How to change a clutch step by step with pictures + descriptions

[mattressking]

What is the time estimate here? 4 hours? 8 hours? (assuming you don''t do it twice )

Straight through having all parts handy, no need for running out for tools/fluids or parts. I'd say 8hrs is right. Easily done in less if you are moving quick and completely prepared (meaning you've done this job once or twice already). There aren't a lot of bolts and the work itself isn't very hard. However if you're doing a clutch, you can find a number of other things to replace while you're in there increasing completion time.

BUT.

I spend a few hours in just cleaning alone. Also depends how good of a wrench you are and not assuming you don't run into issues.

 

[pumbaatx]

Never having done a clutch before, took me about 12-14 hours. I think if I had known what I was doing, 8 hours. That was the quote I got from the mechanic before deciding to tackle it myself.

 

[LR LC200]

This is my write up from a recent clutch replacement in a 1982 FJ60. Feel free to add anything I forget and I'll edit the original post so it is accurate.

Good links:

Clutch install help/rear main seal.

My clutch change experiance/pics

Factory Service Manual (download chassis-body-84-90)
http://hugh4prez.nate-online.com/Cruiser and M416 Manuals/

Things to do while in there replacing the clutch:
-New clutch disk + pressure plate*
-New pilot bearing*
-New throwout bearing*
-New main seal
-New oil pan gasket
-New plugs for t case/ transmission (4)
Change your drain & fill plugs
*all of these parts usually come in a clutch kit you can order.

It can be useful to degrease everything before you start. I skipped this step but was coated in gunk every night I worked on it.

1. Chock rig + set e brake
2. Disconnect positive terminal on battery
3. Unbolt 4 screws under shifter boot
4. Push metal ring under boot down about 1/2" and rotate it counter clockwise. Set the unit on newspaper somewhere dry and out of the way.

4. Crawl under rig and take out 5 bolts holding on the metal undercarriage cover.
5. Mark with a crayon the position of your drive line brackets so it will bolt up correctly when it goes back together.
6. Unbolt front and rear drive lines. There is a slit in the cross member in front to get a wrench in for the front drive line.
7. Set the drive lines aside. I threaded 1 bolt on the end of each drive line so I could remember which way they went in. Also nice to know where the washers go when you put it back together.
8. Unscrew the speedometer cable and tuck it out of the way. Also unscrew the bolt to the ground wire in the rear of the transmission. (in this photo, speedometer cable is still attached but the ground is unbolted).

9. Reach around the top of the transmission and disconnect the backup light/ 4wd connector (white plastic unit).
10. Unbolt the transfer shift lever from transmission, and take the cotter pin out off it and tuck it to the side.
11. Remove the exhaust on the drivers side of the transmission (2 bolts)
12. Support the transfer case with a floor jack
13. unbolt the 4 large bolts that go through the rubber housing holding the transmission in place
14. Unbolt the 2 bolts on the left side of the cross member mount that are vertical going down through the mount. Then unbolt the right side.
15. Take off the passenger side mount (4 bolts). The cross member should now be free and the transmissions weight is on the floor jack. Put all these bolts in piles or bags and mark the bags/ piles.

16. Move in the transmission jack under the transmission and jack it up. You will probably need wood blocks to make it work with the transfer case. Strap the transmission to the transmission jack so it can't roll off. (show in roughly the right spot. Floor jack should be behind and towards the passenger side under the transfer case)

17. Unbolt the cover under the bell housing (5 bolts)
18. Unbolt the 4 large bolts that hold the transmission into the bell housing.
19. Slowly move the transmission and transfer case backwards. As it goes back, you need to slowly let it down so the hump where the shifter comes out will clear the hole in the floor board. (in this picture, transmission is removed and you can see the release fork in front of the pressure plate)

20. Keep moving backwards until the transmission is far enough back you can get into the clutch (2 feet or so).
21. Unbolt the 2 bolts holding the clutch slave cylinder
22. Pop the metal clips on the release fork that hold in the throw out bearing.
23. unbolt the bottom 2 bolts on the flywheel housing. Rotate the housing (kinda tough) and keep unbolting all the bolts until the housing and clutch disk are free. They will slide out the bottom of the bell housing.
24. Use an impact gun and undo the 5 bolts that hold on the fly wheel
25. Have flywheel get resurfaced @ a local machine shop
26. remove pilot bearing. This can be done by packing the hole with grease and then putting a bolt that is just large enough to fit in the hole. Tap on the bolt and the pressure should push the bearing out a bit. Repack with grease and try again. If this method doesn't work, get a puller. I found one at car quest the screws into the old bearing and then can be packed with grease via the zirc fitting. It worked great.
27. Remove the old rear main seal
28. Replace the rear main seal - lightly lube the new part with motor oil before replacing Slowly tap in evenly.
29. Light lube the new pilot bearing, place in hole and gently tap in using a socket that is the same diameter as the outside of the pilot bearing.
30. Put on resurfaced flywheel. Don't get grease on it, and use brake cleaner to clean the surface after installed. Also use blue locktite on the bolts. Torque to spec (it is sitting in the correct position in the pressure plate bellow).
Suggestion for FAQ - Common Torque Values
31. Put on the new clutch and push the alignment tool through it to hold it in place (plastic deal that came in kit). Make sure the side of the disk with the protruding nipple is faced TOWARDS the flywheel.

32. Put on pressure plate (aka clutch cover) and torque the bolts to spec
33. Use a rubber mallet and a large socket to knock out the old hub from the throw out bearing. Gently tap the hub onto the new throughout bearing. Make sure the rounded side is the side that goes towards the clutch and pressure plate.
34. Put the release fork though the rubber boot in the bell housing and attach the throw out bearing with the 2 metal clips. Lightly lube the face of the throwout bearing.
35. Put the clutch slave cylinder back on with the 2 bolts.
36. Lube the shaft on the transmission lightly.
37. Put the transmission back on. This will be a matter of pushing, jacking up, and fighting and cussing. Once you have the input shaft started it will kind of guide itself in. Keep it straight up and down and watch for things getting caught up.
38. See #18 and go backwards. Make sure the transmission/ transfer case is supported in the back with the floor jack when you remove the transmission jack to put the cross member back on.
39. When reattaching the drive line make sure the hubs on each end are aligned with each other. If they are out of whack you will get a horrible wobble.

40. Make sure your transfer case lever is engaged
41. Done!

This is all fresh in my mind because I did it twice. I put the clutch disk in backwards and found out about it after everything was back together. Not fun. And my torque wrench broke the second time around, so I wound up snapping a bolt off in the fly wheel and having to torque the flywheel off with an impact gun. Hope this write up saves someone some time and they avoid the same mistakes!

Question: 74’ FJ40. Replacing the clutch. At the step where I am bolting down the pressure plate. In my case it’s taking well beyond 14 foot pounds to turn torque wrench and plate is still not seated. Everything I’m reading says it’s easy to break these bolts so wondering what’s going on…? Any help would be greatly appreciated, trying to take it to expo east next weekend…
Thx
Rick

 

[LR LC200]

Before it’s asked...yes, I put the disc in with the extended splined hub towards the flywheel/engine. It’s not really hard turning the torque tench, but well beyond 14ft/lbs as I said....

 

[BlackCat]

Here’s my 2 changes:
1: the exhaust doesn’t have to come off or even be disconnected.
2: you don’t have to remove the slave either.

 

[BlackCat]

Before it’s asked...yes, I put the disc in with the extended splined hub towards the flywheel/engine. It’s not really hard turning the torque tench, but well beyond 14ft/lbs as I said....

I’d make sure your clutch disc and pressure plate are going on evenly over all the dowel pins. If it’s going on cock-eyed, you’ll be trying to pull the assembly onto the flywheel crooked, and you’ll have a gap.

 

[LR LC200]

I’d make sure your clutch disc and pressure plate are going on evenly over all the dowel pins. If it’s going on cock-eyed, you’ll be trying to pull the assembly onto the flywheel crooked, and you’ll have a gap.

Thx- From another response, it appears that I have the disc in backwards.... seems to be a number of variations depending on model year, but that would explain why it’s not sitting flush and I’m over 14 foot pounds . Per other poster springs on desk are probably heading fly wheel bolts currently. Also, don’t have dowels on my 74 for speed… Was that later model years? My clutch cover has six holes for bolts only. No other indexing holes.

 

[LR LC200]

Thx- From another response, it appears that I have the disc in backwards.... seems to be a number of variations depending on model year, but that would explain why it’s not sitting flush and I’m over 14 foot pounds . Per other poster springs on desk are probably heading fly wheel bolts currently. Also, don’t have dowels on my 74 for speed… Was that later model years? My clutch cover has six holes for bolts only. No other indexing holes.

Also wanting to confirm throw out bearing is oriented correctly. So many styles of bearings... how I have this on with the flat side towards the three clutch arms makes sense to me . Would not want those arms touching a surface that has two separate independent parts, as I’ve seen on a number of posts. Thx again!

 

[BlackCat]

Thx- From another response, it appears that I have the disc in backwards.... seems to be a number of variations depending on model year, but that would explain why it’s not sitting flush and I’m over 14 foot pounds . Per other poster springs on desk are probably heading fly wheel bolts currently. Also, don’t have dowels on my 74 for speed… Was that later model years? My clutch cover has six holes for bolts only. No other indexing holes.

You may have better luck asking in the 40 section. I know my 60 has dowel pins and may be set up differently than a 40.

 

[LR LC200]

Agreed, the one conclusive picture on disk orientation was from an FJ62.....

 

[BlackCat]

Clutch not engaging

Thanks for the tutorial it was a real big help. I am now having a problem with the clutch not engaging enough to allow me to get into any gear. Any ideas? Thanks again and thanks for the awsome and informative forum.

I know this post is old, but mine is currently doing the same thing. I threw in the towel last night and will look into it more tomorrow, but was wondering if this happened to anyone else and what their fix was. The “nipple” side of the clutch disc is facing the flywheel, I’ve bled the slave, everything is torqued to spec, etc.
pushing the pedal moves the TO bearing just enough to make contact with the pressure plate fingers, but not enough to put a significant amount of pressure on them. I didn’t remove the slave or open the system during the install, so air in the lines “shouldn’t” be an issue.

 

[LR LC200]

Have you checked the adjustment of the clutch slave cylinder rod? Finally finished mine last night and the rod was adjusted too long so as soon as I hit the pedal, clutch was disengaging. So I need to shorten a bit with the threaded rod and lock but. You may need to do the opposite and lengthen to get the correct throw/pressure...
Cheers Rick

 

[BlackCat]

Have you checked the adjustment of the clutch slave cylinder rod? Finally finished mine last night and the rod was adjusted too long so as soon as I hit the pedal, clutch was disengaging. So I need to shorten a bit with the threaded rod and lock but. You may need to do the opposite and lengthen to get the correct throw/pressure...
Cheers Rick

Hopefully it’s something easy like that. I’m not sure if it’ll have all the adjustment I’ll need just in the Rod. I can’t imagine it being “that” far off after a replacement, but I guess anything is possible.

edit: it was a simple adjustment. It’s fixed.

 

[hooter]

thread bump - question on throwout bearing orientation

Im having a difficult time finding a definitive "right answer"

33. Use a rubber mallet and a large socket to knock out the old hub from the throw out bearing. Gently tap the hub onto the new throughout bearing. Make sure the rounded side is the side that goes towards the clutch and pressure plate.

how I have this on with the flat side towards the three clutch arms makes sense to me . Would not want those arms touching a surface that has two separate independent parts, as I’ve seen on a number of posts. Thx again!

These are opposite answers to a question I'm having.

Which way does Toyota say it should go? one member says rounded side to the clutch, one member says flat side to the clutch....

hOOter

 

[hooter]

double post

 

[jefferson-mo]

I believe he is talking about the portion in the center of this shot.

If you put in in the other way the springs rub on the flywheel bolts and it will not operate properly

 

[ENDO]

@avillan610

 

[FJ502]

What is the time estimate here? 4 hours? 8 hours? (assuming you don''t do it twice )

It's been a decade but I think it was about 4 hours the second time I did it (with everything fresh in my mind)

 

[HueyDriver]

Swapped mine out today.

Great thread here, followed this along with my FSM. Only thing I’ll add is that I used a cheap (25$) wire endoscope camera to slide in through the clutch fork opening into the bell housing to align the splines from the shaft to the clutch disk.

After fighting trying to get the transmission in for an hour or so, I used the camera to align transmission shaft with the clutch disk splines and it slid right in. Unfortunately I don’t have the clutch inspection plate on my bell housing, so I was trying to go by feel. Hope this helps someone else out.

 

[tone33]

Thx- From another response, it appears that I have the disc in backwards.... seems to be a number of variations depending on model year, but that would explain why it’s not sitting flush and I’m over 14 foot pounds . Per other poster springs on desk are probably heading fly wheel bolts currently. Also, don’t have dowels on my 74 for speed… Was that later model years? My clutch cover has six holes for bolts only. No other indexing holes.

My '78 H42 has dowel pins that the pressure plate slides onto - there are 3 of them. You can see them here on the flywheel.