Best way to replace clutch

I've read a few different ways of replacing the clutch. Lots of pros and cons for each method.

 

I have a large workshop, engine hoist, tranny jack and a few large jack stands. No car lift. I need to replace the clutch and TOB.

 

I have done engine/trans r&r on about 5 different vehicles so far (Maxima, Grand Prix, Bronco, Volvo etc) so I'm not afraid of big jobs. I'm just looking for the best way to get the job done without risking future reliability issues. I'd rather not crack open a bunch of sealed systems to save myself and hour just to have that system start to leak in the future...

 

I'm leaning towards pulling the tranny back by disconnecting the balljoints.

 

So, I'd like to get some final thoughts from people *who have done this job*. Which method do you prefer?

 

Whichever method gets the nod will be the subject of an indepth writeup when I do the work this coming friday.

It's a coin toss. with no lift moving the engine forward is "easier" but removing the transmission is not really any harder and you don't have to drain the coolant.

Fair enough. It'll depend on how high I can get the car then. If I can get enough altitude to be comfortable underneath it then I'll pull the trans back.

 

In fact, now that I think about it... I recently replaced the rear bushings on the front control arms, and I managed to split the boots on the balljoints. I bought replacement balljoints in anticipation of these ones failing in shorter order - however if the trans-moving technique calls for the balljoints to be seperated from the control arms then I can also install the new balljoints while I'm in there...

It's a bonus

I had plenty of clearance sliding the trans back without touching the front shafts or balljoints. Just removed intercooler, rear driveshaft, rear heat shields and downpipe.

I had plenty of clearance sliding the trans back without touching the front shafts or balljoints. Just removed intercooler, rear driveshaft, rear heat shields and downpipe.

 

That sounds a buttload easier and quicker than moving the engine...

I had plenty of clearance sliding the trans back without touching the front shafts or balljoints. Just removed intercooler, rear driveshaft, rear heat shields and downpipe.

 

Did you have a lift?

4 jack stands

4 jack stands

 

Same here. I have 4 big truck jack stands. Shouldn't be too hard.

K, I started the work about 3 hours ago and I now have the TOB in my hand. It's easy to turn by hand, but the bearings inside are rusted and dry and it scrapes when I turn it by hand.

 

Need to remove/inspect the clutch, then put it all back together.

Not bad. Sounds like you got to the throw out bearing in time.

The snout is fine, although it's impossible to inspect underneath it without the boroscope. It *did* come in handy after all.

 

The friction disk is *shot*. Rivet heads have gouged the crap out of the pressure plate, but NOT the DMF. *phew*. No blueing, cracks, scores or anything on the flywheel.

 

Taking a break now to take my kid to karate. Will finish up after that.

Not bad. Sounds like you got to the throw out bearing in time.

 

 

Yeah, it's nowhere near siezing - it'd probably run for a while in it's current state. BUt it's definitely in need to replacement.

 

The input shaft bearings are fine, which is also a relief.

 

 

Took me 3 hours to get it all apart, including setting up the camera to film and narrate most of it. I'm sure I could have done it in 2 without the camera. I suspect about 1.5 hours back in. I'm lucky enough to have a workshop with everything except a lift though.

 

BTW, I made the mistake of using a motorbike jack instead of my tranny jack think it'd be safer because the tranny is long and I didn't know where the center of gravity was... Well, motorbike jack has no tilt feature, so I have to tilt the engine instead! What a pain. Next time, tranny jack.

I've done the same thing

Did you slide the trans back or did you pull the shafts and balljoints n pull the trans out? How much clearance do you have to remove everything?

I slid the trans back - kept the driveshafts in place. The driveshafts are the only thing keeping the trans in the car right now.

 

I have about 8-9" to play with.

 

I can *just* get my clutch alignment tool in place.

did you unhook the shifter and all? im in the process of getting everything together to do my clutch with no lift. im just kinda skeptical as for how much clearance underneathe the car and work room

So the transmission is just hanging between the front wheels by the axles? Like a monkey hanging from two adjacent tree limbs? Was there a reason you didn't just pop the axles before you slid back the transmission? What was your process for getting the block and the trans housing separated?

I unhooked the shifter completely.

 

I also left the axles in, but the tranny was supported by a motorbike jack, no tension on the axles. I left the axles in becuase I still had enough room to work with them still connected, and leaving them in place saves time.

 

I'm stuck right now on getting the trans back against the engine. I can't find the correct angle that will allow me to hook the trans onto the bottom to studs *and* clear the turbo housing.

 

I wound up removing the axles and lowering the trans to the floor. I then used my engine hoist to lift the trans up (chains through the engine bay) so I could swap to using the proper tranny jack.

 

So what's the technique for linig up the trans and missing the turbo? I tried going on straight - hits the turbo. Tried going onto the studs first - his turbo. Tried hooking the trans under the turbo - misses the studs.

 

The tranny jack will make it easier because I'll be able to control the tilt of the trans.

interesting.

The trans is back in. What a PITA. Like other cars, the trans has to line up almost perfectly to click back into place... But unlike other cars I have worked on, this car has a trans that's too big to manhandle*, plus the clearance from the turbo is as wide as a gnat's tadger so the alignment has to be even more perfect.

 

The technique I eventually used was to have the engine hoist tilt the front of the engine up (but tilt it too far the the turbo blocks the tranny.) Then I had two large jacks under the tranny, front and back, to give me very precise control over the pitch of the tranny. Even then, it didn't just slide into place because as the whole thing was tilted, pushing the trans towards the engine meant it wasn't lined up any more - I had to keep switch between pushing the trans towards the engine, and lifting the trans up.

 

 

 

So far:

- 3 hours to get the trans out.

- 1 hour to inspect everything and swap the clutch.

- 4 hours of fudging around trying different combinations of jacks/hoists and black magic to get the trans back in.

- 1 hour to get the trans in using the eventual technique

Total so far - 5 hours of working time (using the correct technique), 9 hours total (including time wasted in inccorect technique)

 

 

I'm hoping the rest of the assembly will take between 1 and 2 hours.

 

 

 

 

*Manhandle... The other trans I've worked on have been light enough that if the jacks didn't line up perfectly then you could just he-man the thing into place. Not so with this trans - it weighs too much. It's like trying to install Rosie O'Donnell under the car.

Car is done. New clutch feel much lighter and the biting point is higher. I'll adapt.

 

Total time was 11 hours, although 4 hours were wasted with bad technique on trans resintallation and I could have got it done in 6 hours without that, and the filming. Next time it'll be a 4-5 hour job for me.

 

Still, glad I did it. 11 hours of my own work save me $750 in dealer labor charges (and fred beans saved me $$$ on the parts). That's about $70 an hour saved (therefore earned). Would have been over $100 an hour if I'd been prepared for the transmission's weight. I wish I got paid $100/hour at work!!

 

Lessons learned:

 

- Don't try this without a tranny jack that can adjust the trans in many different directions!

- Don't assume you can manhandle the trans into place. Maybe if you had a buddy helping guide the trans, but not alone.

- It can be done alone, but I wish I'd had a helper on some key portions of the job.

- Filiming your first attempt at a job is quite a time overhead!!

Can I do this job by myself in my driveway if I get a tranny jack??

Can I do this job by myself in my driveway if I get a tranny jack??

 

Sure. It's just a PITA to get the trans and engine seperated and reconnected. You have to get the engine and trans perfectly in line, and keep them in line and they come together. You'll need 4 good jack stands and plenty of light.

 

Rather than a tranny jack I used two regular jacks so I had more precise control over the tilt and height of the tranny. I also used an engine hoise to tilt the engine.

 

I did this job in my workshop, which is no different than a driveway except it was 28F outdoors and 70F in my workshop.

 

 

If I had to do it over, I'd arrange for some help during the disconnect/reconnect portion of the job.

*Manhandle... The other trans I've worked on have been light enough that if the jacks didn't line up perfectly then you could just he-man the thing into place. Not so with this trans - it weighs too much. It's like trying to install Rosie O'Donnell under the car.

 

The manuals are nothing compared to a 5EAT. They are like a Rosie O'Donnell pregnant with an Oprah!

 

Glad to hear you got it all back together!