R32 Gtr Clutch Remove/install

[GTR747]

hey,

i used to be a mechanic so i have changed a few clutch's in my time, but none in a 4wd car.

I have a R32 GTR and want to know what sort of job it is changing the clutch yourself???

Got all the tools for the job like clutch aligner and sockets and all, but i have been quoted around $550 for a clutch remove/install with new rear main and flywheel machine.

I have a new rear main seal, ready to go in, and a bloke lined up to machine the flywheel, if i choose not to fit a alloy/chromalloy flywheel that is.

Anyone done this before?

Thank you.

[Duncan]

yeah, and its a bit of a pain but not too tricky if you know your way around a car. No real tricky things because its 4wd - you will have to remove the front drive shaft but thats just 4 bolts (and slave cylinder). leave the attessa line at the rear of the box in if you are leaving the box in the car.

top 2 bellhousing bolts and starter motor bolts are hard to get at but thats the main problem. if you drop the geabrox cross member completly the engine tilts back a fair way to get at them both. top bellhousing bolts easiest way is 4x 1" extensions along the top of the gearbox. starter motor bolts, a stubby 14mm is best.

[GTR747]

oh okay, sounds pretty straight forward. Top bellhousing bolts are always a pain to get to. Is the starter hard to get back into place on these engines?

Droppin the g'box cross member was always gonna happen, havin the engine lean back and drop a few inches would make life a lot easier for sure.

Thanks so much for your help man.

[Duncan]

no not particularly hard to get the starter back in, and you can sort of leave it up there on the chasis rail. its the top bolt for the starter motor in particular that is in a tricky spot. but there's no real tricky troubles

[GTR747]

cool cool, sounds like this is gonna be fun

Apparently, because its a pull type clutch, the selector fork need to come out before i lower the box? Is that hard to get out or is it pretty obvious when i look at it?

[Duncan]

no its a pull clutch unless it is a later model. If it is late model and push type, yes you need to remove the selector fork and its a bit of a pain.

When you say "lowe the box" if you are intending to move it out of the car or even a fair way from normal location you will need to remove the attessa hose at the rear of the box - if so you will need to refill and bleed the attessa, resoviour is in the right rear of the boot

[GTR747]

ah okay then. I was just gonna sit the box on the ground straight down from the original position, abuot 1 foot away or so. If i have to move it further, bleeding the ATTESA system - what does that involve - where are the bleed nipples etc etc.

[Duncan]

bleeding attessa is simple enough, just better if you don't have to. rear of car on stands, out of gear, engine running, fliuid in the resoviour - there is a bleed nipple at the rear of the gearbox above where the line goes into the box. crack that nipple and the pump bleeds itself. If you still have air bubble trouble there is another nipple hidden above the rear drive shaft, but 9 times out of 10 I don't need to touch that.

[tacker]

Just done this myself and put new clutch and aluminium flywheel in. Most of the work you can do yourself and the clutch fork is not to bad, pull the R clip and push the pin down with a screw driver. You will need 2 of you to wrestle the box back about 5 inches which is enough to get the clutch out and remove the flywheel. Also easier to undo and tighten the flywheel bolts with 2 blokes.

I do suggest if you can to leave the box on some jacks and leave it close to the orginal position if you dont have any work to do on it.

Again 2 bloke to push it back into position makes it a little easier, also install the clutch fork with the new thrust bearing connected to the fork back into position before you start to push the gearbox back. It will push itself into the correct postion the first time you push the clutch pedal in, all in all about 5 hours work.

[MrStabby]

yeah, and its a bit of a pain but not too tricky if you know your way around a car. No real tricky things because its 4wd - you will have to remove the front drive shaft but thats just 4 bolts (and slave cylinder).

I couldnt fit a normal ring spanner or socket on those drive shaft bolt heads - might be worth getting some thin walled sockets before you start.

top bellhousing bolts easiest way is 4x 1" extensions along the top of the gearbox.

I used 2 x 500mm extensions, with a universal joint at the bolt end. I wrapped some electrical tape on the joint so it didnt flop around too much. Also get someone with skinny arms to help ;-)

[Dan_J]

500? ......... dam

nothing to special to changing on a gtst, the extra step is just removing the front drive shaft, and theres the hassle of the extra weight of the rb26 box tho,

[ido09s]

if your a mechanic you will have no problems at all doing it. Use a stumpy 14mm ratchet spanner on the top starter motor bolt and some rope to crack it loose, works every time when the box is hanging you should be able to run your hand along the top of the box, from the rear to the front, and undo the bolt with the tips of your fingers.

dont stress about the tranfer case hose, some vice grips and a thick rag and clamp it off. To be honest i have never had to bleed one and i have done about 40 0f these clutches. Never had a problem with the 4WD system not working after the clutch was changed.

If you have a trans jack it should only take you about 2 hours to change it over.

[noone]

2 Hours using a hoist or on jack stands figured it would be a bitch unless using a hoist

[GTR747]

Thanks for all your help guys, i'll be givin it a go myself maybe today, if not deffinatly tomorrow. Got no stubby spanners but i have got ratchet spanners and other little misc items, i should be able to figure somthin out.

Just how heavy are these boxes. When i worked at ford, i found the manual g\boxes so much lighter than the auto because it didnt have the torque converter with all that oil in it adding to the weight.

Surely they aren't that heavy???

[tacker]

Be scared they are that heavy

[GTR747]

Be scared they are that heavy

dammit

[ido09s]

Be scared they are that heavy

second that. Unless you can bench press about 400 pounds i would not go near lifting one of thses suckers out!!!!

[GTR747]

second that. Unless you can bench press about 400 pounds i would not go near lifting one of thses suckers out!!!!

dammit i can only do 399lbs......

i was thinking a mate holding some rope wrapped around the box running up through where the gearstick is...meh, i'll figure somthin out.

If i dont post back, send help, i have been crushed !

[Duncan]

rofl will do

easy enough to lift back in with a jack

[GTR747]

yeah, thats what i was thinking. Now i gotta get motivated to do it.