Quality of Parts

[mike.perry]

Whist I had the engine out of my Series MM I took the clutch off. It has been in for about four years with low mileage so as expected there was very little wear on the friction surfaces. However I was surprised to find that the friction plates could move on the rivets. It would be interesting to know what would have happened to the clutch if it had been left for the normal 20,000 miles+[frame][/frame]

[bmcecosse]

20,000 miles ??? I would hope for a LOT more than that!

[mike.perry]

So would I, that was a conservative estimate.

[lambrettalad]

Where did you buy it from? PM please

[ampwhu]

I can honestly say I have never changed a clutch on any car I have owned in the last 25 years.

I use the clutch as little as possible, same as the brakes. 'riding' the clutch costs money as well as going to fast and braking every 5 seconds.

[M25VAN]

I just replaced my clutch plate. It had a similar problem but with the centre splined portion loose. It had a few mm of movement. Might explain the odd intermittent vibration I had. This was an original Borg & Beck plate of some age and mileage though......

[mike.perry]

Where did you buy it from? PM please

I do not think that is relevent as the clutch plate that I have bought from a different supplier is the same design and is probably from the same source

[Alex'n'Ane]

I can honestly say I have never changed a clutch on any car I have owned in the last 25 years.

I use the clutch as little as possible, same as the brakes. 'riding' the clutch costs money as well as going to fast and braking every 5 seconds.

Top tip there guys, If you dont use the brake or clutch, they dont wear out!

[mike.perry]

If you do not drive the car it will not wear out, but where is the fun in that?

[bmcecosse]

You can drive the car - and minimise use of brakes and clutch very easily. It's called 'good driving'...... If the rivets on that plate are loose - give them a tighten up - but not too much....

[rayofleamington]

M25VAN
Yes, any free play at the clutch centre / hub could be the cause of vibration as the clutch plate would be able to run out.
The vibration would normally get absorbed into the flywheel and engine mass when the clutch is closed and may be more obvious when the clutch was open.

[simmitc]

The first Minor I had in 1979 was a 1963 car with 120,000+ miles on the original engine, clutch, and box. Although the body was disintegrating, there was no problem with anything else. As we so often discuss, why are modern parts so poor? (Rhetorical question.)

[TvdWerf]

Not the number of miles is important for the lifetime, but the type of use...
5 miles in a city, between 16.00 and 18.00, is asking more from the clutch than a trip from 500 miles on an American highway on Sunday morning ;)

The only reason for me to change a clutch, was after an oil leak in the gearbox, and the clutch from my first prius is never changed in 245000 kilometers...

[Matt]

The original clutch in my '2000 focus lasted 130,000 miles. The next one (the same manufactuer as the original OEM part fitted) has lasted 25,000 miles before starting to slip (but within 100 miles of fitting it, I did tow a heavy trailer - probably 1500kg, with a fully loaded car....) AND I had to start it up a very steep hill

[mike.perry]

The previous clutch was of the non segmented design and I used to reverse my loaded camping trailer up the sloping drive. By the time the trailer was at the top of the slope the clutch was smoking nicely but it soon recovered and was in the car for at least ten years.

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

Might it be due to the banning of asbestos I wonder?

[aupickup]

NO just shoddy