A clutch that bites high, slips or judders is not something to ignore; we cover West Drayton from our Hayes garage and will explain exactly what is wrong before you agree to any work.
Pulling away from a canal-side flat, queuing near the airport or trundling through the town centre: West Drayton driving is full of short, slow journeys, and those are the ones that cook a clutch. If your car has started to feel odd when you pull away, it is worth getting it looked at before it turns into a breakdown.
We are MTS Garage Services, a family-run independent garage in Hayes, just along from West Drayton. We work on cars and vans of every make and model. You get an honest diagnosis, a plain explanation of the options and a clear estimate before we pick up a spanner.
Start with the engine and the pedal. If revs rise without the car picking up speed, the clutch is slipping. If the car only moves when the pedal is nearly all the way up, the biting point has crept high. Judder or shudder when pulling away, a burning smell after a hill start, grinding when you change gear and a squeal or rattle that changes when you press the pedal are further warnings. Any of these can be checked with a short test drive and an inspection. A quick look often tells us whether you need a clutch kit replacement or something simpler.
A clutch job is not just a new plate. The gearbox comes out, and while we have access we fit a friction plate, pressure plate and release bearing as a matched set. Replacing only one of them rarely makes sense, because the others are just as worn and the labour to get back in is the same. Many engines also have a dual mass flywheel, a two-part flywheel that smooths out vibration. If it rattles, has play or is heat-marked, we will show you why it needs changing and what happens if it is left in place.
If the pedal drops to the floor, will not return, or feels soft and the car will not go cleanly into gear, the problem may be hydraulic rather than the clutch plate itself. The pedal pushes fluid through a master cylinder to a slave cylinder at the gearbox, and a failing seal in either will cause trouble. Fluid loss in the footwell or on the gearbox casing is a clue. We can test and, where needed, carry out clutch master cylinder or slave cylinder replacement without touching a healthy clutch, saving you a larger bill.
West Drayton lies just west of Hayes beside the Grand Union Canal, and its older terraces, 1930s streets and newer flats mean many drivers rely on one car for everything. If your clutch is still working well enough to drive, bring it to our garage on Chesterfield Way. Drivers also reach us from Yiewsley, Harmondsworth, Sipson and Uxbridge. If the car will not select gears at all, call us before you try to move it and we will talk through the safest way to get it to us.
We also help drivers with clutch replacement from nearby Yiewsley, Harmondsworth, Sipson, Uxbridge, and the garage in Hayes is the base for all of it.
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“Great garage, really helped me with my car. Got a clutch done and they picked it up for me as I didn't have a way to get it to them. really nice people to deal with. Thank you”
“These guys are brilliant. Super-friendly, super-knowledgable and first class service.”
“Great bunch of lads. Always very helpful and take care of our cars. Well priced and they are happy to explain what is wrong or needed and offer advice.”
For a short while you often can, but it gets worse and the heat damages the flywheel and pressure plate, which makes the repair larger. If it slips under load, call us and we will advise whether it is sensible to drive in.
Slipping, a high biting point and judder on pulling away usually point to the clutch. Noises or crunching in specific gears can be gearbox or clutch release problems. We road test and inspect before recommending anything.
No. Only cars with a dual mass flywheel need it considered, and only when it is worn or damaged. We check it while the gearbox is out and show you the reason if it needs replacing.
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Prefer to talk? Call 0208 843 9091. Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8:30AM - 5:30PM, Saturday 9:00AM - 1:00PM, Sunday closed.
MTS Garage Services, 5 Chesterfield Way, Hayes, Middlesex, UB3 3NW