New clutch, is this normal?

[gregpot2000]

I had a new clutch fitted 2 weeks or 400miles ago. At first it felt really light and soft which I liked. But now it's seems to have stiffened up again. Is this normal after bedding in?
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[Alan02]

It shouldnt feel any heavier, maybe there is a problem with the Release Bearing dragging on the Input Shaft.

[magt1000]

My new clutch also seemed to stiffen up after a few 100 miles. 30000 miles later hasn't changed much though and still feels better than the old one when I first got the car at 34k (115k on the clock now). However, following on from Alan's comment, the release bearing was found to be shot when the clutch was replaced.

[gregpot2000]

Thanks for all your replies.

I have just rung the garage now, obviously it’s hard for him to tell without actually looking at it, but he suggested that it may be normal, as when it’s being changed they use a lot of grease and lubricant, and this will make it feel really light, as the clutch beds in some of this will wear away and this will make it stiffen up to the level it will stay at.

Does this sound plausible?

I am going to drop it off for him to look at tomorrow morning though.

I paid £940 for a new clutch and DMF, and I was thinking yeah that’s a lot, but a new clutch will make the car drive like a brand new car, so at least it felt like I was benefiting in some way, but now that the clutch feels exactly the same as it did before, I kind of feel “cheated” lol. They have done the job I asked, and my Flywheel rattles are gone. But it just seems the reason I used to justify the expense in my head doesn't exist any more!

[s7gpt]

Thanks for all your replies.

But it just seems the reason I used to justify the expense in my head doesn't exist any more!

Thats 'man maths' for you mate and it gets worse with age ;)

[gregpot2000]

UPDATE:

I tried the clutch last night in my mates 61 plate A4, which is pretty much exactly the same car as mine, apart from being 3 years newer. And to be honest the clutch felt pretty much the same stiffness as mine! So this put my mind at ease.
I then took the car to the garage today, and his first words were and you think that’s stiff? Lol, to be honest, maybe it isn’t overly stiff, I mean if I were to let someone else drive it they wouldn’t even probably comment on it, it’s just I was expecting it to stay feather light like when it was first fitted. He took it for a test drive, and said he honestly didn’t think there was a problem, but that I should keep an eye on it, and if it does get worst he would have no problem in taking it back and having a look.
His explanation was that the release bearing is greased when fitting, and this can give it a super light feel, as it beds in then this grease will be dispersed to normal levels so it will stiffen up slightly, but it will then stay like that for good then.

I think maybe I just had unrealistic expectation levels, I think he is genuine, as he said if it gets worse he will take It back no problem, and my mates 61 plate feels pretty much the same, this added to the fact that if I let someone off the street drive it, they probably wouldn’t even pick up on it feeling stiff, makes me think I just need to get used to it really.

[garethchall1]

The exact same thing happened to me. They replaced my clutch and flywheel and at first the clutch felt so light it didnt seem right and now ive noticed its definitly stiffer than when I first had the work done and everything seems perfect touch wood. Must be excess grease making it extremely light for the first few hundred miles.

[JohnC17]

The exact same thing happened to me. They replaced my clutch and flywheel and at first the clutch felt so light it didnt seem right and now ive noticed its definitly stiffer than when I first had the work done and everything seems perfect touch wood. Must be excess grease making it extremely light for the first few hundred miles.

Got a new clutch this week and exactly the same for me too. At first I felt it was just too light, but has stiffened up a bit after a couple of hundred miles and now just feels kind of normal.

[xtremist]

My clutch, DMF and release bearing were replaced today, so will let you know what it's like

[gregpot2000]

Thanks. I've just got used to it now really. Whilst I would have loved it to have stayed ultra light. It really isn't that bad

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