How do I know my clutch is going?

Revs rising without the car speeding up, a high biting point, judder when pulling away, a heavy or sticking pedal, crunching gears, a burning smell, or a rattle at idle that stops when you press the pedal.

Do I need a new dual mass flywheel with my clutch?

Not always. The flywheel is checked once the gearbox is out. If it's worn it should be replaced at the same time, so the gearbox only comes out once.

Which areas do you cover?

East Sussex, West Sussex, Kent, South London and Essex. Call 07984 671505 to check your postcode.

DB Autos Clutch Master – clutches, flywheels and gearboxes

🔧 Mobile clutch specialist · We come to you

Clutch gone?
I'll fix it on your drive.

Q: Can a clutch really be changed on my drive?

Yes. Clutches are all Dean does, at customers' homes and workplaces, with the jacks, axle stands and gearbox jack to do the whole job on a driveway or anywhere it's safe to work.

Q: How do I book?

By phone only: call Dean on 07984 671505 with your registration number and what the car is doing.

Clutches are all I do. Clutch kits, dual mass flywheels and clutch hydraulics replaced at your home or workplace across East & West Sussex, Kent, South London and Essex. 35 years on the tools and over 400 clutches a year.

07984 671505

Bookings and quotes by phone only — call Dean.

★★★★★5.0 from 787 Google reviews

35Years' experience

400+Clutches a year

5.0★787 Google reviews

1.9M+YouTube views

Mobile clutch service

One job, done properly, wherever your car or van is parked. No garage, no lift, no getting it towed anywhere.

Clutch replacement

A complete new clutch kit — pressure plate, friction plate and release bearing — fitted on your drive with quality branded parts.

Dual mass flywheels

Worn dual mass flywheels checked and replaced at the same time, so the gearbox only has to come out once.

Solid flywheel conversions

Where a quality conversion kit is available for your vehicle, a solid flywheel replaces the dual mass one.

Concentric slave cylinders

The hydraulic bearing inside the bell housing. Leaking ones are replaced with the clutch — they're the cause of many sinking pedals.

Clutch hydraulics

Master cylinders, external slave cylinders, pipes and bleeding for pedals that sink, stick or feel spongy.

Vans & commercials

Transit, Transit Custom, Vivaro, Trafic, Transporter, Crafter, Movano, Master, Ducato, Iveco — keep your van earning.

Clutch faults explained

After 35 years and thousands of clutches, these are the problems I see every week — what they feel like, what causes them, and what happens if you leave them. The photos are real parts I've taken off customers' cars and vans.

How a clutch works Slipping Judder Flywheel rattle Pedal problems Crunching gears Noises Burning smell Leaving it too long

Clutch kit, flywheel and concentric slave cylinder laid out — A clutch kit, flywheel and slave cylinder out of a customer's car.

How a clutch works

Your clutch connects the engine to the gearbox. The flywheel bolts to the engine, the friction plate sits against it, and the pressure plate clamps the two together with a big diaphragm spring. When you press the pedal, the release bearing (or concentric slave cylinder) pushes the spring and frees the plate so you can change gear.

The friction plate wears every time you pull away, like a brake pad. How long it lasts depends on driving — town driving, hills, towing and heavy loads all wear it faster. Most clutches last somewhere between 60,000 and 120,000 miles, but I've changed them at 20,000 and seen them last 200,000.

Worn out clutch friction plate and pressure plate — A worn friction plate and pressure plate — the lining was down to the rivets.

Clutch slipping

The most common sign a clutch is worn out. The engine revs climb but the car doesn't speed up to match, especially in a high gear, going uphill or overtaking.

Revs flare when you put your foot down in 4th or 5th
The biting point has crept right to the top of the pedal
The car struggles up hills or with a load on
Worse when the engine is hot

Causes: a worn friction lining, oil contaminating the plate from a leaking crank or gearbox seal, or a weak pressure plate.

A slipping clutch only gets worse — and the heat it makes can damage the flywheel too.

Rusty, glazed clutch kit removed from a car — Rust and glazing on this clutch caused a heavy judder pulling away.

Clutch judder

The car shakes or shudders as you pull away and let the clutch up, especially in reverse or first gear.

A glazed or contaminated friction plate
Rust on the flywheel or pressure plate, common on vehicles that sit for long periods
A worn dual mass flywheel
Worn engine or gearbox mounts making it worse

Dual mass flywheel and clutch plate removed — A dual mass flywheel and clutch, both worn out.

Dual mass flywheel rattle

Most modern diesels, and many petrol cars and vans, have a dual mass flywheel (DMF). It's two heavy plates with springs between them that soak up engine vibration. When the springs wear, the two halves knock against each other.

A rattle or knocking at tickover that goes away when you press the clutch
A clunk when you start or switch off the engine
Vibration through the pedal or the floor
Judder pulling away

The flywheel is checked as soon as the gearbox is out. If it's worn, it's replaced at the same time — far cheaper than taking the gearbox out twice.

Clutch, flywheel and concentric slave cylinder — Clutch kit with a new concentric slave cylinder (the release bearing on the right).

Pedal problems

Your clutch pedal works through hydraulics on most cars and vans: a master cylinder at the pedal and a slave cylinder at the gearbox, joined by a pipe full of brake fluid.

Pedal sinks or stays on the floor — a leaking master or slave cylinder, or air in the system
Spongy pedal — air in the hydraulics
Heavy pedal — a worn pressure plate, or a sticking cable or release fork
Brake fluid level dropping — often a leaking concentric slave cylinder inside the bell housing

A leaking concentric slave cylinder can soak the new clutch in fluid, so it's always worth replacing with the clutch.

Worn and rusty clutch pressure plate — A tired pressure plate — the diaphragm fingers were worn by the release bearing.

Crunching gears

If the clutch doesn't fully free off when you press the pedal, the gearbox is still being driven and the gears grind or are hard to select — especially first and reverse from standstill.

Air or a leak in the hydraulics, so the pedal doesn't travel far enough
A warped friction plate or a seized spline
A worn pressure plate or diaphragm spring

Worn clutch plate and flywheel — Worn clutch and flywheel from a high-mileage car.

Clutch noises

Whirr or squeal when you press the pedal — a worn release bearing
Rattle at idle that stops when you press the pedal — usually the dual mass flywheel
Chatter or clunk pulling away — worn plate springs, flywheel or mounts
Squeak from the pedal — the pedal pivot or master cylinder

Old clutch kit and pressure plate — An overheated clutch — you can often smell it before you feel it.

Burning smell

A hot, acrid smell like burnt toast after a hill start, reversing up a slope or pulling a heavy load means the friction plate is slipping and overheating. Once in a while is normal; if it happens regularly, the clutch is on its way out.

Clutch friction plate shattered into pieces — This is what happens when a clutch is left too long — the friction plate broke apart.

What happens if you leave it?

A worn clutch doesn't fix itself. Keep driving on it and:

The friction lining wears down to the rivets and scores the flywheel and pressure plate
The plate can break up completely, like the one in the photo
It can leave you stranded with no drive at all
A straightforward clutch job can turn into a new flywheel and a recovery bill as well

If you've noticed any of the signs above, call me sooner rather than later — 07984 671505.

From the scrap pile

Real clutches and flywheels taken off customers' vehicles.

Clutch friction plate breaking up — Friction plate breaking up

Old clutch removed from a car — Old clutch kit removed

Clutch and dual mass flywheel — Clutch & DMF out together

Worn clutch and flywheel — Worn clutch & flywheel

Watch me
fit clutches

Full clutch jobs from start to finish on my YouTube channel DB Autos Clutch Master — nearly 2 million views. See exactly how your car or van will be done.

▶ Subscribe on YouTube

Areas covered

I travel to you across the South East. Call to check your postcode.

East Sussex

Eastbourne, Hailsham, Polegate, Pevensey, Bexhill, Hastings, Seaford, Newhaven, Lewes, Brighton & Hove, Heathfield, Uckfield, Crowborough

West Sussex

Worthing, Crawley, Horsham, Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, Shoreham, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis, Chichester, East Grinstead

Kent

Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Ashford, Dartford, Gravesend, Medway, Folkestone

South London

Croydon, Bromley, Sutton, Kingston, Wimbledon, Lewisham, Greenwich, Bexley, Streatham, Purley

Essex

Thurrock, Grays, Basildon, Brentwood, Romford, Southend, Chelmsford

Questions

Can a clutch really be changed on my drive?

Yes — it's all I do. I bring the jacks, axle stands and gearbox jack to do the whole job on your driveway, at your work, or anywhere it's safe to work.

How long does it take?

Most cars and vans are done the same day, usually 3 to 6 hours depending on the vehicle. Four-wheel drives and some vans take longer — I'll tell you when you book.

Do I need a new flywheel as well?

Not always. I check it once the gearbox is out and tell you honestly. If it's worn, it makes sense to replace it while everything's apart.

What parts do you use?

Quality branded clutch kits from the makers who supply the car manufacturers.

How do I book or get a quote?

By phone only. Call Dean on 07984 671505 with your registration number and what the car or van is doing.

Call Dean

Bookings and quotes by phone only. Have your registration number ready.