Having spent several years in technical support with a company that sells manual transmissions, I have spoken with many customers who have made clutch installation mistakes that have cost them dearly in terms of time, money, and frustration. These tips are based on my experience with what a newbie often overlooks when he installs a new clutch. This article is NOT a substitute for a good auto repair manual that is specific to the vehicle you are working on! If any of these tips contradict information in your service manual, follow the service manual.
Tip #1: Lubricate in all the right places (and none in the wrong places!) – Put a light coat of grease on the pilot end of the input shaft and on the collar that the release bearing slides on. Apply a VERY light coat of oil to the input shaft splines to prevent rust. Be careful NOT to grease the flywheel, clutch disc or pressure plate.
Tip #2: Get your steering wheel fixed, no matter how good it looks. It only costs a few bucks, and the risk of having to remove the transmission again due to a rattling clutch isn’t worth the money you could save.
Tip #3: Replace the pilot bearing or bushing. If you don’t have a special pilot bearing puller tool, some service manuals instruct you to remove the old bearing by filling the cavity behind the bearing with grease and using a wooden dowel or old input shaft to drive the old out. I found that instead of grease you can use playdough, playdough, or even some old bread, with equal or better results and a lot less mess!
Tip #4: Don’t force anything! If the drive does not slide all the way to the back of the bell, do not pull the drive into the bell by tightening the drive to bell bolts. I can’t tell you how many broken mounting ears and damaged pilot bearings I have seen! If the transmission does not slide all the way to the bell then the clutch disc is misaligned or the input shaft is not entering the pilot bearing because the transmission is at an angle. Try this: Install or replace the clutch linkage, and then have a helper lightly depress the clutch pedal while moving the transmission to align it. When the clutch disc is released, it will move so you can align the transmission with the pilot bearing. I struggled with a transmission for an hour once before I even thought of this, and then it took about five seconds once a helper hit the clutch pedal!
Before tackling your first clutch replacement, I recommend reading the entire procedure in a factory repair manual or service manual. Even if you’re a seasoned veteran, it doesn’t hurt to take a look at a service manual if you’re replacing a clutch on a vehicle you’re unfamiliar with.