Heavy Clutch

[Chud]

We had our '52 plate 4.2 Gx in to Toyota the other day to get a duplicate key (2nd hand dealer only provided one) and they advised that the clutch was very heavy and said this was indicative of wear although it didn't need replacing yet as not slipping etc.

I had noticed the clutch was heavy but not that much more than my old car (Citroen Saxo VTR) and had just put it down to the fact that it's a larger heavier car with 4wd so has a beefier clutch.

I've not come across a car before where the clutch getting heavy is a sign of wear(or not experienced it first hand), was the guy at the service dept desk just spinning me a line because he didn't know or was comparing the clutch weight in a 4.2 to the 4.3's he's probably moving around mos of the time? - btw our Rav only has 59k on the clock so is this average for clutch life?

Cheers

Richard

[anchorman]

I'm afraid that with age, the diaphragm spring in the clutch tends to stiffen. Its to do with the tempering of the steel. It doesn't mean that you have to have a new clutch but if you did you would really feel the difference.

[Chud]

I'm afraid that with age, the diaphragm spring in the clutch tends to stiffen. Its to do with the tempering of the steel. It doesn't mean that you have to have a new clutch but if you did you would really feel the difference.

Thanks Anchorman - I can cope with the weight - as I said it's not that much heavier than my old car, which for a 'warm' hatch had a surprisingly heavy clutch. The only time I notice it is in a traffic jam etc!

Your explanation makes much more sense than what the guy at Toyota told me - I really couldn't work out how wear on the clutch plate would cause the clutch to get heavier...