When is the right time to replace your car’s clutch plates: Explained

If you drive vehicles, then you should be aware that clutch is one of the most important part of a vehicle. It is the component that connects the engine to transmission. If the clutch plate on your vehicles gets damaged, then the engine won’t be able to send power to the wheels and the car won’t move as there is no power. Over the course of driving, clutch plate in a car goes through rough and tough use due to driving style and conditions. Conditions like bumper to bumper traffic, hilly roads decrease the life of clutch on a car. In this article, we discuss some of the signs that would let you know about the life of the clutch plate.

Grinding Noise

A grinding or growling noise in the car when the clutch pedal is pressed or released is usually associated with a worn-out or a bad bearing. It is recommended to get the clutch plate checked as it will end up causing more damage and might also damage other mechanicals, if not inspected or repaired.

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Slippage

This is the most common sign of your clutch plate ageing. It is basically when the Rpms of the engine increase but, the car does not gain any speed or is gaining speed very slowly. This means, the clutch on your vehicle has started to slip and is near the end of its life. Reason why, clutch slips is because the clutch plates are not able to provide enough traction and power from engine to transmission.

Shuddering

Shuddering is the shaking or hopping feeling that one gets when you release the clutch too fast. If the hopping feel continues while driving at slow speeds, there is something wrong with the clutch system. At times, there have been instances when water gets into the system after driving through flooded roads. In this case, the hopping effect goes away after driving for some kilometres.

If the issue continues, then get in touch with a mechanic. This issue can also occur due to other reasons like misaligned engine and transmission, worn out engine mounts or the friction plate in the clutch is not working properly.

Hard Gear Shifts

Normally gears can be shifted smoothly in a car. If you have to use more force than usual to engage a gear and there are mechanical noises while shifting gear after completely pressing the clutch, then there is something wrong with the clutch. Some times, the issue can be fixed by making some adjustments or by replacing some parts.

Why is it important to replace clutch

In normal driving conditions, life of clutch is pretty long. They can last upto 1 lakh kms. If you are driving in city driving conditions with bumper to bumper traffic, then there are chances that you might have to replace the clutch sooner. Depending upon the signs, the cost of repair on your car might differ. If you are experiencing slippage, then it might cost you somewhere between Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000. In expensive cars, it can go as high as Rs 50,000.

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