Clutch Replacement at 60,000 kms Normal?

[appro Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close appro]

The 2005 Prado that I purchased about a month ago has developed a noisy throwout bearing. It went into Toyota today to have a new pressure plate and throwout bearing installed. They are also going to machine the flywheel.

They just called me and told me that the clutch only has about 10% wear left in it and will also need to be replaced. My question is: Is this normal for a Prado with only 60,000 kilometres on it? The other ingredient in the mix is that I'm fairly certain that the vehicle has done its fair share of towing before I purchased it. I'm not overly mechanically minded, but I figure this wouldn't do a lot to prolong the life of the clutch.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: Clutch Replacement at 60,000 kms Normal?

All depends on how the previous owner drove it and yes towing doesn't help.

[Davros Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Davros]

Re: Clutch Replacement at 60,000 kms Normal?

I agree, it does depend on driving style, although 60k kms is rather dissapointing imo. My 1997 Pajero got to 400,000kms and the clutch was still going strong. I do a lot of heavy towing as well. Clutch plates don't like to get hot. This causes them to wear very quickly. If a driver rides the clutch, or slips it at hill stops, it will wear out accordingly.

[dereki Member Find all posts View Profile Close dereki]

Re: Clutch Replacement at 60,000 kms Normal?

Mine got replaced at 170k not because it was worn, but because it broke. The mechanic said it was
probably the original but still had some life left in it, if it hadn't broken.

D

[appro Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close appro]

Re: Clutch Replacement at 60,000 kms Normal?

Thanks for the comments all. From the feedback so far it sounds like my clutch must have had a very hard life prior to me purchasing the vehicle. 60,000ks seems to be really premature.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: Clutch Replacement at 60,000 kms Normal?

I sold my first Audi at 50,000 klms and the clutch was knackered. I took it on an Audi drive day when I first got it and let it rip on the skid pan. Problem was the car kept traction as it was a quattro and the slipping I found out in a few seconds by the smell was the clutch :shock: It glazed the clutch and it never had the same clamping pressure after that

[appro Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close appro]

Re: Clutch Replacement at 60,000 kms Normal?

The new clutch is a lot lighter than the original 2005 clutch. I asked Toyota about it and they told me that a new pressure plate was released for the Prado because some people were complaining about the reasonably heavy clutch. Does anyone know if this is actually the case?

[birdie Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close birdie]

Re: Clutch Replacement at 60,000 kms Normal?

Hi appro,
I too own a 2005 prado and also had the clutch replaced due to a noisy throw out bearing (57000k ) , but mine was due to loads of water when we had the floods up here in qld a yr ago, I had the whole lot replaced and the flywheel machined as well but my clutch plate was'nt worn out it could of been used again , I replaced it so that i didnt have to go back in there in a couple of years time. I replaced it with a genuine toyota kit but as far as i can remember the lightness stayed the same , I believe that the Diesel had a heaver clutch than the petrol though.

Hope this helps

Birdie