Clutch install, how long should it take?

[Dr Jay]

My car is at the dealer for a clutch change. How long should it take? My girlfriend noticed it went in the shop today around noon and I called before they closed today at 5 and they said it should be ready around noon tomorrow. I'm getting new tires and a safety inspection too so is this a reasonable time frame? I've heard guys say they can change a clutch in less than 3 hours at the track

 

[DerekStangGT]

it all depends on the tech who does the work. some like to bust @$$, some couldnt care less. if it were me, i would've had it done by closing time that day. that just means i can make the money on that car and start working on something else the next day. generally, 4 tires take ~45 min, inspections take 10 min, and i could probably do that clutch in ~4-5 hours. but i've never done a clutch on a RWD before, only FWD, so thats a generous estimate. im sure some good ford techs can knock one out in ~2.5 hours.

 

[Dragstr05]

When I did mine (my first clutch, mind you), by myself including replacing the pilot bearing (and figuring out how to get that thing out), took me 4 1/2hrs...with lift and air tools. If I put a clutch in my car this weekend provided I needed it, I could probably do it in 2 1/2 to 3hrs, probably less.

I've changed alot of tires since I started working on cars a couple years ago, but when I put my BFG's on my stock 17x8 wheels, that was worse than doing the clutch. Getting the bead to seat was like pulling teeth. Total it took me about 2hrs to put 4 new tires on, but I'd imagine alot of it had to do with the insanely stiff sidewall.

 

[bullitt_2620]

It took the dealer a day and a half to put mine in, after some service guy told me it they would be able to do it in a day, mind you I dropped it off at 9am. And they managed to gave it back to me with an exhaust leak, screwed up mil eliminators, and they screwed up my sub system somehow...be careful and examine your car before you leave the dealer...just a warning.

 

[Dr Jay]

Well I got my car back and Ford had disappointed me once again. As soon as I left the dealership I heard a major exhaust leak and another weird noise from front end. I tuned in the driveway beside the dealer and went right back to the shop. The Foreman and I drove around the dealership yard and looked it all over and it turned out that the mechanic forgot to put the bolt back in the steel rod that runs from passenger to driver side under the front of the transmission. One end was connected and the other end was swaying back and forth hitting the underside of the car. Since all the mechanics were our the door already (quitting time) the Foreman took it in and bolted it up for me and told me to drop it off Monday so they could fix the exhaust leak. To top it off the mechanic got crap on my seat too but the Foreman said he would take care of that on Monday too. Sorry for the big rant but this really pi$$es me off I watched the mechanic test drive my car before they released it to me and I even spoke with him and he said the car sounded great Either he's deaf or used to work for John Deer and doesn't realise Mustangs shouldn't sound like a tractor