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My 66 352fe 3 speed need a new clutch but I have never done one can anyone tell what I can expect and how hard of a job this is or is it as simple as pull trans remove clutch install new One reinstall trans adjust clutch and good to go
C'mon, you should know by now that nothing is simple when it comes to our slicks.
Seriously, now is the time to do everything associated with the drive train, IMO. I know some will simply replace clutch disk and slap everything back together. Not me. Inspect the flywheel and have it turned, if necessary. Inspect the ring gear teeth and replace if necessary. Inspect every part that you remove before putting it back together. When I do a clutch, I generally replace everything - u-joints, driveshaft hanger bearing (if there is one), and of course, throwout bearing, pressure plate and disk. Granted, it's been awhile since I've done one, and I've never done one on a slick, but I see it in the near future with my chattering clutch.
And that's what I mean by nothing is simple with these old trucks. Every time I go to fix something specific, I end up fixing a lot more. Ahh, the joy of it all.
Hollygreenman isn't that the truth when I put the lowering kit on thought it would be simple 4 weeks later and every suspension part later not to mention blood sweat and blood and tears so I figured I would have to replace everything to do with clutch while it was out don't make sense to do it twice.so it isn't that hard to do then
Not terribly hard to do, but...buy, rent or borrow a trans jack/cart thing. That sucker is heavy, and it makes the job SO much easier. I borrowed one and would buy one if I had to ever do it again.
The trans comes off the bellhousing first, which is a little different than what I'm used to doing mostly older imported cars. Then the bellhousing comes off, then the clutch. I had the flywheel surfaced. I think the one crossmember may have to come out but I may be confusing that with my Ranger. I don't think I had to jack the truck up at all to do the job.
Only issue I had was the new clutch and/or the surfaced flywheel caused the adjustment pin (that thing that looks like a pencil that goes into the release fork) to become too short. I had to cut and cobble a longer adjuster to make it all work but it's been fine since. This is a common problem and has been covered elsewhere on here.
if this is your first clutch job you my not know about a clutch line up pin. most are made of plastic and look like the end of the trans. shaft. take the clutch disk and place it on the pressure plate ( make sure the disk is facing the right way) put the line up shaft throw the forks on the pressure plate , throw the disk , then take the assemble and put the end of the line up pin in the pilot bearing, then bolt pressure plate to flywheel. then pull line up pin out and install trans. good luck
I agree, getting the bearing straight is the hard part, but once you are careful with that the rest is no harder than anything on these old beasts. I do agree, think about every part in there, and think of what you will have to take apart to replace them later vs now. When I did the clutch in my current truck. I had the flywheel resurfaced, and the ring gear replaced. The ring gear wasn't that bad, but $60 including installation was to cheap to pass up. I also power washed everything including the drive shaft, and then replaced the U Joints. Of course I replaced the Clutch Pressure plate and Throw out bearing. Better to replace them now while they are out than to have to pull it all apart again.