Hey so I'm going to be replacing a clutch in a 91 preTaco in the next couple days. I have been going through the service manuals and I'm pretty sure I'm capable of doing the work. The hardest part too me looks to be dropping the transmission. After that is out of the way its just working on the clutch.

Does anyone have any tips for me before I go at this?

thanks for any advice

 

the pilot bearing is a pain in the ass. Get ready for it!

 

Pilot bearings aren't too bad. Fill it with grease, insert a bolt and tap it in. Pushing on the grease with the bolt will pop the pilot bearing out. The tranny/transfer case is a heavy mother. Rent a tranny jack or make sure you have the thing securely chained to a hydraulic jack

 

I just replaced mine. Put some grease in the piolt bearing hole. Carve up a candle, and pound the candle pieces into the pilot bearing hole, and out the pilot bearing comes. Use old pilot bearing to pound in the new one. Oh, and replace the remain seal for sure, and don't forget to put a little oil on the seal. good luck. robert i had to use wax because the grease blew the plastic piece off and the grease came out.

 

Thanks a bunch for the advice. I will take your advice on renting a tranny jack or something to that extent. I also wanted to ask if you have to remove the front diff to lower the tranny? it looks like it might be possible to squeeze by but it might not be worth the risk.

thanks again

 

A tranny jack will make your life way easier, I just replaced my tranny and clutch. You will need to unbolt the sway bar, and the tranny jack allows you to manuever things around, which you will need when you go to put it back in. Good Luck!

 

Just have to unbolt:

both driveshafts
sway bar
bellhousing bolts
crossmember
shifters *duh*
And she will come out, a tranny jack is a very good idea, we used a floor jack on mine!

 

The diff will not be a problem at all. When you pull the tranny guide it back until the input shaft is out of the clutch. You'd be surprised how far back that is if it is your first clutch job. A buddy of mine and myself guided the tranny back and made sure it didn't shift (HEAVY!) on the jack while my daughter operated the jack and lowered it.

 

Thanks a lot for all the advice. It should help a lot. makes me glad to be a yotatech member.