1

I've got a 1995 Subaru Legacy Outback. I'm trying to get the best price for a clutch replacement and am putting together a list of all the necessary parts and prices.

Can someone give me a list of parts that I should expect to pay for?

Matt Love
  • 167
  • 2
  • 2
  • 9

2 Answers2

6

To replace the clutch technically you only need a new clutch. However most people will purchase a Clutch Kit that will usually contain

  1. Clutch
  2. Pressure Plate
  3. Thrust/ Release Bearing
  4. Pilot/Spigot Bearing
  5. Alignment Tool

The last 2 items are not always included in a clutch kit and they are not always necessary, although an alignment tool does make life a little easier (technically this is a tool and not a 'part').
Depending on your location, Ebay can be a pretty good resource for getting a price estimate on whatever clutch parts you are looking for – you don’t have to buy from there, but at least you can get an idea what sort of prices are appropriate.

It is usually recommended that you get the flywheel machined also, this is a service you can get from most transmission places. Depending on the condition of your flywheel you can skip this part, but as I said it is the recommended practice.

Something to be aware of is that it is a non-trivial job to replace a clutch. It involves separating the gearbox from the engine because the clutch sits between the two, in order to do this one of those two items has to be removed from the vehicle, usually it’s the gearbox. Because of the amount of effort required to remove and subsequently refit a gearbox it is often appropriate to do other maintenance at the same time that can only be done when the gearbox is removed or is much easier accomplished when the gearbox is removed.

If you are paying a mechanic to do a clutch replacement then the cost of labour will greatly outweigh the cost of parts.
This makes a clutch replacement a great DIY job for a home mechanic because while it’s a time consuming job, it’s not a highly technical job and can be done with a fairly basic set of tools – the most specialised of which is probably a torque wrench. But if you are going to attempt to do a clutch replacement yourself for the first time, be aware that it’s a lot more complex than just changing your oil and spark plugs. Do your research, get hold of a workshop manual for your vehicle, read the clutch replacement section thoroughly. Also get someone else to give you a hand as it can be a tough job to do on your own.

Scott
  • 851
  • 2
  • 7
  • 18
  • I've only ever had the first three listed items in a clutch kit. Alignment tools aren't that expensive though, and as you say, they're a reusable tool. – Nick C Mar 06 '12 at 11:46
  • So, looking at AutoZone, would this be the only thing I'd need to buy (other than the alignment tool)? – Matt Love Mar 06 '12 at 13:07
  • @NickC - I'd never seen the last 2 in a clutch kit either, till I went looking for a Subaru kit. – Scott Mar 06 '12 at 22:38
  • @MattLove that kit looks like it contains all the parts you'll need to replace your clutch, assuming it is the correct kit for your make, model, engine and gearbox. – Scott Mar 06 '12 at 22:40
  • @Scott fantastic. I'm not going to be doing it myself, but wanted to get an idea of how much mechanics I'll get quotes from are marking it up. For example, the first mechanic I took it to wanted $900+ for the repair even though it's a $160 part. I understand that it's a complicated repair, but $750 markup??? Anyway, thanks for the help. – Matt Love Mar 07 '12 at 01:48
  • I assume the $750 is labor not parts markup.Also consider how much time you spent finding the parts for $160 if you paid your mechanic $60+hr. to find the cheapest available it becomes not that cheap. – mikes Mar 07 '12 at 02:05
  • 1
    @MattLove - changing a clutch is not a trivial job, it involves A LOT of work. Most of the cost of having a clutch replaced is in the labour not in the parts. Now if he's charging you $900+ just for parts then either he's replacing a lot of other stuff as well (which is a possibility) or he's ripping you off. – Scott Mar 07 '12 at 05:17
  • 1
    I just edited the answer to add extra info about the amount of work required to do a clutch replacement. – Scott Mar 07 '12 at 05:38
  • @Scott Thanks for the info. Again, I realize that it's a very complicated repair, I just wanted to get an idea of what the parts to labor margin is. The $900 price point was just for the clutch replacement. It included parts and labor. Would you say that that's fair or should I shop around more? – Matt Love Mar 07 '12 at 12:17
  • 1
    @MattLove take a look at the question I just posted here. Hopefully someone will answer to give you a better idea of what's fair and what isn't. – Scott Mar 08 '12 at 00:43
1

You'll need the clutch itself, as well as an alignment tool for installing. This is usually packaged with the clutch, however. Other than that, you can expect to pay to have the flywheel "turned" as well. It is feasible that you would need to purchase/install a new pressure plate, and some might suggest you go ahead and do so, with a vehicle that has that many years on it. My suggestion would be check the price of the pressure plate and weigh it against the cost of potentially having to get back in to install a new one after doing the clutch repair.

wesanyer
  • 864
  • 2
  • 7
  • 11