

Can Bigbury drivers book with Automaster?

Yes, we welcome drivers from Bigbury, Ringmore, Kingston, Bantham and Thurlestone. Our garage is at Longcombe Cross, Longcombe, near Totnes.

If you are visiting the area and your clutch plays up, the same advice applies: get it looked at before it fails completely. We deal with petrol and diesel cars and vans.

It also helps to arrange the visit in advance, so we can talk through the symptoms and arrange the inspection around your plans.

What changes the cost of a clutch job?

The biggest factors are how much of the car must be removed to reach the gearbox, which varies by model, and whether a flywheel or a hydraulic component also needs replacing. The quality and type of parts for your particular vehicle also play a part.

Rather than guess, ask for a quote with your registration and a description of the symptoms and we will explain what is driving the figure.