The clutch is one of the heavily-used vehicle components for sure. It wears out quickly owing to continual friction and heavy-duty usage. Hence, its performance naturally goes down as a result. It is not wise to ignore clutch-related problems since they may create a lot of trouble down the line. Hence, here is a handy guide that will help you immensely with regard to understanding and identifying them.
Common clutch problems and the reasons behind them
- Slippage- This may happen due to the linings of the clutch plate wearing out, greasy clutch lining or friction surface, bound/locked pedal travel, broken/weak pressure springs, incorrect adjustments of pedals, scored/burnt pressure plate or flywheel surface and incorrect fitting of carpet and floorboard.
- Clutch drag and scenarios where it is unable to engage gears upon pressing the pedal. This happens due to wrong alignment, greasy/broken flywheel, clutch or pressure plate, improper adjustment of the pedal, locked drive plate, and broken or improperly adjusted release levers.
- Common clutch issues of vibrations and thuds- This happens due to greasy friction surfaces, non-alignment of the gearbox, excessive rear axle or joint backlash, protruding/loose rivets, worn and loose linings, engine tie bar problems, defective mountings of the engine, and improper release mechanism.
- Knocks- May be caused due to the pilot bearings being worn out and also due to the improper alignment of the hub-splines.
- Rattling clutch- This happens due to a variety of factors as mentioned, including loose release bearings, worn-out mechanism for release, worn out or bent splined shaft, damages to the driver plate, extra backlash in the transmission system and wear and tear of the bearings for transmission.
These are some of the core things that you should keep in mind above all else. These are often reasons for the clutch not working properly or coming with a load of additional problems alongside. You should make a note of the issues, and whenever you notice anything of the sort plaguing your clutch setup, make sure you visit the authorized service centre without any delays whatsoever.
For the latest auto news and reviews, follow carandbike.com on Twitter, Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.