It is hard to state a specific mileage milestone for when a clutch needs to be replaced. In all seriousness, a clutch can go bad after 30,000 miles of use or after over 100,000 miles of use. Extra Mile Tire and Service advises that the lifespan of a clutch depends on the quality of the clutch and how you use it. To help you determine the correct time to replace your clutch, we are going to list below the signs that the clutch is going bad.
Softness to the Clutch
You may notice a softness to the clutch when you use it if it is wearing out. Ideally, you always want the clutch to give you the same amount of resistance when you depress it. If the clutch feels softer, or if it feels squishy, you need to have the clutch inspected to see if it needs to be rebuilt or replaced. The same is true if the clutch sinks to the floorboard without catching at the bite point.
A Different Bite Point
Speaking of the bite point, this place in the clutch’s journey down to the floorboard will change when the clutch needs to be replaced. Normally, the point at which you shift the gears will get higher in the clutch. Sometimes, this point changes subtly. Other times, the point change will be more noticeable. Either way, you need to have the clutch looked at if the bite point has changed.
Strong Burning Smells
A lot of things happened when you press down on a clutch pedal. First, the clutch engages so it can take the engine’s power and move it to the transmission. This makes shifting the gears easy and turns the drivetrain. You need the clutch engaged throughout this process. If the clutch slips, this means it disengages before you release it. When this happens, the clutch will smell hot.
Problems Shifting Gears
As you can imagine, if the clutch slips, the power is no longer with the transmission and you may have to fight to shift the gears. In addition to the gear shift being very stiff, the gears may grind while you are shifting them. Aside from this problem, you may also have difficulties with your vehicle’s acceleration. If the power is not with the transmission, the drivetrain will not turn.
We here at Extra Mile Tire and Service in Milton, GA, hope this information has helped. For additional information on when your clutch needs to be replaced, check your owner’s manual.
