Jim_H

Ernest,
Tried getting back to you last night but the site crashed. What Garth said- some pressure on the release arm will allow you to get a screwdriver into one of the notches and pry it out.

ErnestSw

Thanks guys, but I wimped out and took it to Zims. Two experienced mechanics took a half hour to get it replaced. It seems that there were too many shims in the old one and they couldn't get enough play to get the old one out without a lot of work. As far as I'm concerned it's the best $43.00 I ever spent.

Gregg K

Yay!
Congratulations Ernest. I have to give you a lot of credit for tearing into it in the first place. I've got scars on my fingers from doing mechanical work on my toys at the age of two. But unless it's genetically predispositioned, I would guess that this stuff is daunting. In fact, many is the time that I just sit and stare, and curse, at situations, in a state of disbelief. It's like magic sometimes. But now you have graduated to the next level. And the next one won't be so daunting. I might add that when one is over the age of 30, this also is a disadvantage. So have a big congratulation on me. And that also goes for being smart enough to know when to send the work out.

ErnestSw

Hey Greg,
Thanks for the kind words. I'll be on the home stretch as soon as I have the clutch positioned. My hands might even heal by the time I get to Wichita, but I don't think the blue spot under my fingernail will have grown out by then. LOVE that pilot bearing removal!

Jim_H

Ernest,
Do you have an extra set of hands to put the pack in? If not, patience, it can be done. Like I said earlier, a 3/4" pc of mdf/pb or plywood placed on your chest is a great resting place as your making attempts to get it placed. Sounds weird but it works. You are very close Grasshopper.

ErnestSw

Hey Jim,
I'll be trying to hunt up that extra pair of hands, but I have an ace in the hole. IF I can squeeze my belly under the car I'll have all the height I need to position the clutch.

Jim_H

Ernest,
I have the "height" thing taken care of too. The board is too protect your skin from the weight/teeth of the assembly.
Hopefully this post is for nothing cause your already finished and out driving.

ErnestSw

I decided that I'd access the clutch feet first from the front of the car----no go on the belly. Then I decided to try it feet first from the side----no go on the belly. It's head first all the way.
My eyes are DEFINITELY not bigger than my stomach!!

ErnestSw

I have two options for replacing the clutch pack. The first is to hang it on the upper ball joint and then position everything and the second is to position the clutch and then attach the upper ball joint.
Anyone have any BTDT recommendations?

Jim_H

Don't forget to put the new bushing in the arm. It should pop onto the pivot point fairly easily.

ErnestSw

Jim,
Which way did you do it?
BTW, I discovered that someone has been there before me. The throwout bearing pivot arm and guide tube are the new type. I ALSO discovered that some moron had cut the O2 sensor line and spliced it back together. There goes another $150.00!!

Jim_H

Ernest,

I don't think you have to replace because it was spliced?

I can't remember how I did it. I would want to pop it on the nipple before I started tightening things up. Actually now that I think about it once I knew the shaft was in the pilot bearing & I had a coupla bolts into the flywheel I would snap it on before I went any further.

PLEASE REMEMBER, I have only done this once and I have a hard time remembering my name on a good day

Pete L

THe attached photo is of the two jawed $30 bearing puller tool I purchased to remove the pilot bearing in my 86. Bet this would remove a grenaded bearing race as well.

This was purchased at a local NAPA? or non Pep Boy type (read a "real" automotive parts store.

My biggest challenge in removing old clutch was beating out the old dowel pin.

Pete L
1986 5 speed
175K young

ErnestSw

Hey Pete,
Imagine that the pilot bearing has grenaded and all that's left is the outer race in its position in the end of the crank shaft. You have one VERY small, rounded edge on the inside and one on the outside about a gnat's whisker higher than the crank shaft inside surface. A "normal" bearing puller won't work because it has nothing to grab onto.

jon928se

Ernest

When Paul (UKKid) and I did his clutch we lifted the pack into place then slid the pilot shaft into the pilot bearing which is just enough to roughly locate it. then you can slide the sleeve forward from the TT to hold it in place. Once that is done you can align it on the pins properly and wind a couple of bolts in.

The difficult part will be getting it up there and holding it while you put the pilot shaft into the bearing. This is when you need a second pair of hands or a jack to take the weight while the skilled pair of hands does the intial lining it up.

Regards

Jon
Black SE.