clutch replacement

[fish]

Aloha from a new member in Hawaii. I believe I incorrectly posted this last night in the introduction forum, oops! Last year I bought a clean 1995, 3.0L, fwd, swb which now needs a clutch (127000 miles). I haven't done a clutch replacement in 25 years (automatics), and there certainly seems to be some sticky spots according to what I have read. Where do you go for comprehensive instructions and what about replacement parts, pros and cons. I live in rural Hawaii so availability can sometimes be an issue.I appreciate your input.

 

[MAKG]

Haynes books can be a help. Clutches are their bread and butter (along with brakes, suspension & steering, and engine teardown).

Frankly, any decent clutch will do. LUK makes almost all of them anyway. What I do suggest given your location is a reman flywheel, unless a cheap machine shop is nearby.

Where did you find a front wheel drive Ranger?

 

[90rangersuper]

MAKG - i think he ment "four wheel drive" fwd" unless he just runs the truck in 4wd with no rear driveshaft

 

[fish]

Thanks for the response, I'll keep you posted.

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

I'm in the middle of the same thing right now on my 92 4x4 explorer.

1. Disconnect all wires from the tranny and transfercase, including the speedo cable (your's might be electric?)

2. Remove starter

3. Disconnect front and rear driveshafts from t-case.

4. Remove shifter.

5. Remove exhaust y-pipe (boy was a ***** up here in the salty midwest )

6. Support transfer case with jack

7. Remove tranny cross member.

8. Slowly lower jack supporting transfercase while watching clearence between the oil pan and front crossmember. You should be able to lower the back of the transfercase about 8".

9. Support engine in it's lowered position.

10. Lowering the back of the transfercase should now have allowed access to the bolts securing the tranny to the engine.

11. Support the transmission.

12. Remove the bolts holding the tranny to the engine. There are eight and they have 13mm heads. I used an impact wrench with about 2' of extension and a u-joint.

13. At this point you should be able to slowly work the tranny/t-case apart from the engine.

14. Once it is free, carefully lower the tranny and tcase and set aside.

I would replace the clutch disc, pressure plate, pilot bearing, throwout bearing, and slave cylinder and at least resurface the flywheel when you are in there.

Now is also a great time to replace the leaky rubber plugs on the top of your tranny with 5/8" metal freeze plugs. Also change the fluid in the t-case and tranny if it hasn't been done recently.

Installation should the reverse of removal, but I haven't gotten there yet.

Hope that helps!

 

[Taragon]

Good instructions, but I would HGHLY recommend splitting the t-case and transmission.

Also, I have heard someone say they use ratchet straps around the frame rails liek a cradle to reinstall the trans. Never sdone it myself, but I will prolly try it next time. Seems like a pretty good idea considering sometimes you have to do some wiggling and its easy for the trans to fall off the floor jack when doing so!

 

[90rangersuper]

i used the ratchet straps to pull down the y pipe to aid in the removal of the tranny, still had to pry but not nearly enough as without the strap. I took the tranny out twice since i screwed up the first time, y pipe never came out once, totaly stock ranger(no lift),

remove the t-case, it will make life easier

if you need any help just pm me

 

[rboyer]

I used ratchet straps one time when I did an explorer tranny in a grease pit by myself. I kind of had to because once you get the thing up that high you need to reposition yourself before lifting it in place. I had to prop the tranny up there and hold it with one hand while hooking up the straps with the other which was a real pain. If you split the transfer case from the transmission while it's still in the vehicle then it's alot easier and the bellhousing bolts are cake to get out. As for the y-pipe I never had to remove one and don't believe it's worth removing especially if it's rusted pretty bad. If it's nice and rust-free and looks like it will come off easy then it's worth a shot, but maneuvering the transmission around the y-pipe without the transfer case attached to it is pretty easy.

 

[Sunk]

I've done 2 with the y-pipe in place and the T-case attached, so it's really up to the person doing it where they want to spend their time.

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

Yeah if you have a torch just heat the manifolds up and use a impact wrench to get the y-pipe flange to manifold bolts out. Mine came out this way after 16 years and 153000 miles up here in northern illinois. If mine came out anyone else's should too.

With two strong guys and a couple jacks getting it out with the xfer-case attached was no big deal. I did snap the VSS off of the xfer-case though on the way out. Oh well, it's only a $15.00 part.

 

[fish]

Awesome information guys! As a finish carpenter, I'm a little out of my game here and imparting your experience here is a HUGH help.I'm doing this solo so I think I will split the t-case from the tranny and use the straps. The upper bellhousing bolts (mine are 15mm wrench size) are impossible, but it sounds like I can lower the tranny enough to get at them without causing a problem with the front engine mount. I also have a problem with shifter out. Mine is held in with a threaded stud and a nut. I removed the nut for n o effect on the stud. I haven't been able to find another nut to fit the stud so I can double nut them and pull the stud out. I'm in a rural area with limited availability so if anybody knows about this I'd really like to hear about it. Also I believe I can pull the t-case and the tranny with leaking fluid all over the place, is that correct?

 

[rboyer]

Take that nut and stick it on the other end and tighten it. It will pull the bolt out through the other side. As for leaking fluid just make sure that when you remove the transfer case you don't tilt it towards the vent tube that's on it.

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

The easier way to remove the shifter is to remove the 3 little torx screws found underneath the rubber shroud at the base of the shifter and just lift the whole thing out of the tranny.

 

[fish]

Thanks for the suggestions. Got the shifter and t-case out, but still having difficulty with the top tranny bolts. If I lower the tranny the y-pipe bottoms out on cross-member. So I tried my luck disconnecting the y-pipe at the manifold, but have only been able to loosen the drivers side. I can't even see those bolts from under the truck. any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[MAKG]

If you can get the driver's side, the passenger side is a little easier.

If they are in the way, remove the cats. It will make more room for you to work anyway. Sometimes, you can get at one or more bolts through the wheel well as well.