Have you started experiencing some weird noises (like an odd noise in the engine bay) whenever you put your foot on the clutch pedal and you think that the throw out bearing is bad? So, do you want to learn the throw out bearing replacement cost? Well, if that is the case, then you are at the right place because there will be a lot to cover on this topic where we are going to learn all about this problem.
- Manual Transmission
- How It Works
- Shifting Mechanism
- Throwout Bearing
- Symptoms
- Diagnosing
- Replacement
- Cost
- Conclusion
- F.A.Q
Manual transmissions, even though are quite simple when it comes to their operation. There are still some components that can fail and cause problems. Namely, the clutch and the throwout bearing. And especially if the car has a ton of miles, this component can fail quite unexpectedly and you will end up with a serious issue.
This is why it is useful for you to track the behavior of your transmission and detect any problems before they become too severe and the transmission simply does not want to shift anymore. But you shouldn’t worry because this is why we are here.
First, we are going to learn what is a manual transmission and how does it work? Then we will cover the throw out bearing and learn more about it and its purpose in the transmission. After that, we will cover the symptoms of a bad throwout bearing and also how to diagnose the problem.
Lastly, we will discuss more about the throw out bearing replacement cost. So, if you want to learn more on this topic of how to tackle a problem like this with the bad throw out bearing, follow along.
What Is A Manual Transmission
Now before we dive into the throw out bearing replacement cost, let’s take a look at the basics and learn more about manual transmissions. Why is this necessary? Well, there are also a ton of people reading this article with similar issues with their manual transmission cars. So, a good introduction to the topic is quite essential.
Nevertheless, what is a manual transmission? The manual transmission in simple terms is an energy conversion device that is installed on the automobile.
As you probably know, the engine is spinning the crankshaft at very high speeds. More precisely about 800 RPM at idle.
So, transferring this energy directly to the driveshaft and to the wheels would be close to impossible if you don’t have a device that will convert the rotational energy of the driveshaft into torque. And here the transmission comes into play as an important factor.
The transmission basically allows the driver to use the energy that the engine is producing in the most effective way possible and get a good fuel economy out of the vehicle in the process.
As you probably know, since this is a manual transmission, the driver has to go through the gears manually. It is not like automatic transmission where you don’t rely on complex electronics to deliver proper shifts.
This makes manual transmission really easy to maintain. Even though there are some components that have to be replaced like the throwout bearing and the clutch. There are not even close to automatic transmissions when it comes to problems.
But what is the throw out bearing replacement cost? More on that we are going to cover later on, now let’s dive into the topic of how a manual transmission works in reality and what makes the magic happen.
How Does A Manual Transmission Work
Now let’s learn more about how a manual transmission work before we dive into the throw out bearing replacement cost. As you probably know, the throw out bearing has a key role in the operation of the manual transmission, and knowing how a manual transmission operates is really important before we cover the throw out bearing and its function. So, how does a manual transmission work?
Well, a manual transmission, as the name implies means that you go through the gears manually. You have the ability to select any gear you want. And this is why a lot of people, especially car guys love the manual transmission since it is so versatile and help you squeeze every bit of performance from the engine.
And for this process, there has to be a manual engagement of the transmission from the driver. And for this purpose, there is a special clutch pedal.
The clutch pedal gives the driver the ability to disengage and engage the transmission of the vehicle. By pressing the clutch pedal, the transmission disengages from the flywheel.
Then you are able to go through the gears and select the gear that you desire. Once this operation is completed and you select the gear, you simply release the foot from the clutch pedal, and the transmission is engaged into the selected gear.
Overall, it is a rather simple process. But there is a big learning curve to overcome in order to be really good at doing this manual shifting. This is why a ton of people hate manual transmission cars. They are afraid of overcoming this fear and are less likely to adapt to driving a vehicle of this type. But what about the throw out bearing replacement cost? More on that in a bit.
How Does The Shifting Mechanism Work
So, we have covered what is a manual transmission and also learned how manual transmission works in reality. We learned that the driver is the one that goes through the gears by pressing and releasing the clutch pedal of the car. All that is good but what is the mechanism behind this line of work?
Knowing this will be really useful before we start discussing more in detail about the throwout bearing and its purpose. We need to understand the mechanism behind this component and how it functions with the other components in this system before we dive into the throw out bearing replacement cost.
So, what makes the shifting mechanism? Well, the brain of the shifting mechanism is the connection between the clutch pedal and the fork that sits between the transmission and the clutch.
In some applications, this mechanism is driven by hydraulics, while in some the fork movement is regulated by a cable.
When you are dealing with a hydraulic system, you should note that you have a clutch master cylinder that is similar to the master cylinder for the brakes.
The master clutch cylinder is connected with the slave clutch cylinder with a hydraulic fluid line. So, when you press the foot on the clutch, you are basically sending hydraulic fluid that moves the piston on the slave cylinder.
And this movement in the piston of the slave cylinder is pushing the fork and makes the clutch and the flywheel disengage.
And then when you release the clutch, they reengage. And here we come to the important part of the puzzle which is the throwout bearing. And more about that component, we are going to discuss next and then we will learn more about the throw out bearing replacement cost.
What Is A Throw Out Bearing
Now let’s get to the topic and understand more about how a throw out bearing works before we dive into the throw out bearing replacement cost. We need to understand how the throwout bearing works and where it is located before we dive into more complex topics such as the symptoms that this bearing creates.
The throwout bearing is also known as a clutch release bearing and this bearing like any bearing out there consists of a housing that incorporates many steel balls that are lubricated and enclosed inside of the housing. Allowing the bearing to rotate freely.
On one of the sides, the throwout bearing has a carrier that is connected to the fork of the transmission. As we noted, the fork is the one that helps engage and disengage the clutch from the transmission.
So, whenever you push the clutch pedal, this action moves the throwout bearing into the diaphragm that is rotating at the same speed as the engine. So, at this position, the throwout bearing is spun. So, now you understand why we need bearing. There has to be some component that will inherit the rotational motion of the diaphragm. And what component will be better than a bearing?
Let’s say that there isn’t one, there will be a lot of friction when the fork comes into contact with the diaphragm.
Then as the bearing pushes the diaphragm it helps engage and disengage the clutch of the vehicle. And all this is done smoothly without any wear and tear. Even though the throw out bearing can fail and cause problems. And more about the throwout bearing failure we are going to discuss next before we cover the symptoms and the throw out bearing replacement cost.
Is A Throwout Bearing Failure Common
So, we learned how a throwout bearing works and all about its function. Before we dive into the bad throw out bearing symptoms and the throw out bearing replacement cost. We think that it is time to cover another topic and that is the frequency of failure of these bearings. Is the throwout bearing failure a frequent thing to happen on a car?
Well, not quite. The throwout bearing usually is replaced when the clutch job is done. So, let’s say that the clutch does not grip anymore and you have a slipping clutch situation. In this case, your only option probably would be to replace it with a new one.
In this scenario, replacing the throwout bearing will be recommended practice to do. Why so? Well, this is recommended because the bearing has a ton of miles on the old clutch. And is only a question of time before the bearing would fail completely.
So, imagine that you will have to remove the transmission again to replace this bearing. And this is not something cheap, a transmission removal could cost you anywhere between $600 and $1,000. And that is a lot of money if you are asking me.
This is why we recommend replacing the throw out bearing when you do the clutch. But what about if the throwout bearing fails before the clutch fails? This is also a possible scenario.
In these situations, we would recommend you replace the clutch as well if the clutch is more than 50% worn out.
If the clutch is practically brand new, you don’t have to replace it. Even though, throw out bearing failure on a new bearing is relatively less frequent than on high mileage bearing. But what about the symptoms? More on that, next.
Bad Throw Out Bearing Symptoms
Now since we covered all about manual transmission and how they work. As well as the mechanics behind the clutch work as well as the throwout bearing function.
We think that now it is time to move on and start learning about the bad throw out bearing symptoms. As with any component in our cars, when this bearing starts to fail, it starts to develop symptoms. And knowing the symptoms is really important for you in order to be able to notice that there is a problem with this bearing.
This is why in the next few chapters before we start diving into the throw out bearing replacement cost, we will cover the symptoms that are associated with this component. So, if you want to learn more about the symptoms, follow along.
Throw Out Bearing Replacement Cost, Symptoms #1: Throw Out Bearing Noise
Now let’s dive into the throw out bearing symptoms before we cover the throw out bearing replacement cost.
The first symptom in our list is probably the most common symptom associated with a bad throwout bearing. And this is the noise that will be present when you press the clutch pedal.
Every time when you press the clutch pedal, there will be a noise that will come from the transmission of the vehicle.
Usually, this noise does not relate to a bad transmission but always relates to a bad throwout bearing or clutch when it comes to manual transmission vehicles.
In the majority of the cases, the throwout bearing is the one that has the fault for causing these noises. So, if you notice something squeaking from the transmission when you apply the clutch, then you just know that there is a bad throwout bearing that has to be replaced. But more on the throw out bearing replacement cost, we are going to elaborate later on in the article.
Throw Out Bearing Replacement Cost, Symptoms #2: Stiff Or Stuck Clutch Pedal
The second, less common symptom is the situation where you experience stiffness when you press on the clutch pedal. So, why is this the case?
Well, as we noted previously, in order for the clutch throwout bearing to work properly, it needs to spin constantly.
If the throwout bearing has some defects inside and has a lot of play, this will result in poor clutch work and overall stiffness of the clutch.
So, when you experience a weird anomaly such as this when you put your foot on the clutch, it is important to pick up the signal and learn more about the possible reasons behind it. Among the few is the bad throwout bearing. And in this case, you will have to learn about the throw out bearing replacement cost. But more on that in a bit.
Throw Out Bearing Replacement Cost, Symptoms #3: Clutch Pedal Vibrations
The next symptom in our list of bad throwout bearing symptoms is the situation when you experience clutch pedal vibrations.
This symptom often appears when you have the stiff clutch symptom as well as the noises from the throwout bearing. Why is this the case?
Well, the bearing housing is out of balance when you have a bad throwout bearing. This means that it wobbles around. Simply, there is not a good enough seal anymore.
So, in these situations when you have worn bearing, noises and vibrations will be a completely common thing to deal with on a day-to-day basis. But what about the throw out bearing replacement cost? More on that, we are going to cover it in a bit.
Throw Out Bearing Replacement Cost, Symptoms #4: Difficulty Shifting Gears
Now let’s move on to the last symptom of a bad throwout bearing in our list. Which is the difficulty shifting gears. So, why is this happening, and why your throwout bearing is creating difficulties when it comes to shifting?
Well, this is the case because the throwout bearing can get stuck at some point and completely fail. So, the car will not be able to go into gear. In these situations, you should not force the transmission to go into a higher or lower gear. Mainly because you will damage the diaphragm if it’s not already damaged.
And if this is the case and you can’t put the car into gear or it is difficult to do so, then you should definitely diagnose the problem. And how you can diagnose it we will answer in the following chapter before we start learning the throw out bearing replacement cost.
Diagnosing A Bad Throw Out Bearing
Now let’s take a look at the diagnostics process before we dive into the throw out bearing replacement cost.
And when it comes to this aspect, we can say that there are no diagnostic methods. Except for the feel that you get from the clutch.
More precisely the noises. When a throwout bearing is bad, it will start to develop noises that will be really annoying when you place the foot on the clutch.
Except for that, there is no way, unfortunately. Now let’s dive into the replacement before we cover the throw out bearing replacement cost.
Throw Out Bearing Replacement
When it comes to the replacement of this component, we can say that it is rather difficult. Mainly because the transmission has to come off.
Then once the transmission comes off, the damage needs to be evaluated and whether some other components are damaged.
Namely, the clutch. Usually, the throw out bearing is replaced along the clutch. So, if the throwout bearing is bad and the clutch is nearly gone, then we would recommend replacing the clutch as well. Since you don’t want to pay twice.
Throw Out Bearing Replacement Cost
So, what is the cost to replace a throwout bearing? Well, we can say that it is a rather expensive thing to do.
In these situations, if the clutch is badly worn, we would advise you to replace it as well. So, the bearing is cheap, it doesn’t cost more than $50. But the clutch is expensive and can cost $350 to $500 on average or more in some cases.
The labor is also really expensive. You can expect to pay anywhere between $600 and $1,000 for the transmission removal and installing the new parts. So, the overall cost is somewhere between $1,200 and $1,600.
Conclusion To Throw Out Bearing Replacement Cost
In this article, we have covered quite a bit when it comes to the throwout bearing. First, we learned the basics when it comes to manual transmissions and how the mechanics work when it comes to applying the foot on the clutch.
Then we learned how crucial a role the throw out bearing is playing in this process and what it does. After, we learned the common symptoms associated with a bad throwout bearing, as well as the throw out bearing replacement cost.
F.A.Qs On Throw Out Bearing Replacement Cost
Now let’s answer some frequently asked questions.
What Is A Throwout Bearing
A throwout bearing is a simple bearing that sits between the clutch and the transmission. This bearing sits between the clutch and the transmission.
What Does The Throwout Bearing Do
When you place your foot on the clutch, the fork moves the bearing forward and applies pressure on the diaphragm. When it comes to the diaphragm the bearing simply starts to spin and inherits the rotational movement.
How To Fix Throwout Bearing Noise
The only way to fix this noise is by replacing the throwout bearing. There is no other way around this problem. The sooner you do this replacement, the better will be.
How Long Can You Drive With A Bad Throw Out Bearing
This really depends on how bad the bearing is. In most cases, you will be able to squeeze a few thousand miles out of it before replacing it. But I wouldn’t wait for that long. It is better to replace it sooner than later.
How To Tell If Your Clutch Is Going Out
When the clutch goes bad, it starts to slip. The clutch is basically a disc with friction material on it. So, when this material wears out, the clutch will spin when it comes into contact with the flywheel. Causing a nasty smell as well as losing power on inclined roads.
How Much Does It Cost To Change Clutch
On average a clutch job can cost anywhere above $1,200. Parts are expensive and can cost $350 to $600 for most cars. Also, the labor is really expensive and can cost anywhere between $600 to $1,000 to get this work done. So, the average cost is between $1,200 and $1,600 in most cases.
