pdrayton

Hi,

This is my first post here. I've snooped around but didn't find much on clutch replacements for my truck. I got the FSM from the links (Fantastic!), but I still have some questions for those who know about this.

HOw much of a big job is the clutch replacement? THe biggest job I've done on a car is removing the cam to replace hydraulic lifters. I"m thinking I can handle the clutch right?

ALso, which clutch to get? I do mostly towing with this truck. It's a 22RE and I pull an 18ft fishing boat (about 2500lbs I guess, I don't know) and then I tow a small trailer with upto 1500Lbs on it. Also, I've left this so late for out of dread of doing a clutch that it is now critical that the clutch gets fixed this weekend before it starts making dents in my fishing schedule (shock horror GASP!) So, in terms of local parts stores Advance has the Perfection or Beck/Arnley or Fenco brands. Are they acceptable bearing in mind I put about 3000 miles a year on this truck. Or is it worth paying a bit more and getting a different brand?

Any other tips? I have the relevant parts from the FSM printerd out. Looks like this:
1 remove driveshaft
2. Remove tranny
3. do the clutch
4. Put the tranny back
5. Check you haven't left any parts out.. (perhaps this should be before #4? )

Seasoned pros - shortcuts, gotchas?

EDIT- Duh! I should say that the truck has 135000 miles on it.
Also, I meant to ask, should I get the flywheel with the kit, or it is a long shot that I will need that? I'd rather not have to hassle with getting more parts once Iget the tranny off, but I don't want to spend and extra 100 smackers on something I don't need.

MORE EDITing: What's the Throw out bearing and should I get one? Reason I ask is, when the truck is first driven after it has been sitting a while it makes a hard clunk the first time I pull off. From then on it is fine, no noises. The sound seems to be coming from around the tranny or rear diff, but it could be at the clutch too, it's hard to tell when you're sitting in the cab. BYW, I am replacing the clutch becuase it is slipping.

Thanks.

TORTIS

iTrader: (1)

marlin crawler hd clutch kit. has everything you will need. use candle wax to remove the pilot bearing.. go ahead and replace the rear main seal and put a bit of grease on the rubber lip. i think you will need about 24'' of extensions to reach the top two bolts on the bell housing and the top bolt on the starter. make sure you put the throw out bearing and clutch plate on right. a good transmission jack is great to have. resurface the flywheel. go ahead and replace the shifter bushing and the shifter seat on the shifter, get those from marlin as well..

JasonWin

I just replaced the clutch on my truck last night (was up till 1:00 in the morning). All I did was get a clutch kit from my local auto parts store. Make sure you get a clutch alignment tool (my kit came with one, but you should check to make sure the one your getting does). if you don't have a transmission jack it's a good idea to have a buddy to help ya, all I used was a couple floor jacks and a few axel stands to keep everything in place. just make sure you remember everything you take off and how to put it back on.

Overall it's a fairly simple procedure. I'm not very experienced working on vehicles. The best thing to do is get the full clutch kit since it comes with everything you should replace while your in there.

Jay351

Its fairly straight forward to do.

Unbolt driveshaft from transmission ( I left it connected to the rear end)
Unbolt all the tranny bolts
Unbolt front driveshaft ( I unbolted it from the front diff )
Remove shifters
Unbolt crossmember
Lower tranny ( tranny jack comes in handy, but we used a floor jack)
Move tranny out of the way
Remove old clutch
Remove flywheel and get it resurfaced ( or buy one from marlin crawler to save time)

check rear main seal, mine was fine so we left it
Install flywheel
Install new throw out bearing (after removing old one of course)
Install clutch plate
Install pressure plate
Use alignment tool to make sure everything is hunky dorey

*optional but recomended* Install marlin crawler shifter seat and bushing to shifter

Jack tranny/t-case back up
Bolt up the x-member
Bolt up bellhousing bolts
Bolt up front and rear drive shafts
install shifters

I would also recomend you go with a marlin clutch, I went with the hd kit which steps up the stock clamping force from 900ftlbs to 1200. BUT don't mistake it for a ceramic clutch, it is 100% oem except marlin gets the spring rates changed for higher clamping force Feels like stock.

notanymore

while your in there you should replace everything that might need replacing, pilot and throwout bearing, rear main seal and the part stores usually require you to either have a new, or proof of resurfacing the flywheel to get the warranty on your clutch. although you dont drive your truck a whole lot what driving you do with it sounds like it would be hard on the clutch, so you want to get as good of one as you can get.
doing a clutch isnt an extremely hard job and you should be fine doing it, just know lots of extension and swivel joints are a must to get the top bolts off and yes your #5 should be before your #4

pdrayton

Thanks guys, I'm feeling a lot better about the job.

So here's what I've picked up that I didn't have before.

1. Get 24" of extensions and some swivel joints .

2. Get a rear main seal and do it too

3. Get a new flywheel, unless I feel like dropping the tranny again, which sounds like fun.

4. Get a marlin crawler clutch (I would, but this job needs to be done this weekend and it's thursday night already). So my options are Fenco, Perfection or Beck/Arnley - any recommendations?

5. I don't have to remove the rear diff end of the drive shaft

6. Don't worry, be happy.

What is the alignment tool? I don't see it in the kits they have online

dlbrunner

Don't get a new flywheel if you can get yours resurfaced. You will have to pull the flywheel to replace the rear main seal anyway.

NAPA charged me $30 for the resurface job on my flywheel.

Alignment tool will be in marlin's kit. I bought an alignment tool for my truck at BAP import parts a while back it was under $10 I think.

Be prepared to spend some time getting the pilot bearing out. It has been a pain in the butt for me.

notanymore

the alignment tool is a little plastic thing that you need to center your new clutch on the flywheel, it should comewith your clutch kit, but if you do buy locally check and make sure it has one
it should look something similar to this.

pdrayton

Oh yeah, I saw that alignment tool in one of the cheap kits, I thought it was a Ray Gun. I want to do this job this weekend - I have monday off to finish it too.

OK, I've given up on the idea of doing the job this weekend and doing it right. So I've decided to do it right. I like the idea of getting an HD clutch since I'm towing most of the time. The Marlin clutch is HD at 1200lb. I didn't see anything on the WabFab clutch site that said anything about it being extra good or anything - anybody have opinions on which one is better? I'm not talking about the ceramic clutch - that would be overkill for me .

thanks again guys. Looks like my new plan includes resurfacing the flywheel instead of getting a new one. Or is there an easy way to tell if the flywheel is OK and even needs resurfacing? I have digital calipers.... and a baseball cap with a small propeller....

YotaJunky

Make sure you put some match marks on the driveshafts and where they bolt onto before removing them. Sometimes putting them back on without aligning them properly may cause vibrations through your driveline.

YotaJunky

What more do you need, pray tell?

tc

Note that a little step needs to be machined into the flywheel.

Instead of risking it, I just bought one from Marlin with my clutch.
4Cyl is $79, 6 Cyl is $99
Cheap insurance IMHO

pdrayton

yes, relatively cheap for the flywhee. But the shipping is $36 - that's 50% extra. What are the chances of needing a new flywheel? Remember, I can get it resurface for $30.

I ordered the MArlin HD clutch. I'm going to be pulling everything off this weekend and waiting for the clutch to come in. If the flywheel is shot I'll get one from the auto parts store. Or is the quality of the flywheel just as important as the clutch and I should stop being a tight wad and just spill the bucks? Sheesh, I guess $306 for a good clutch shouldn't make a grown man cry.

pdrayton

What about this puppy though? A Seco clutch kit for $94? Sounds good doesn't it, that's OEM?

tc

If you can get the flywheel resurfaced PROPERLY with the right depth and location of the step, go for it.

Essentially, I didn't trust anyone to know that it needed to be done and how, and damn sure didn't want to have to go through the labor of dropping the tranny 1 mile before I had to.

Jay351

It sure is oem, and thats what you get with the marlin unit BUT you get the added clamping force which is great

And don't forget, buy the marlin crawler shifter socket and bushing. It will GREATLY improve the feel of your shifts.

and btw, the flywheel should be resurfaced each time you do the clutch. Replace it if it has cracks.

notanymore

im really weary of buying cheap clutches, i got one of the cheap ones from shucks for like $80 and i dont really like it, it doesnt grab very well and if i remember it claimed to be oem grade, but it really sucks. if i could go back i would of gone with the better clutch.

neoworm0

I bought the exact same clutch you have pictured there. It was really cheap.

It is super light! Doesn't have the greatest clamping force either. I have some pretty low gearing so I find i'm a little easier on my clutch. It's holding up way better than I would have expected. You're definitely getting what you pay for with that one though.

I won't buy another one of those when this one goes. I'd say if you are on a tight budget and need to get your truck running, buy it but know what your getting. Although I wouldn't recommend it for towing, but then I wouldn't recommend the 22re for towing either. Otherwise buy the Marlin or equivalent.

Oh and the pilot bearing started screaming at me almost immediately after i put it in. LOL! Still does. I have about 1 year and 10 or 12 thousand miles on it.

pdrayton

THanks Guys.

I'm not tight for money really. I'm just a tight wad.

So I think the thing to do, especially since it's just a baby 22RE (who was that implying 22RE can't tow well! It can do 3500lbs!), is bit the bullet and get the Marlin HD clutch and shift bushings.

pdrayton

OK, last question...

What do you think of this flywheel? It's reman, just like the Marlin flywheel. I'm sure Marlin doesn't reman them themselves. And if they do, I'm sure a company that just makes flywheels has to do an OK job, right? Or is that wishful thinking? I can get this flywheel for $33, or a brand new one for $134.

from http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...pe=267&PTSet=A

I mean, is the type of flywheel going to make much difference?