Jims Garage Services Unit 6,
Rear of 42-64 Ethelbert Road,
Cliftonville, Margate,
Kent, CT9 1SB
Jims Garage Services Unit 6,
Rear of 42-64 Ethelbert Road,
Cliftonville, Margate,
Kent, CT9 1SB
At Jims Garage Services we provide full vehicle clutch replacement and fault diagnosis in Margate, Kent. We supply and fit car and van clutches to suit all makes and models of vehicles. At our Thanet based workshop we can carry out all vehicle related repairs such as vehicle servicing, brake repair and replacement and clutch replacement.
The clutch is used by your vehicle to transfer the power from your vehicles engine to its gearbox. The clutch is made up of two main components: a Pressure Plate and a Friction Plate. The pressure plate is attached to your engine and the friction plate is attached to your vehicles wheels via a gearbox. When the clutch pedal is up (your foot is not pushing down on the clutch pedal) the clutch pressure plate and friction plate are clamped together a bit like a brake. This allows the rotation of the engine to turn the wheels of your car. When you push the clutch pedal to the floor the clutch friction plate and clutch pressure plate are pushed apart. This disconnects the rotating engine from the wheels.
Like tyres and brakes, clutches wear out and require attention. Clutch wear is very much determined by the way in which you drive your vehicle.
The most common type of clutch wear we see is loss of friction material where the clutch has worn away, which causes the clutch to slip or judder. The friction material on a clutch is very similar to that of a disc brake pad or drum brake shoe. After a while the friction material wears away and when it gets very worn the clutch starts to slip. Eventually, the clutch friction material can no longer transfer the engine’s power to the wheels and your vehicle stops.
Fault – Friction material contaminated with oil or grease.
Cause – Oil leak from engine or gearbox. Excessive grease applied to shaft.
Action – Repair all oil leaks.
Fault – Damaged release bearing.
Cause – Incorrect fitment on release fork. Wear on release mechanism. Incorrect preload.
Action – Check release mechanism and position of bearing on the fork. Ensure correct clutch load.
Fault – Circumferential grooves on pressure plate.
Cause – Defective release mechanism or worn dual mass flywheel. Possible driver misuse.
Action – Check the release mechanism for correct operation and inspect the dual mass flywheel for wear.
Fault – Friction material scored and separating from plate.
Cause – Worn or damaged flywheel.
Action – Check flywheel surface and skim or replace if required.
The opposite of clutch slip is called clutch drag. Clutch drag occurs when the clutch does not fully disengage the engine when the clutch pedal is depressed and can result in a noisy gear change or difficulty in engaging first and or reverse gears. Clutch drag can be caused by a damaged clutch or clutch mechanism such as a worn clutch cable.
Fault – Damaged Spline, Difficulty in changing gear.
Cause – Aggressive location of the gearbox shaft into the hub.
Action – Fit new clutch and rotate the flywheel or input shaft to align with hub spindles.
Fault – Cover assembly drive strap distorted.
Cause – The cover assembly has been dropped prior to fitment.
Action – Fit new clutch and check the drive straps prior to fitment.
Fault – Diaphragm fingers broken and worn.
Cause – Release mechanism fault.
Action – Ensure release mechanism is set to manufacturers guidelines. Ensure correct clutch alignment.
Fault – Cover pressing distorted.
Cause – The cover has not been located on the dowel pins correctly.
Action – Fit new clutch and ensure all flywheel dowel pins are in the correct position.
When a clutch component fails or becomes worn out it may begin to make a noise. An unfamiliar noise when engaging the clutch is a pretty good indication that its time to have your vehicle looked at. There are various moving components in the clutch system and a nuisance noise might be caused by something as simple as a clutch cable that needs lubricating or a release bearing that is nearing the end of its useful life.
Fault – Broken location lug.
Cause – Worn release fork and or no lubrication. Damaged upon fitment.
Action – Replace all worn components and lubricate. Take caution when fitting bearing onto fork.
Fault – Broken or missing dampening springs.
Cause – Incorrect part for the application. Inaccurate alignment of engine and gearbox.
Action – Ensure the correct clutch is fitted to the application. Ensure the gearbox is aligned with the engine.
Fault – Worn dual mass flywheel.
Cause – Squealing and rattling from clutch on engine start up and taking up of drive.
Action – Check for correct operation of dual mass flywheel. Check the rotational and lateral movement is within manufacturers tolerances. Replace if necessary.
Fault – Radial wear marks on the diaphragm springs.
Cause – The release bearing preload is incorrect due to a release mechanism fault.
Action – Check all bushes and moving parts of the release mechanism.
50% of UK vehicles are now fitted with Dual Mass Flywheels (DMF) and Damped Flywheel Clutches (DFC). These are essential components that not only provide an enhanced level of drivability but also reduce harmful torsional vibration that would otherwise be transmitted into the gearbox and driveline.
Sometimes, the symptoms of a warn clutch such as unexplained noises, vibrations or intermittent clutch slip could be caused by a worn Dual Mass Flywheel. It is not uncommon for a customers to experience worn clutch symptoms shortly after having a new clutch fitted. In our experience, we have found this to be caused by worn Dual Mass Flywheels. The problem is that if you fit a new clutch to a worn Dual Mass Flywheel, the flywheel will completely destroy it, resulting in an even bigger repair bill. To avoid this, we replace all Dual Mass Flywheels as part of the clutch replacement process.
You should expect a clutch to last up to 90,000 miles or more. If you look after your clutch it will last you the life of your car. Here are our top tips to prolong the life of your clutch.
Please call us on 01843 291122 or use the form below for more information about clutch replacement and fault diagnosis in Margate or to make an appointment.
Our customers say we provide a friendly, reliable and affordable service, but don’t take our word for it.
“I’ve used Jim’s garage twice now and thoroughly recommend him! Both times he managed to fit my car in and complete the work very fast and to a great standard. He is totally honest, hard working and completely reliable. I will definitely be taking my car back there again!”
Mark Cowell
We can assist you in identifying the issues that caused the failure and repair them accordingly, getting your car back on the road quickly and safely.