How to prolong the life of your clutch
Posted: November 29th 2018
Follow these 5 golden rules to prolong the life of your clutch: -
1. Don't ride the clutch
Never keep the clutch pedal partially depressed, as this keeps the released bearing pressing against the pressure plate. As a result, this will wear out the bearing and weaken the springs in the pressure plate. In extreme cases this may allow the clutch to slip creating excessive heat and wear especially to the drive plate.
2. Put the vehicle in neutral when stopped
Keeping the clutch pedal depressed unnecessarily will weaken the pressure plate and wear the release bearing out prematurely.
3. Apply the handbrake when parked
If possible, you should use the handbrake to secure the car when parking, rather than leaving the vehicle in gear. This will reduce the amount of pressure on the drive plate when you are not driving.
4. Change gear quickly
The longer the clutch pedal is depressed the faster the clutch will wear out. The extra unnecessary seconds the clutch is depressed will add up on the thousands of gearchanges during the vehicle’s life.
5. Decisively change gear
Don’t change gear more than necessary. Drive at a constant speed and try to use your brakes to slow down instead of changing down gears. Its cheaper to replace your brakes than to replace your clutch.