New and about to replace Clutch

Hello all. I am new to CJ's and just picked up a 69 CJ with the 225 v6 and 3 speed. It needs a Clutch and I am planning to do it. Any hints or help with directions on this would be greatly appreciated. Also how common is it to re surface the flywheel? Should I have it done or is their someway I can do resurfacing. Again, I appreciate any and all help. I look forward to enjoying this site.

 

If it needs a clutch you should have the flywheel surfaced and you should replace the pilot bearing/bushing in the end of the crankshaft as well. To remove the old pilot, find a bolt that just fits in the hole, pack the pilot with grease then drive the bolt into the hole. The pressure will push pout the pilot. I like to make studs out of bolts to put in the bellhousing to help align the tranny when you put it back in. Get a couple of bolts that are the same size as the tranny to bell bolts and cut the heads off. Use bolts that will have 2 - 3" of un-threaded shank. I like to use one in a top hole and one in a bottom, diagonally. When you are ready to put the tranny back in they will help you line it up and keep it in place. I file two flta spots on the ends of the studs that fit a wrench in case they are hard to un-screw when you have the tranny in. If you are going to remove the t-case from the tranny you can use the same procedure with studs to help you re-mount the tranny, just smaller size bolts. Here's a pic of the studs screwed into the adapter on the back of my tranny, about to re-install the t-case to it. I use three for the t-case.





Be sure to post up questions as there are a lot of people on this site that have done this and there's a wealth of info available here. Have fun doing it. Oh, and be absolutely sure you have the clutch facing the correct way when you put it in. That's the most common screw up for 1st time clutch replacements.

 

Don't start the job without a spline clutch disc alignment tool. A scrap main drive gear from a t-14 (I'm assuming it's a t-14 trans you have) will work perfectly, but there are generic tools that probably work -- I've never tried using one of those. However, if your clutch disc was not aligned with one of those tools when assembling the pressure plate/disc on to the flywheel, et al, the chances of a successful assembly/alignment of the engine-transmission are near zero. If you don't know what I am referring to, post a question on this thread and either I or someone else on the site will explain what that part of the process involves. It is a critical alignment, and one of the easiest things you will ever do.

a machine shop will re-surface the flywheel for you for around 30 bucks. You don't have the tooling to do it properly. If you take it to them in the morning generally they will be done with it in the afternoon.

Test fit the new clutch disc on to your main drive gear in your transmission. I've seen them not fit on to the shaft and if the disc wasn't made properly it is better to find it out before you are trying to get it assembled.

The above tip by another member on alignment tooling made out of screws sounds like very good advice -- I've never used it, but I'm sure it could help a lot.

Once I get the disc test fit on to the MDG of the transmission, I take some yellow paint and dab some paint on the tops of two of the splines next to each other on the MDG. Then I dab some paint on the hub of the disc just above the tang between the two splines I previously painted. That way I can fine tune the alignment of the disc and splines when jostling the trans/engine into position. Now, I do this on the f-134, but I'd imagine that something similar to that could be done to the V6.

I pull the engine to replace a clutch; I've replaced clutches by removing the trans, but for the (f-134 app again) CJ's that I put together I'd rather pull the engine -- it is easier for me since I always work alone. That also gives me a nice chance to replace the rear main seal if it is leaking.

Replacing the clutch may sound daunting, but it isn't all that hard-- and mostly common sense, and when you are done you will have accomplished something that many people would be afraid to even think about tackling.

Lastly, keep your body parts away from between the trans and engine when re-assembling. If you need to stick something in there -- make it a screwdriver. When the MDG on the trans and the clutch disc finally engage they will engage quickly and without mercy. Don't have a digit from your hand in their way -- the engine/trans doesn't care what is between them -- they'll just crush it.
good luck

kamel

 

Great advice on the studs for reassembly, I will give that a try. Im thinking it may be easier for me to pull the engine. I was hoping to just get her running to enjoy for a couple months because I know I probably will start pulling EVERYTHING apart at some point, lol. I will try to figure out a way to post pictures at some point here. Thanks again.

 

Hi Spartan,
I can tell you from personal experience it is easier to pull the transmission and transfer case with bell housing attached than it is to pull the engine out of the engine bay.
What causes the problem is the Ross steering box, that gets in the way of the flange at the back of the block.

Go to Harbor Freight, get one of their transmission jacks. You don't need the biggest one, the next model down works fine. 800 Lb. Low Lift Transmission Jack item#3185

I'm not trying to shill for HF, but I use one of these and it handles the weight of the bell housing, T14, D18 and Warn OD combination just fine. Get the jeep up on jackstands first, and this jack will hold all your gear train, and safely lower it down enough to roll out from under your Jeep. It also makes easy the job of re-installing the gear train combination after you put in the new clutch. These jacks will also handle the weight of a 4-speed like an SM465 with all the other stuff still attached. An SM465 with transfer case, OD and bell housing is probably close to 400 lbs.

Keeping the transmission and transfer case assembled and handling them as one unit allows you to avoid draining and refilling the gear lube. The transfer case shares gear lube with the transmission, and as soon as you separate the two you have a mess if you haven't drained the oil first. If you have never changed out the gear lube though, I would recommend doing this when you have the gear train out from under the Jeep.

You will need to remove the bell housing to replace the clutch release bearing. You will note when re-assembling the bell housing to the transmission that the release bearing stays trapped onto the clutch release arm. This is a lot easier than trying to hold up the transmission and stab it into place in the bell housing without dislodging the clutch release bearing from the clip on the release arm.

Remember to support the rear of the engine, your engine mounts will twist and break if you don't after removing the transmission. Work safe, there is a lot of weight involved here. The right tools (like this transmission jack) make the job easy for one man working by himself. However, if you can, make sure someone else knows you are under there if you can't get a helper to participate.

Don

 

I agree that it's better to leave the bell housing attached to the tranny. I've r&r'd a lot of trannys, but only recently did it with the bell attached and I think it was a better way to go. I still used the homemade studs to align the bell to the engine. Where the studs really shine is if you have to r&r the t-case. The t-case is light enough to be able to heave it up into place, but to heavy to hold there while you put in a bolt or two. With the studs you just heave it up into place and the studs will hold it while you thread in the bolts.

 

I agree with others about leaving bell housing on trans and install as a unit .and I also use aligning studs . what I haven't heard was to remove all floor covers and the top of transmission . and its up to you whether , you take transfer case off to do job . unless you have proper jack . transfer case will make unit twist to right. above all be safe

 

Good stuff guys, I appreciate it. I will update you.

 

Well I think nobody mentioned the part about the floor covers and the shifter top because those are obvious steps none of us thought about mentioning.
Yes, the unit assembly will be unbalanced to the right. Be aware of that and strap it to the transmission jack so it can't roll off.
Yes, above all be safe. That's why I mentioned have someone else aware of where you are and what you are doing at least. I have been pinned under an automatic transmission on my chest for a while in my younger days, wasn't fun. At least it was an aluminum Powerglide, I eventually worked my way out from underneath it.

Don

 

speaking of safety and tranmissions/transfercases/overdrives not fitting on jacks very good.
I got a story for when I was younger, replaced the clutch in my 70 cj5 on a dirt parcking lot, with out jacking it up and with no transmission jack and no help. to be young again.
here is what I do now. Harbor freight cheep jack,
every thing is screwed together and was built after initial removal, while all cases were empty. I have used it 4 times in the last 4 months.
(got to fire the mechanic)



Forgot to mention... if you get this harbor freight jack, please note the angle iron added between the wheels.
The first time I used it one of the wheels bent the steel, partially because the weight is so uneven on the jack and
partially because the design is weak. Straightened the wheel mount back and had a piece of angle iron correctly
over sized for the repair.

 

I like that jack, Im going to have to procure one of them. My drive train is so much more dirty looking, it looks to be original 1969 stuff. I have been spraying PB Blaster on all the nuts etc to loosen them up, so far looks like I should be able to loosen everything fairly easy. Oh, I was checking on my Body mounts (kind of trashed) and began to loosen the bolts, snapped two of them. Guess I will start going into tear down mode. I was just looking for an excuse I think. I have new body mounts ordered now as well. I cant wait to throw a few days at the tear down. Hopefully soon. Ill keep you updated and hope to get pics.

 

Then there is this:









I like using the red straps because it allows you to get the right angle on the tranny to line up with everything. As always, be safe and don't put yourself directly underneath. I've used this same setup to pull the tranny, t-case and OD all at the same time, except I used chain instead of the straps because it's just too heavy of a load for the straps. I then used a strap to get the angle right.

 

Way cool. I had the floor opened up like that on my old 68 Bronco, great help. Is that a NP435 Trans?

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7369/9210888861_4e8318db77_m.jpg

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3814/9210889571_d7a524472f_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7405/9213662902_0f00e07edb_b.jpg

 

Well I copied the image location but you have to man click on the link to see it.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/98453447@N06/9215485737/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98453447@N06/9218246558/

 

you need to paste the image location into the photo box it looks like a picture with a frame around it in the editor

 

It's a Ford T18