BieriAutomotiveCall

Colorado Springs, CO

Clutch Replacement

A clutch is a wear item - it is supposed to fail eventually. The question is whether it is actually the clutch, and whether the shop telling you so can show you why. We pull it, we lay the old disc on the bench, and you look at it with us before anything gets ordered.

(719) 630-8377
A worn-out clutch friction disc from a customer's vehicle on the shop floor, with the shredded lining material collected in a tray beside it
A clutch that came out of a customer's car here. The lining in the tray is what was left of it.

What you might be noticing

  • Engine revs climb but the car does not speed up the same way
  • The bite point has crept up toward the top of the pedal travel
  • A burning smell after a hill or a long merge
  • Shuddering as you let the pedal out from a stop
  • Grinding going into gear, or the pedal going soft

How we do the job

  1. 01

    Confirm it is the clutch

    Plenty of clutch symptoms are really a hydraulic problem - a failing master or slave cylinder is far cheaper. We check that first, because replacing a healthy clutch is the expensive way to fix a small problem.

  2. 02

    Pull the transmission

    The gearbox comes out to reach the clutch. While it is out, the rear main seal, pilot bearing and flywheel are all right there and all worth inspecting - doing them later means paying the same labor twice.

  3. 03

    Show you the old parts

    The disc comes out onto the bench and you see it. If the lining is gone to the rivets, you will know because you looked at it, not because we said so.

  4. 04

    Resurface or replace the flywheel

    A scored or heat-checked flywheel will chew through a new disc. We tell you which one yours is before it goes back together.

  5. 05

    Reassemble and road-test

    Everything torqued to spec, bled, and driven before you get the keys. Bite point set where it should be.

What it costs

Clutch jobs vary more than almost any other repair, because the labor to reach it depends entirely on the car - a rear-drive pickup and a transverse front-drive hatchback are not the same afternoon. We quote after we confirm it is actually the clutch, and the quote separates parts from labor so you can see what you are paying for. Call for a number on your specific vehicle.

Common questions

How long will my car be here?
Most clutch jobs are one to two days depending on the vehicle and on parts availability. If the flywheel needs to go out for resurfacing, that can add a day.
Can you just adjust it instead of replacing it?
On some older vehicles with a cable clutch, yes, and we will always check that first. Modern hydraulic clutches are self-adjusting, so if the bite point has moved the friction material is usually the reason.
Do I need to replace the flywheel too?
Not always. We inspect it once the transmission is out and tell you what we see. If it can be resurfaced, that is cheaper than replacing it, and we will say so.
Do you work on manual transmissions generally?
Yes. Clutches, hydraulics, shift linkages and gearbox work - it is one of the reasons people drive across town to us rather than going to a chain.