Replacing my clutch for the first time

[Camilla]

Hi All

This is a first for me but I believe we need to change our clutch. We were going up a hill and I kept accelerating and the engine was responding but we were not gaining any speed.
An unnamed national clutch specialist said they will charge us £245 labour to change it if we provide the parts. From what I understand this sounds like a heck of a lot of money for this job.
A friend has said he has changed classic clutches before and that it is not too hard so I think we are going to do it with his help.
However, I am not sure which clutch set is correct for our 1200 herald. I have included the two links below as they are different and I am not sure what is the crucial information I need to be looking for.
Also, are these good clutch kit prices? Thanks as ever for all of your knowledgeable assistance.

http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-GCK272

http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-RH5009


Cheers Camilla

[pimp my vit]

Camilla you need to get your engine number to find the correct one!!

[herald948]

I guess the prices are decent enough for those clutches, but others might know better. I suspect that your car would have the "RH5009" clutch, the earlier coil-spring type, but it's rather difficult to know for sure until you get the gearbox out!

Two other points:

1. For what it's worth, the Triumph "Repair Time Schedule" book shows 3.8 hours for the "Clutch assembly and/or plate. Replace" operation.

2. Maybe things have changed (although I kinda doubt it), but the photo on the Rimmer Bros. site shows what I always used to know as the Standard 10/Herald 948 clutch cover, NOT the one for the 1200 and early Spitfire. The later clutch cover should have NINE coil springs, not six as seen in the picture.

[stillnotfinnished]

I think the herald changed clutches sometime in 66 to the dyphragram type
Ed

[Mark Hammond]

stillnotfinnished wrote:

I think the herald changed clutches sometime in 66 to the dyphragram type
Ed

Correct.  Mine used to have the coil sprung cover until it was restored with the later version.  GBP245 is a lot of money for this job, shouldn't take more than 2 hours to do....

Mark

[Zendervision]

A Herald must be one of the easiest cars to change a clutch in, but I can understand a garage overquoting if it's 35 years older than most of the stuff they deal with.

[heraldcoupe]

Get a quote from a Triumph specialist.
If you entrust it to a garage that's only used to modern cars, you can be pretty certain it will be returned without the gearbox cover properly fastened, and interior trim fitting where it touches.
And you'll pay too much for the privilege.

Cheers,
Bill.