2000 TJ Clutch Replacement

kilby

kilby

Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2005
Location
Charlotte, NC
Release bearing is shot in my clutch. Shoot me straight...
Is this something that can be done in my driveway/garage? I've got fairly decent mechanical skills, and I've done a bunch of work to rigs over the years. However, the whole crack-the-tranny-and-motor idea kind of bums me out.

Plus, I'd be working largely by myself... with the exception of my 3 year old daughter milling around asking about tools until her bedtime.

Is it doable? For real.. what's the job REALLY like. And ... does the flywheel NEED to be resurfaced? Local shop says they can do it for $600 +/- and in a day.

So much other stuff has broken this week, I really don't have that cash. So if it's a royal PITA, I'd just as soon throw it on a credit card and forget it.
 
Short answer, yes, you can do it in your driveway with normal tools. A transmission jack or similar will make the job a LOT easier as will a couple of extra hands. Extra hands especially good to have at re-install. There is just so much stuff you have to take off to get to the TOB that it is a time consuming job. I just put a clutch/TOB in a Wrangler this week, if I can do it so can you :)
 
Dont you live right around the corner from me? I can help, give me a shout. 704 2six4 5356.
 
And in a pinch, I usually just hit the flywheel with a zizz wheel.
 
ive put a clutch ina ranger, if its anything like that youll use everyword in the english dictionary to describe how pissed ya are! but hell if it saves $600 then why not!

if ya need an extra set of hands PM me
 
better than a die grinder, is to use a random orbit sander (belt sander, DA sander, vibrator, whatever you got) to clean the flywheel up if its not too bad. I wouldn't use a die grinder, because you can get it uneven. It can be done by one person, but a trans jack would help immensely. a lot. i'd go ahead and replace the pressure plate and disc, since the throwout rides on the fingers. (sending pm too)
 
It can be done yourself, but plan on pullling the t-case off the transmission, and then be prepared for a fight to get the transmission back in. Back when I was good at it (too much practice), I could have it out in about an hour-thirty, and going back in was 2 hours or so (if it didn't fight too much). I think the first time was 4 hrs to get out, about 7-8hrs to get it back in.
 
If you plan on changing out the pilot bearing while you're in there (good idea to), there's a great trick that I may have learned here. You fill the entire bearing "hole" with grease. Take something that BARELY slips into the bearing and whack it with a hammer. Some people use a piece of dowel rod, I used a section of Explorer 8.8 sway bar ground down to fit. By hammering it in the hole filled with grease, the hydraulic pressure will pop the bearing right out.
 
Thanks for the input... I just don't have time to do this. Along with everything else I got going on right now, it's just too much since I gotta be able to drive this thing to work.

I'm gonna save my wrenching strength for a rear axle swap. :driver:
 
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