Clutch needs replacing again after 4k miles-please help

[Blink]

Originally Posted by RobSun

I only ever entertain fitting an Luk clutch kit to my Rovers.

Originally Posted by RobSun

LUK do supply variable quality parts as other members and traders can verify. And I chose them because in my working past my company made parts for them and I regularly visited their plants increasing my personal disappointment in the products.

I don't understand - doesn't the second line above contradict the first?

[Canonite]

Originally Posted by Blink

I don't understand - doesn't the second line above contradict the first?

That’s the issue for owners.
Even the suppliers will tell you they get failures straight out of the box and there is little that can be done. It shouldn’t be like this at all. We should be able to put our trust in a brand and know confidently that it will be fully functional afterwards.
The clutch/slave/master replacement on a ZT carries with it as much fear and uncertainty as a head gasket repair on a K4, and that I can not live with.
I need reliability as I use the car for my daughter who is disabled, and I can not be stranded with no clutch.
This is the first car I’ve ever had to do a clutch on so I’m biting the bullet.

[Mike Noc]

Originally Posted by timon

Interesting read. When my clutch goes, I'll fit the cheapest kit I can find for science's sake.

I can beat that - when the slave failed in my Freelander I fitted the friction plate that had come from my 75 when the slave failed on that.

It was still well within the service limits as set down in RAVE.

[marinabrian]

Originally Posted by timon

Interesting read. When my clutch goes, I'll fit the cheapest kit I can find for science's sake.

It will be a doddle to replace when it fails, as all of the nuts and bolts won't have had a chance to seize then

The best one I've seen lasted less than 9000 miles, and fitted by an alleged expert in the job.

From fitting, the clutch had severe judder, the customer was told it need to bed in, and the hydraulics required bleeding 1200 miles post fitting.


When the gearbox was removed for a separate issue less than fifteen months after the clutch was fitted , the friction material was at the rivets, the release bearing was howling, and it required two pry bars to separate the gearbox from the bellhousing, as the input shaft of the gearbox was seized to the splines of the driven plate, red with rust

When I priced the parts that had been fitted, they amounted to including VAT £32 for the driven plate and pressure plate, and £45 for the slave cylinder, and the customer was charged over £500 for the job..........quality workmanship was not in evidence anywhere, all that was left was the mark of the devil.

If you are fitting yourself, by all means use a cheap clutch, if paying someone to do the job, insist the best quality parts are fitted, and fitted correctly.

Brian

[cat]

Originally Posted by grivas

Sorry to hear of your troubles.
The first thing to do is contact the garage who carried out the work, and get their response, no clutch should fail this prematurely, unless it was fitted badly or the quality of the materials was poor, or the driver was not using it correctly!.
Have you got a receipt for the work carried out, itemising the work carried out, if so take a look at it this will give you a clue as to quality of materials used, and very importantly EXACTLY what work was carried out and what was fitted, replaced etc. You need to have this conversation with the garage. If they are being helpful fine if not then go to Trading Standards for advice. Good luck.
PS you need to find out exactly what has failed, which component/s!.

Receipt breakdown just says '3 piece clutch' and labour but I'm 99.9% sure I was told it was a Luk. I'm pretty certain that they told me a 12months warranty so that's expired.
It's not a bad idea to get in touch with the garage, although I don't think they'll be interested even though it's only done 4000 miles because it's past the 12month warranty, might ring them on Monday.

[cat]

Originally Posted by timon

Interesting read. When my clutch goes, I'll fit the cheapest kit I can find for science's sake.

I doubt you'll be any worse off, like I say it seems like pot luck whether it will last but I wonder if anyone has actually already done this and is willing to share their experience, maybe someone who took a chance on an E-bay special and it's still going strong many miles later?? anyone?

[marinabrian]

Originally Posted by cat

I doubt you'll be any worse off, like I say it seems like pot luck whether it will last but I wonder if anyone has actually already done this and is willing to share their experience, maybe someone who took a chance on an E-bay special and it's still going strong many miles later?? anyone?

I've seen a lot of cheap clutches, and when fitted correctly they are okay(ish) but the labour aspect of fitting a cheap clutch is the same as an expensive one, and it doesn't matter a jot if the fitter makes a hash of it whether it's a cheap or expensive one.

However I'd never fit a cheap clutch, because it's a pain in the backside to do the job correctly, simply because of the amount of work involved.

Have a word with Horners, they are not a cowboy outfit and I'm sure they will be willing to assist

Brian

[RobSun]

Originally Posted by Blink

I don't understand - doesn't the second line above contradict the first?

The first quote was not mine but MSS's He was saying in his post LUC are the best and reliable I was saying the opposite.

[MSS]

Originally Posted by RobSun

The first quote was not mine but MSS's He was saying in his post LUC are the best and reliable I was saying the opposite.

As I said earlier, it is the CSC and less often the M/C that usually fail.

Why not ask our real experts (as opposed to someone who sells one or the other) whether they would choose to fit an Luk/AP or one of the many alternative hydraulic components?

You appear to be basing your position on the basis of one sample - that is never a good approach.

[marinabrian]

Originally Posted by RobSun

The first quote was not mine but MSS's He was saying in his post LUC are the best and reliable I was saying the opposite.

I don't know about that, the LUK Repset Pro I fitted seven years ago to my old man's car just before I sold it, has now covered 180000 miles with it's new owner.

Horses for courses, and the way they're fitted makes a huge difference.

Brian