Why does your clutch wear and how can you minimise it?

• Five driving habits that increase clutch wear
• Best practice

If you drive a car with a manual gearbox, every time you make a journey, you use the clutch, as it allows you to pull away smoothly from stationary and change gear as you drive, as well as stop without causing the engine to stall.

However, just like a pair of shoes, over time the clutch will begin to wear, which is quite normal and how it’s designed, but wear can increase dramatically if you adopt an aggressive driving style or you maintain certain habits. If these persist, the wear may become excessive and the clutch may need replacing, which is usually an expensive job.

Riding the clutch

Every driver at some point has probably ridden the clutch. It's usually when you're crawling along slowly in traffic, particularly if you are on a slight incline, and your clutch pedal is neither all the way up, nor all the way down, and you’re balancing the speed of the engine with the speed of the traffic. This means that the clutch plate is often turning more slowly than the engine and slipping, which significantly increases wear.

Therefore, it's always best to use the clutch in a smooth action when changing up or down gear. So, if you’re in heavy traffic, try not to sit with your foot on the clutch, and when it begins to move, wait until there is a sufficient gap between you and the car in front so that you can fully release the clutch as you follow the queue.

Hill starts

Similarly, to avoid rolling backwards when on a hill, instead of applying the handbrake, many drivers balance the speed of the engine with engagement of the clutch, so that they can move off immediately when it’s safe to do so. This is another form of riding the clutch, but is particularly bad for wear as it is constantly slipping and only fully engaged as you pull away. This generates a great deal of heat, can often result in a burning smell and could seriously damage your clutch.

So, when performing a hill start, it's best to use your handbrake to hold the car in place while you find your clutch's biting point and use the necessary engine speed to pull away smoothly, as you had to during your driving test. This has the least impact on the clutch and will help it last.

Incorrect gear changes

Whether you're a relatively new driver or your car is new to you, you may initially find it difficult to change gear smoothly or judge the most appropriate gear to be in. This can cause the car to jerk or judder, which can potentially damage your clutch and/or the gearbox. So, make sure you are decisive when changing up or down gear, as this will not only help preserve the clutch, but also make your journey much smoother and more relaxing. 

Neglecting to have your car serviced

Skipping your car service or leaving it later than required can cause many issues for your car, and this includes the clutch. During a road test, a trained technician will be able to tell if your clutch is wearing out and will be able to fix the problem before it gets worse and leaves you stranded, and unable to change gear.

In addition, if a workshop is following the manufacturer's service schedule, then the clutch fluid, which is vital to the correct performance of the clutch, will be replaced at the appropriate intervals. In turn, this will help look after your clutch on a long term basis.

Driving with a damaged clutch

If you're aware that your clutch is wearing or slipping, but you continue to drive regardless, you will be putting both the clutch and gearbox at risk of further damage. This could pose a major danger to yourself and indeed other road users. To avoid potential hazards and save yourself from costly repairs, it's best to change the clutch as soon as you notice any signs of wear. By doing this, you will also safeguard your savings!

Best Practice

Now that you have hopefully understood the causes of clutch damage, you can explore how to extend the lifespan of your clutch. These include:

Driving smoothly and trying not to suddenly accelerate or brake hard. Instead it's best to accelerate gradually and brake using plenty of stopping distance.

Using the correct gear, especially when driving up or down hills. Use a higher gear when going downhill and a lower gear when climbing an incline, as this will put less stress on your clutch.

Avoiding overloading your car because it, and the clutch, are both designed to take a certain recommended weight capacity and exceeding it can cause undue stress to your clutch.

Having your vehicle serviced regularly and keeping to the manufacturer's schedules.

Checking the fluid level on a regular basis and making sure your clutch pedal is operating smoothly. If you are unsure, your local workshop will be able to show you how to check the level.

If you notice any warning signs (such as a burning smell or the clutch slipping), don't ignore them, get your car booked in and have a professional technician check it immediately.