Quickly find and book Clutch Replacement in Watford

How Does a Car's Clutch Work?

The clutch is perhaps the most important part of a car’s transmission system. It comprises two metal plates which are responsible for maintaining a connection between the engine and the gearbox. When the driver depresses the clutch pedal the plates come apart, separating the engine from the drive wheels, allowing you to change gear. Bringing the pedal back up re-engages the plates which in turn connect the engine to the drive wheels.

Excessive noise and vibration from the clutch area can be caused by a bad release bearing or pilot bearing. If this is the case in your car, the garage will take apart the clutch assembly in order to replace the bearings.

If the clutch is grabbing and shuddering as it’s engaged, the garage may need to take a look at the flywheel as well. Many modern vehicles are fitted with a dual mass flywheel; a rotating mechanical device which can break down. There’s no easy way for garages to check for this without disassembling the clutch and inspecting the pressure plate and flywheel. If the clutch pedal is giving little or no resistance, the problem could be a seal leak in the master or slave cylinder.

How can you save money (and the environment) while you drive?

As every garage owner will tell you, there are some tried and tested ways to cut down on your petrol costs (and consumption) while you’re out and about in Watford or beyond. One is to shut your windows. If you can hear that wind noise in your car it’s costing you more to drive. This is because the car becomes less aerodynamic and has to work harder to motor along. Removing a roof rack will improve your fuel efficiency for the same reason. Another useful tip is to combine short trips into one; each time you drive after your car has been parked for a while the engine will be cold and need to use a lot more fuel for the first 5 miles or so. If you do one trip from school drop-off to supermarket to office you’ll use far less fuel than if you do all those trips individually.