How to Replace a Car’s Clutch

Installing a clutch is not an easy job, you have to be focused and committed to do this job. However, you can replace the defective clutch at home with little effort and right tools quite effectively. In this article we will tell you simple steps to replace your car’s clutch. Remember, the steps given below are for the rear wheel drive vehicle. For front wheel drive vehicles the procedure may differ but the basics remain the same for both. It is better to consult the owner’s manual for your vehicle to have a better idea of how things work.

Required Material

• Pilot bearing
• Throwout bearing
• New clutch disk and pressure plate

Instructions

• 1. Park the car on a flat surface and lift the car. Secure it on the jack stands. Make sure that the vehicle is secure enough to work underneath it.
  2. Locate the driveshaft on the rear axle and detach it from it. Mark the place where it attaches on rear axle.
  3. Dismiss all the connections like speedometer cable, shift linkage, electrical cables, clutch linkage or hydraulics fastened to the transmission.
  4. An empty transmission is easy to lift, so drain the transmission.
  5. You need to have universal joints or extensions to unfasten the hard to reach bolts between the transmission and engine.
  6. Once you have unfastened the bolts, use the transmission jack to hold the transmission. If you don’t have the transmission jack you can use floor jack as well. However, transmission jack can be rented from supplier store and more convenient to use.
  7. Usually a transmission is fixed to an engine bay with some locating dowels. After removing the bolts, you need to pull the transmission back a little to lower the transmission.
  8. Once the transmission is lowered, you can drag it out for making more room to work easily or you can still work with just lower the transmission, whichever way you feel comfortable.
  9. Take the clutch disk and pressure plates away from the crank. You will have to replace them with new set. Examine the flywheel carefully. You can just scuff or resurface the flywheel, if it is not poorly damaged, you should replace it otherwise.
  10. Remove the old pilot bearing with the new one at the end of the crank.
  11. Follow the instructions given on the owner’s manual and replace the throwout bearing accordingly.
  12. Take the brake cleaner and clean the bellhousing with it properly. Fasten the flywheel first to its place. Later take the pilot tool and fasten the clutch disc. Follow the crisscross pattern to fasten the bolts like you in fastening the car’s wheel. Finally apply thread locker on all the bolts.
  13. Note that while mounting the flywheel, clutch disc and pressure plate; keep them secure from dust or other contaminants. Use gloves for this purpose.
  14. Remove the pilot tool and lift the transmission back to its place. You might have to move the transmission up or down or in sideway directions to fix the dowels at right place. Insert the input shaft into the clutch disc. Remember you have to keep the transmission supported by the transmission jack all the time, never let it hanged by the input shaft.
  15. Once the transmission is fixed to its place, reinstall the transmission frame, clutch linkage or speedometer cable to the transmission. After you have reinstalled everything, refill the transmission.
  16. Take the driveshaft and replace it on the transmission. Adjust the clutch according to your manual. In the end check all the connections and bolts once again. Give a driver to your car and check the adjustments.