Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I just spent the last couple of days swapping out my clutch and noticed a few little things as I did it. Before I changed my clutch it was nearly impossible to push the pedal in by hand, after you can do it with a little finger.

* If you have shifting problems, have a look at the input selector (the section under the carpet where the gear lever goes in). In my Feroza it was always a bit scratchy to shift, especially when cold and I discovered the source of the problem when I removed the gearbox. The ball and socket where the gear lever pivots was gummed with dirt and old grease, as well as having near no lubrication. A quick clean with shellite and a generous application of MP grease and it is soooo smooth. i also made sure to put the grommets on properly as this want done previouly, this might keep more dirt out for a bit longer.

* If your clutch is heavy to disengage like mine was, it could be a couple of things. It is worth disconnecting the clutch cable at the top grommet in the firewall and spraying WD40 or silicone into the cable inner until it runs out the bottom and checking it slides by hand. Again, mine would not move at first, this probably had to do with the amount of dirt that ran out with the lube. When I had done this it was so much lighter to engage, disengage.

* The other reason my clutch was heavy was that the thrust bearing was rooted, but the only way to replace this is to remove the whole gearbox so wait for that untill you need to do the clutch. While you're there make sure to get the swingarm and bearing carrier spotless, this makes it nice and smooth.

* If you are thinking about doing your clutch do it soon, Chatswood Daihatsu put the price of a clutch up $100 last week, they wouldn't even do it for the price they quoted a week earlier of $249. I got it from Daicare for $250.

The last best piece of advice I would give anyone is get a compressor and a rattle gun. This is the first major job I have undertaken since getting the rattle gun a couple of years ago, it wiped so much time off the job it just isnt funny. I had the box out on thursady night in under three hours, by myself, not to mention the amount of effort you save. Jobs like removing the flywheel are a breeze, you dont even need to hold it.

I took some pics of the old and new clutch but havent got them with me at the moment. Ill stick them up later.

Thanks for posting that Croz.

So can you access the shift mechanism from inside through the floor, without removing the gearbox, to check/ clean the selector?

Yeah you can get to the shifter from inside, you just have to pop out the seats and remove the centre console, four bolts each. Then pull the carpet up and remove the gear boot, then undo the shifter input, its just underneath. You dont remove the actual socket joint, just look where the gear lever goes into the joint and there is a cir clip in there, remove that and you have all the access you need.

I flushed mine with shellite to remove the crap and once the shellite had evaporated just vacuumed out the dirt.

The transfer selector is in a bit of a harder place to get to but you can do it. I took mine out when i got the car out.

Below are the pics i took.

more pics

The transfer input is lubricated by the oil in the trans case, the gearbox input is remote to the box so it needs to be lubed.

Top stuff Croz!

Is there any tricks about replacing the thrust bearing?
My clutch was replaced in Novemeber 2004 but im betting they didnt do the thrust bearing as well because it started making noises this morning.
Will i need to buy anything else? gaskets? springs? etc..

Did your clutch kit come with the bearing?

No, the thrust bearing is a simple fitment and comes standard in the clutch kit. It's usually a given that the thrust bearing gets done witha clutch... its part of it. To do it you need to remove the gearbox, but I didnt replace any gaskets or oil seals, I am of the opinion that if its ok dont fix it till it leaks.

Is your bearing audible all the time or only when you put the clutch in? It could be the spigot bearing that wasnt replaced, this is a more common scenario. Its fine until you replace the clutch and machine the flywheel the the different weight causes a different wear pattern and the noises begin.

Looking at the receipt i got with the car they replaced clutch and machined the flywheel 5/10/04 so im hoping they did the thrust bearing as well.

The noise i hear is a scraping type noise when the clutch pedal is pushed in, even slightly. I can feel the scraping/vibrations through the pedal as well.
It only became apparent this morning and i only drive the car about 7mins to work and 7mins home so it doesnt get a chance to heat up at all.. (not sure if that matters)

From doing some reading they say

Noise when clutch pedal lightly depressed:
Clutch throwout bearing failing (replace).
Noise when clutch pedal fully depressed:
Failed spigot bearing for gearbox input shaft in flywheel.

So if I get a noise when the clutch pedal is slightly depressed AND fully depressed??
I'll have a good listen when i go to work tmrw morning but im sure i get noises all the time except when the pedal is out completely.

What about the spigot bearing? That should always be changed whenever doing a clutch change. Its a PITA when it goes just after its all back together again. Complete pull apart for a $10 part.

after a bit more research this makes sense

"On applications where the release bearing is in light contact with the clutch fingers all the time, the bearing may be noisy all the time or only when pressure against it increases. "

I had a good listen this morning and it makes noise all the time but its defineatly louder when the clutch pedal is depressed.
I think i will just replace the spigot and the throwout bearing while im at it.