Auto

Clutches are one of the those things that you cant really get too excited about replacing in your automobile. A new clutch isnt going to give you a super customized look, and no one is going to come up to you and ask about where you purchased your cool new clutch. Still, if you have a manual transmission, and you keep your car for any length of time, chances are youll have to replace your clutch at some point.

Clutches just wear out. They arent designed to last forever, and they see an enormous amount of use and abuse from the standard driver. In general, clutches start off at a minimum of torque capacity. As they age their torque capacity will increase, and they will reach their maximum torque at about mid-life. After that its all downhill.

When your clutch starts to go out, youll definitely know it. Shifting will become an annoyingly painful experience complete with slips and multiple attempts to engage a new gear. Once you know that something has to be done about your clutch there are a couple of options open to you.

Clutches: Rebuild or Replace?
There are so-called clutch kits you can buy that will replace many of the worn parts of your clutch and restore it to near new performance levels. These kits are a great way to save money, and if youre a good mechanic, they shouldnt be too difficult to install. You can also go the more expensive route of buying a brand new, original grade clutch.