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After spending several years in technical support with a company that sold manual transmissions, I’ve spoken to many customers who have made clutch installation mistakes that have cost them in terms of time, money, and frustration. These tips are based on my experience which are often overlooked by the novice installing a new clutch. This article is not a substitute for a good auto repair manual that is specific to the vehicle you are working on! If any of these suggestions contradict information in your service manual, follow the service manual instead.
Tip #1: Lubricate in all the right places (and none of the wrong places!) – Put a light coat of grease on the pilot tip of the input shaft and on the collar that the release bearing slides on. Wipe a very light layer of oil on the input shaft splines to prevent rust. Be careful not to get any grease on the flywheel, clutch disc, or pressure plate.
Tip #2: Reinvent the flywheel, no matter how cool it may look. It only costs a few dollars, and the risk of having to rewire the transmission because of a chattering clutch isn’t worth the money you might save.
Tip #3: Replace the pilot bearing or bushing. If you don’t have a special pilot bearing puller tool, some service manuals instruct you to remove the old bearing by packing the cavity behind the bearing with grease and using a wooden dowel or old input to pry out the old one. use shaft. I’ve found that instead of grease you can use Play Dough, Silly Putty, or some old bread with the same or better results and less mess!
Tip #4: Don’t force anything! If the transmission will not slide all the way to the rear of the bellhousing, do not pull the transmission to the bellhousing by tightening the transmission to bellhousing bolts. I can’t tell you how many broken mounting ears and damaged pilot bearings I’ve seen! If the transmission will not slide fully into the bellhousing, the clutch disc is misaligned or the input shaft is not going into the pilot bearing because the transmission is at an angle. TRY THIS: Install or reattach the clutch linkage, and then have a helper depress the clutch pedal slightly while you move the transmission around to align it. When the clutch disc is released, it will move so that you can align the transmission with the pilot bearing. I once struggled with the transmission for an hour before I thought of this, and it took about five seconds after I had a helpful step on the clutch pedal!
Before tackling your first clutch replacement, I highly recommend reading the entire procedure in the repair manual or factory service manual. Even if you’re a seasoned veteran, it doesn’t hurt to take a look at the service manual if you’re replacing the clutch in a vehicle you’re not familiar with.
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