Brains behind installing a 7 year old clutch
Discussion
Picked up my Cerb today with its new clutch and bell-housing. makes me realise what an unholy bag of crap I've been driving round for the last two months.
The great TVR Doctor told me a horrifying story - all deduced from car history paperwork and the broken hardware itself.
Car had a replacement clutch at 20.5k In April 2004. But at that time there were no clutches available from TVR. So intheir wisdom the dealer decided to put a second hand clutch in instead. My TVR Docotr seriously questioned the wisdom of this but I'm just a layman - so I won't pass comment.
Anyhow if you've seen a Cerb clutch in the flesh you'll know that they are numbered. My brand new clutch is numbered around the 4500 mark. So that's in the region of 4500 clutches made for our cars. My TVR Doctor showed me a whole parts-bin full of knackered clutches taken from Cerbs (6 in fact) and all but one of them were numbered in the 2200 to 2600 range. Bearing in mind the numbers of cars out there this tells you that on average Cerbs are all on their second clutch (Birdy will be along in a min with his story of about 11 clutches no doubt
). The odd one out in the parts-bin was my old clutch numbered - wait for it - 122. That's only the 122nd clutch made by TVR. It must be about 7 or 8 years old! And even though it was recovered from a crash-victim and had only done 5.5k miles, This seems nuts to me. There were teeth missing, a seized bearing and the master lubrication clearly not functional. The whole thing was so badly stuffed it is no surprise it had only done 2000 miles before failing. Installation and set-up was so bad.
I seriously question the wisdom of this dealer, which I will not name and shame. But this is just taking the piss. These cars are expensive enough to maintain without having to factor in incompetent authorised personnel.
Thank Christ for genuine TVR Doctors like Dave Batty.
The great TVR Doctor told me a horrifying story - all deduced from car history paperwork and the broken hardware itself.
Car had a replacement clutch at 20.5k In April 2004. But at that time there were no clutches available from TVR. So intheir wisdom the dealer decided to put a second hand clutch in instead. My TVR Docotr seriously questioned the wisdom of this but I'm just a layman - so I won't pass comment.
Anyhow if you've seen a Cerb clutch in the flesh you'll know that they are numbered. My brand new clutch is numbered around the 4500 mark. So that's in the region of 4500 clutches made for our cars. My TVR Doctor showed me a whole parts-bin full of knackered clutches taken from Cerbs (6 in fact) and all but one of them were numbered in the 2200 to 2600 range. Bearing in mind the numbers of cars out there this tells you that on average Cerbs are all on their second clutch (Birdy will be along in a min with his story of about 11 clutches no doubt
). The odd one out in the parts-bin was my old clutch numbered - wait for it - 122. That's only the 122nd clutch made by TVR. It must be about 7 or 8 years old! And even though it was recovered from a crash-victim and had only done 5.5k miles, This seems nuts to me. There were teeth missing, a seized bearing and the master lubrication clearly not functional. The whole thing was so badly stuffed it is no surprise it had only done 2000 miles before failing. Installation and set-up was so bad. I seriously question the wisdom of this dealer, which I will not name and shame. But this is just taking the piss. These cars are expensive enough to maintain without having to factor in incompetent authorised personnel.
Thank Christ for genuine TVR Doctors like Dave Batty.
[quote=angusfaldo]
My TVR Doctor showed me a whole parts-bin full of knackered clutches taken from Cerbs (6 in fact) and all but one of them were numbered in the 2200 to 2600 range.
[quote]
Just had a look at my old one with broken fingers, it's number 1449. Must be quite old i guess but not as old as yours.
My TVR Doctor showed me a whole parts-bin full of knackered clutches taken from Cerbs (6 in fact) and all but one of them were numbered in the 2200 to 2600 range.
[quote]
Just had a look at my old one with broken fingers, it's number 1449. Must be quite old i guess but not as old as yours.
Before casting aspersions.... There was a terrible clutch shortage last year where new clutches were simply not available. As a result the conversations often went like this:
"Need the car back for wedding/trackday/photoshoot/holiday (delete as applicable)"
"Can't do it cos can't get a replacement clutch."
"Can't you fit a second hand one? Must have the car back"
"Yes but it may not last but it would be better than nothing. It will get your car back but you will need one very soon as it won't last."
"Well find a clutch and do it. I am desperate."
So dealer finds a clutch but even those are in short supply as everyone else is trying to get them as well and fits it. Customer goes away happy and sells car and lets new owner find out that the clutch was only intended as a temp replacement.
Who is really at fault here?
"Need the car back for wedding/trackday/photoshoot/holiday (delete as applicable)"
"Can't do it cos can't get a replacement clutch."
"Can't you fit a second hand one? Must have the car back"
"Yes but it may not last but it would be better than nothing. It will get your car back but you will need one very soon as it won't last."
"Well find a clutch and do it. I am desperate."
So dealer finds a clutch but even those are in short supply as everyone else is trying to get them as well and fits it. Customer goes away happy and sells car and lets new owner find out that the clutch was only intended as a temp replacement.
Who is really at fault here?
Steve_T said:
However if the installation is bad, the clutch could die prematurely.
Steve.
this is true .. i made the same comment on another clutch related thread not long back ..
I'm sure part of the problem is the way tvr machine the flywheel, and part of the problem is bad install, primarily over-throwing the release bearing by not adjusting the clutch pedal throw limit.
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