Throw out bearings...

[Banshee]

Can those who have replaced them, (or had them replaced), tell me about brands and issues. According to some the stock ones can be crap, (apparently there was a bad batch a while back), and some are better than others.

Mine has just lunched itself & every time I put my foot on the clutch, it is like opening a hellmouth under the car.

Also, at 155,000km, I'm thinking of doing the clutch at the same time, so that I don't need to do that as well in another 6 months or so. While I do most of the work on my car, I don't have the tools or knowledge to pull it apart to get to these bits, so labour will be a big cost and I want to minimise that, if I can.

Anything else that should be done at the same time? If I go to an aftermarket clutch, do I really need to replace the pressure plate as well? The flywheel can be machined if necessary, or just replace it along with the others?

[MightyMouse]

There seems to be no pattern on TOB brands...... its just seems to be luck, but the original MOPAR ones seemed to be the least reliable. The MOPAR line was that there was excess pressure on the TOB when engaged but when mine first went I got a BS story from the dealer that they shim the fork ...... this would actually increase the pressure rather than decrease it.... so I don't think they actually had a real solution - just the usual do the minimum and get rid of you.

If the clutch is basically sound then you could just replace the TOB

You can have the flywheel machined if required and obviously if the flywheel isn't good then the pressure plate will also be in trouble.

You could just replace the driven plate......

BUT I think that rather than doing the minimum its more sensible to do the lot if your putting the labor $ in to it... but that's just me.

Most kits I've used, come with the pressure plate, driven plate, TOB and a new spigot bearing so they are ready to use.

And a final word........ be careful with "heavy duty" clutches, mine is good EXCEPT when its hot and then it develops a very annoying shudder - to the point where i'm going to go back to a softer facing.

[Banshee]

At this point, I think the flywheel & pressure plate are ok, since the only failure was the TOB.

I've been considering the Centerforce kit that comes with clutch, pressure plate, TOB & alignment tool from Morris 4x4.

Someone mentioned replacing the slave cylinder as well, since they are prone to wearing out?

Alternatively, if it isn't worth the expense, I'll just get the standard 3rd party parts from Rockauto. After all, these days 99.9% of my driving is on road. I haven't gone offroad, (except for the <1km back track between where I live & my wife's house to get stuff kids have left behind this time ), in years...

And what damage might I be adding by driving it with a collapsed TOB? (It is my DD, although I don't need to drive it to work or the like. Just shuttling kids around & shopping.)

[Classic Boy]

Your throwout bearing maybe very dry of lube, sometimes you can buy yourself some time to plan its replacement by squirting some lube like spray moly or similar through a tube on the cans nozzle aimed directly at the bearing from any convent opening nearby. Some cars have a clutch cover that can be removed others it is impossible to get access without disassembly.
Don't go crazy with the lube spraying as you don't want it on the clutch as it may then slip, just lube the bearing.
Lastly it is false economy to re-use the old clutch parts as a major expense is the labor if you are paying a mechanic put replacement kit in and by using new parts you get the maximum miles out of it before it needs attention again. PBR and Exedy are known good clutch brands there are obviously others.

[MightyMouse]

Originally Posted by Classic Boy

sometimes you can buy yourself some time to plan its replacement by squirting some lube like spray moly or similar through a tube on the cans nozzle aimed directly at the bearing from any convent opening nearby.

Have a look at a NSG370 gearbox...... not possible.

[Banshee]

I'm thinking that I'll add, gearbox & transfer case fluids to the list of things to get done at the same time. Any other suggestions?

[Banshee]

Do I need to do the slave cylinder as well? Or can it be done as required without pulling the gearbox again?

I remember them being external to the gearbox on my other cars.