Clutch Replacement in Salcombe

Salcombe is an estuary resort of very steep, narrow streets with limited parking. Clutches here live a hard life, with constant hill starts, slow manoeuvres into tight spaces and long queues when the holiday traffic builds.

At Automaster, also trading as Clutchmaster, we see how that kind of use shows up. If your car has started to slip, shudder or feel odd under your foot, we will inspect it at Longcombe Cross near Totnes and give you a plain-spoken answer.

Why do steep streets wear out a clutch so quickly?

A hill start asks the clutch to hold the car while the engine builds revs, which generates heat. Do this repeatedly, with a loaded car, and the friction material wears faster than it would on flat roads.

Inching forward in a queue, riding the biting point, has the same effect. Smoother use helps, but eventually every clutch wears out.

Parking on a slope with a manual car also encourages drivers to hold the car on the clutch, so a little care with the handbrake can help the next one last.

What signs mean I need a new clutch?

Watch for slipping when accelerating, judder as you pull away, a biting point that sits very high, a heavy pedal, or a pedal that sinks or sticks. A burning smell after a steep climb is a warning.

Difficulty finding gears may be the clutch not releasing fully. Do not push on if you cannot select gears safely.

If a symptom comes and goes, say so. A clutch that only misbehaves when hot, or only on the steepest streets, still has something wrong, and knowing the pattern helps us find it.

• Slipping on climbs
• Judder from rest
• Heavy, sinking or sticking pedal
• Burning smell
• Trouble selecting gears

Repair or replace: what is wrong with my clutch?

A clutch repair can mean a new master or slave cylinder, a replaced pipe, bleeding air from the system or fixing a cable. These suit cases where the friction parts are healthy and the problem lies in how the clutch is operated.

When the plate is worn, replacement is the answer: pressure plate, driven plate and release bearing together, plus the flywheel where it is worn.

Whichever it turns out to be, we explain it in plain terms so that you can decide with the facts in front of you.

Do you work on cars from Salcombe, and where is the garage?

Yes. We welcome drivers from Salcombe, Kingsbridge, Thurlestone, Loddiswell and Bantham at Automaster, Longcombe Cross, Longcombe, near Totnes.

If you are a visitor or a boat owner with a second car, the same applies. A clutch that is failing is better looked at before the next busy weekend.

What affects the time and cost of fitting a clutch?

How easily the gearbox can be separated from the engine varies a great deal by model, so some jobs take longer than others. Whether a flywheel or hydraulic parts are involved matters as well.

We never promise a fixed time over the phone. Give us your registration and symptoms and ask for a quote.

It also helps to tell us whether the car is usually loaded for family trips or used mostly for short runs around town.