Can anyone with experience tell me how they were able to change their clutch or what it entails to do so. So as to prime me for the job..

 

First, get a Haynes or Chiltons manual. You really shouldn't attempt this without one. The haynes seems to be better, but either one will do. You will need to disconnect the driveshafts, starter, and slave cylinder line first. Then remove the transfer case using a tranny jack because you will need one, or really wish you had one when you go to put it back in anyways. Put the jack under the tranny with a little bit of pressure and remove the crossmember, then the tranny bolts, and pull tranny out. Remove clutch/flywheel. Have flywheel resurfaced. Remove old pilot bearing and install new. Reistall flywheel and be sure to torque ALL bolts exactly to spec. Put new clutch on making sure to use that spline tool included in your kit. Now raise the tranny and have fun getting that thing centered perfectly inside the clutch Took me forever. Well, just about anyway. I was able to perform this whole job with my truck on the ground, but if your truck is stock, then you will have to put it on jackstands.

 

ive done mine twice without removing the tcase from the tranny, and the first time i didnt have a tranny jack, my friend and i just bench pressed it in place and used a floor jack to kind of hold it up while one of us got the crossmember back in. dont forget you have to take off the shifter and transfer case shifter if you have one. and dont be cheap and not get the flywheel machined!!! i know from experience, thats why ive done mine twice.

 

My friends and I have done our fair share of clutch work. When we did my F150, we used three 2-ton floor jacks. I definately recommend something stronger and/or more designed for a transmission. The hardest part, as gamehunter suggested, is getting it lined up properly when putting it back in. It really comes down to this. Get the tranmission up in the air and lined up as best you can visually supported by a jack or two. Then get the biggest person in the group to get under it, grab it in a big bear hug and just wiggle it back and forth. It's all in the mindset. Get under, grab hold, and don't let it bear you.

IMHO, a clutch swap/repair is one of the big jobs that everyone should do themselves. It can be done in a garage and when the jobs all finished, you saved a lot of money and did a job well done. It's a great feeling. Make sure you follow the directions in the kit word for word.

 

Just make sure you don't put the clutch disc in backwards. Uually the aftermarket ones are marked as to which way they go, but sometimes that factory ones aren't marked so pay attention when you take the old one out.

If you have the flywheel machined you might want to change the rear main seal while your back there. They all leak eventually and you don't want to have to take the tranny back out again in two years to fix it.

-Jon

 

Thanks for all your suggestions... I actually found out that I had air in my hydraulics which mad the pedal respond so low to the floor... So I don't need to change the clutch after all.. But I will try to remember your tips for future use... Thanks!