Search for Clutch kit :

Clutch kit: replacement and selection

When and why is it necessary to replace clutch kit

It is recommended to replace the clutch kit every 100 000 – 150 000 kilometers of mileage. Usually, intervals of clutch replacement for every specific model are noted in car technical documentation.

The most common defects of the unit, at which repair is impossible, are: wear of the friction pads, warping or cracking of the driven disk, crumple or wear of its splines, destruction of the release bearing, breakage of the diaphragm spring or springs of the pressure plate, its skewing or deformation.

Generally, all these defects, if don’t occur prematurely, are caused by non-observance of clutch operation recommendations. For example, components breakdown can be caused by sharp burn-out starts, a habit of stopping the car at traffic light or in traffic jams by clutch disconnecting or holding the foot on the pedal constantly. Sometimes, premature wear-out of the components is caused by ingress of oil to their surfaces due to destruction of the engine or gearbox seals.

Jerks, rattling and knocking during speeds shifting, increase of pedal free travel or its vibration, worsening of car dynamic characteristics, increasing of fuel consumption, frequent engine overheating, unusual smells in the cabin indicate clutch failures quite often.

The clutch components have similar lifetime limits. That is why it is recommended to replace them by kit. If dual-mass flywheel is installed in your car, you should replace it as well. During kit installation you should also inspect and replace (if necessary) the crankshaft and gearbox oil seals.

How to select clutch kit

To make the clutch serve you long and faultlessly, always select the kits, complying with your car technical requirements and its operational conditions. For example, there are kits of standard and sport clutch. The pads for the standard clutch are made of friction material based on organic components. Such clutch provides smooth gear shifting, have optimal friction coefficient and affordable price, but less continuous operation lifetime. It is used on the most cars production.

The sport clutch, for production of which pads metal-ceramics, kevlar or carbon are used, have the higher friction coefficient, that is why it provides sharp starts and improves dynamic characteristics of the car. Mostly it is installed on sports and tuned cars. It is not suitable for everyday exploitation, as it reduces driving comfort, especially at starting, causes premature wear of the flywheel and gearbox, and also costs significantly more that the standard one.

Quality and longevity of the clutch kit greatly depends on its manufacturer. Nowadays, the next manufacturers are considered the best: Sachs, LuK, Valeo, JP Group, Mecarm, Nexus, Aisin and others.

Also, selecting the kit, you should pay attention to its contents. There are kits for single-disc clutch, which are installed on the most passenger cars, and for double- and multiple-disc clutch also; they can be found mainly on heavy sport cars and commercial vehicles. Aside from this, it is important that diameter of discs, quantity and shape of driven disk hub teeth are equal to parameters of original equipment, otherwise, it will be impossible to install the part.