Clutch Replacement Cost

Let’s admit it; a car is a complex beast in its own rights. For it to stop without destroying its own engine, the wheels must somehow disconnect from the engine. Here comes our hero, the clutch. As you might have guessed by now, a clutch makes this feat possible by creating a sync between the car’s engine and the transmission system.

It’s like a normal day job for a clutch to smoothly engage a car’s spinning engine to a non-spinning transmission by controlling the slippage between the two of them. Basically, a clutch is a vital mechanical component of a car’s transmission system. Therefore, you will have to make sure that it stays in good shape at all times to prevent it from causing serious issues.

How Long Does a Car Clutch Last?

Unlike other automobile parts, a car clutch enjoys a great lifespan. Yes, it can last for 60,000 plus miles. Of course, it also depends on how the car is driven/treated by the owner. Poor driving habits can cause the clutch to go bad much sooner than its expected lifespan, which is to say that a driver is the worst enemy of this car component.

On the other hand, a clutch of a well-driven car can drive past 1,00,000 miles. So, a driver can be a clutch’s best friend too. Of course, a certain degree of wear and tear is obvious, even with normal car use. So, if you have been driving your car for years and years, you might have to get the car clutch replaced at some point. For the clutch to last longer, one shouldn’t be using it unnecessarily.

How Much Does It Cost To Replace The Clutch?

Clutch replacement involves a decent amount of work. From lifting the car to dropping the entire gearbox and more, it’s not going to be a walk in the park, even for an experienced car technician out there. This also means that this job won’t happen on a stringent budget.

Believe it or not, you may have to cough up to a grand for a clutch replacement job. To put it simply, the clutch itself isn’t too expensive. Most of the expenses would go towards the labor charges. Generally, it will take half a day for 2-3 technicians to work on your car to get the clutch replaced.

Of course, a mechanic operating under a tree shade can always do it cheaper. But then, the bitterness of the poor quality might bite you long after the sweetness of the discounted price is forgotten.

Factors that affect the Clutch Replacement Cost

As mentioned earlier, the cost of clutch replacement can shoot up to $1000. In some places, you can get it done for as low as $400, but not always. To be honest, over here, there are numerous factors that determine how much a job of this nature will cost you. Let’s take a look at them:

• The make and model of the car
• The auto repair center you visit
• Whether you choose an old or new part
• Whether or not it’s a hydraulic clutch
• Whether or not it’s an automatic or manual transmission clutch
• Other damaged parts
• The warranty on the existing clutch

Auto Center	Price
Mr Tire	$500-$900
NAPA	$450-$850
Your Mechanic	$550-$1000
Midas	$480-$950

As you can tell, there are a good number of factors that come into play over here. To get a fair estimate, you can visit more than a few auto repair centers around your area and get quotes from them. You can finalize a provider that can get the job done at a reasonable price point. Of course, make sure that the chosen shop is credible in the first place.

When Should you Get the Clutch Replaced?

A faulty clutch can pose serious troubles. Therefore, you should attend to any clutch related issue at the very first sign of it going bad. In other words, you shouldn’t wait for the issue to aggravate. After all, a mechanical problem of this nature won’t get resolved on its own.

The good news is that your car will alert you of the problem through some squeaking or rumbling noises. That said, zeroing on a clutch issue is quite challenging, especially for a new driver. It’s up to you to make something out of the noise and take an educated guess.

Alert drivers will usually take their car to a trusted mechanic for a proper diagnosis of the issue. Generally, clutch problems arise due to poor driving habits.

Clutch Replacement Procedure

Performing a clutch replacement is as good as doing heart surgery on your car. Believe it or not, it’s one of the most complex automotive repairs you can think about. So, it’s better to leave this labor-intensive job on the experts. If you keep working on cars regularly, then it’s a different story.

Replacing the clutch involves a complex series of activities, such as removing the driveshaft, disassembling the transmission, and also supporting the engine, if required. So, taking help from a professional is a better idea over here.

Adjusting the Clutch Pedal

Over time the clutch in your car will wear down, requiring adjustments to it. Gladly enough, you can perform this job solo. This will not only save you some money, but it will also extend the life of the clutch. For those who don’t know, the tolerances inside a typical clutch system change as the clutch disc wears down.

Usually, it’s adjusted every 6,000 miles or as specified in the owner manual of the car. The procedure for clutch pedal adjustment is fairly simple. You have to remove the locking nut around the clutch rod, which will allow you to decrease or increase its distance from the clutch pedal.

Keep in mind that most of the newer cars out there make use of a hydraulic clutch, which does not require any adjustments because it has a self-adjusting mechanism to it.