Clutch Removal Help

Daves_X

Daves_X

Contributing Member
Joined
27 March 2006
Messages
187
Location
Fort Worth Texas/ Pooler, Savannah Ga
Clutch Removal Help Update. See Last post..

Good Afternoon.
I am sure I will get allot of crap for this but I cant find any where in the DIY section on how to remove the clutch. There are allot of posts on how to put one in but I cant find the one on how to take it out. If there is a link out there that I might have missed can someone please post it for me.

Thank You for your time
 
Last edited:
a good place to start would be the service manual. a lot of people think that it's not that great, but it gives you a very good (general) idea of what's involved, and (most) of the steps.

i was going to do a write up on replacing the clutch (transmission removal and all), but both times i ended up getting too involved, just wanting to get it done.

just go to the manual transmission section of the service manual, and look at the removal procedure. once you get to the clutch, it's pretty straight forward, but there are a few tricks.

feel free to pm me if you have any specific questions - i just got done putting a new clutch in.... twice (first one i got was defective :mad: )

good luck - it's not too bad; just make sure you have all the right tools and don't separate the ball joints.
 
I noticed that your located in San Diego also. I'm not an experienced mechanic, but I'm interested in learning how to install a clutch on my NSX. I've done all my repairs on my NSX so far:
-Fuel Pump
-Coil Overs
-Valve Adjustment
-Clutch Master and Slave Cylinder
-Fuel Filter
-Throttle Body
-Exhaust and 02 sensors

If you need a extra pair of hands, please let me know. Where are you located?

Plus I have an corporate account set up at Kearny Mesa Acura to get 20% off all parts. Just let me know what parts you need and I can order it for you. If they don't have it in stock, most of the time they will have it shipped the next day.

Email me: [email protected]

Thanks,
-Ethan
 
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it definitely gets to be a 2-person job at times....

also, if you don't have one yet, buy a trans jack- i bought a cheap trans scissor jack through harbor freight (recommended by larry b), and it worked great. you shouldn't have trouble so long as you have something like that.
 
2 person job to pull the tranny. The tranny is kinda hefty and its easier coming out then going in. I have dont these many times by myself but its always a chore lifting it up and putting it back into the car.

we do it on the lift, it must be a horrable task to do it on the ground.

happy motoring.

if you have any questions. give me a call.
 
it's not so bad if you have a trans jack..... even laying on the ground

i think the hardest part is removing/installing the cv axles - THAT is def a 2 person job. (removed one by myself while laying on the ground, but decided it wasn't worth it for the other one and waited for help)

also, i had to remove/install the exhaust when all of the fasteners are corroded to the point that they are just one piece. that suck too :mad:

anyway, if you're patient, have the right tools, and a little bit of help (and time).... you'll be fine.
 
Ther are a few precautions for this:

1. NEVER SEPARATE THE BALL JOINTS, THE SERVICE MANUAL IS WRONG

2. Make sure you pull the clutch fork out, or the trans will not come out

HTH,
LarryB
 
Thank You all for your input. I have started to do the work and thanks to this web site and everyones write ups it has made my life much easier. I havent got to the part about taking the ball joints off the car so I will make sure I dont do that part. I also am going to be getting some help from a prime member who has done all kinds of work on his car so that will help to. Thanks again for everyones input and if I have any more questions I will be writing asking for help.
 
the 91 manual tells you to use the special tools to separate the ball joints
instead, just remove the alignment bolts that go through the lower control arms (the ones that act as pivots).
this will save you the risk of damaging the ball joints, which, BTW, cannot be replaced individually - you'd have to either replace the control arm or the knuckle.

i'm battling this right now. i followed the manual, and one of my ball joint boots is now damaged (as a result of trying to separate it). problem is, i can't separate that joint, and my boot is all jacked up. my decision is to try another tool so that, if the control arm gets damaged or something, at least i won't have to replace the control arm AND the knuckle (where the LCA ball joint is) later. what really gets to me, is that i could've avoided the whole thing :mad:
oh well, live and learn :redface:
 
I'm dreading this as I have to replace my clutch as soon as I have the money to buy a new one. If anyone is in the wichita kansas area and has done this before I'd love some company! I'll supply the beer and BBQ
 
its easier to do the alignment bolts.

there is a very easy trick to getting the ball joints loose. some dude showed it to me a while back and he learned it from an old school mechanic.

You take a hammer, has to have some nice weight to it and you take a full swing at where the ball join goes into the lower A arm.

If you crack it right on the A arm where the ball joint goes into it, the shock will brake all the rust, dirt and oil free and your lower ball joint will literally pop out by itself. its really awesome. :tongue:

usually takes one good strike. nothing more.
 
RON98 said:
its easier to do the alignment bolts.

there is a very easy trick to getting the ball joints loose. some dude showed it to me a while back and he learned it from an old school mechanic.

You take a hammer, has to have some nice weight to it and you take a full swing at where the ball join goes into the lower A arm.

If you crack it right on the A arm where the ball joint goes into it, the shock will brake all the rust, dirt and oil free and your lower ball joint will literally pop out by itself. its really awesome. :tongue:

usually takes one good strike. nothing more.
Click to expand...

I would not recommend this on $1000+ aluminum a-arms and rear knuckles:). Works great for steel, have used the trick many times. Also the a-arms have inserts pressed in for the ball joint studs, and to complicate this even further, there is no room the swing a large hammer since the brake shield is in the way.

DO NOT separate them, period. There is a service bulletin that corrects the service manual procedure for removal of the trans.

HTH,
LarryB
 
yeah, i've used that trick on some other cars, but i'm going to keep it that way hehe. def don't want to hit the aluminum like that.

i'm just going to use a ball joint separator (of correct size), and hope for the best :redface:
 
Ok I am getting confused. Larry said not to take them apart and other people are saying to take it apart. I am not crazy rich or anything like that. I can’t afford to be wasting money. So please if you are not sure of what should be done please try to go with what everyone else is saying. I am not trying to be an A-Hole so please dont take it that way.
 
Like Larry B said: Don't take the suspension apart at the ball joints.

It will all come apart at the bolt on attachments of the suspension. Just did it. Not too tough. Myron (SennaF1) and I did his clutch a few weeks ago. 5 hours to have the clutch sitting on my work bench, 10 hours to complete the reinstall. I am sure that's not up to Larry B's shop standard, but we learned as we went. Next time it will be faster.

Be sure to mark the excentric adjusters on the rear of the lower wish bones. (Toe in /out adjustment) This will save you the cost of having to re-aligned the rear wheels.

Note: Measure the distance from the center of the wheel to the edge of the fender with the car sitting on the ground. You will need this measurement to reset the suspension when you put it back together. Some of the elastimeric bushings should be set at "zero pre-load". That allows them to retain a positive and negative reflex action as the weight of the car is loaded and unloaded on the suspension. It will also extend the life of the bushing.

If you have a boot torn on a ball joint do the following:

1. Is the ball joint worn out?

Yes, use the correct tool to remove and replace the ball joint.

No, clean the boot well with a cleaner that will remove any oil residue, don't get it inside the boot. Get some silk thread, a curved needle and some weather strip adheasive. Stitch up the tear, clean again, coat with the weather strip adheasive, use a needle grease fitting to lube the joint.
Reinstall the part. Check the boot each time you do an oil change.

Sorry to be so windy.

Brad
 
Brad,

No reason to be sorry. You are letting me know how to correct a deficiency if I should come across it. I appreciate the input on this topic. I am farther ahead now because of people on this website than I would have been if I was trying to just go by the manual. Thanks again.
 
vsy05 said:
I noticed that your located in San Diego also. I'm not an experienced mechanic, but I'm interested in learning how to install a clutch on my NSX. I've done all my repairs on my NSX so far:
-Fuel Pump
-Coil Overs
-Valve Adjustment
-Clutch Master and Slave Cylinder
-Fuel Filter
-Throttle Body
-Exhaust and 02 sensors

If you need a extra pair of hands, please let me know. Where are you located?

Plus I have an corporate account set up at Kearny Mesa Acura to get 20% off all parts. Just let me know what parts you need and I can order it for you. If they don't have it in stock, most of the time they will have it shipped the next day.

Email me: [email protected]

Thanks,
-Ethan
Click to expand...
You don't claim to be a mechanic but you adjusted your own valves!!! Well I'm impressed.
 
DO NOT SEPARATE THEM (you don't need to.... and you should never unless you absolutely need to)

the rest.... it's just a matter of taking your time. it's not really difficult, but there are tricks.
 
Its all good. I read some of the posts some times and its goes from work to personal back to work and stuff and it just makes it hard to follow and figure out what is being done. I am trying to start a thread that can be used by someone some day to help them if they ever have the same question as I did. Nothing personal against you or anyone else on the website.
 
Clutch Removal Help Update

I got the motor out of the car and Awhile back I was told that I needed to get new pistons and what not for a missfiring #2 Cylnider. Well I got the whole motor apart and there is nothing wrong with my pistons. So that saves me a butt load of money. I am going to do the clutch tomorrow and I should be up and running in two weeks :smile: . I am told that with the motor out the clutch change should be a piece of cake. I just dropped the motor with the suspension still attached. This way I am not messing anything up. So far so good.
 

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