Why do they make you replace the pressure plate when doing clutch?
not just replace clutch as in old days or were you supposed to do it that way then also?
wondering
rick

 

Like a lot of technical questions the answer is "it depends". Often times when a clutch disc fails the pressure plate and the flywheel will have heat checks/burns or very small cracks on their surfaces as well. If you simply replace the clutch disc there is a pretty fair chance that the clutch will be grabby or possibly have some shutter when engaging. Also the spring [s ] in the pressure plate may be weak or fatigued. IF [ big IF ] the flywheel and pressure plate are still close to pristine then you probably can get away with replacing the disc only. It has always been the case that both the pressure plate and disc should be replaced as a unit along with resurfacing the flywheel for the best possible result. In the old days cars were simpler and a lot more people had the mechanical skills and the desire to do their own work. That way if you chose to cheap out and just replace the disc and it didn't work out you just went back in and did it right. Today most people pay to have jobs like this done and the shops don't want an unhappy customer coming back and demanding that they do the work over again on their nickle so they generally insist that you allow them to replace both the pressure plate and disc and resurface the flywheel. FWIW I have replaced the pressure plate and disc on both my '01 Mustang and my '72 'Cuda without resurfacing the flywheels and they both work just fine. Of course if it hadn't worked out I am the one who would have had to go back in and fix it.

 

A "Might as well while you're there, and do you want to chance it?" kind of item. Much like the hydraulic throw out bearing and possibly the clutch line, as well as a resurface/replace of the fly wheel.

You've already got the the transmission out, and everything is right there to do. Do you want to take the chance that something you decided to keep using in all that doesn't fail?

Pretty much it, really.

 

I agree.

While your in there change it all. I have seen to many guys cheap out and spend a ton of money and not change the small stuff.. Then they get to pay again..

 

If it helps make you feel better, my pressure plate had a spring or two that failed at 15k miles. So it's probably a good item to replace while doing the clutch.

 

i never drive the 14 stick unless it a great day. has 11000 on it now. have a auto 08 dd

was just wondering never did it on the 50's car we have