Could anyone help me with fitting a new clutch

[Neil-Serenade]

Morning all, i know this is probably a bit of a long shot but cant blame a guy for trying. As the title suggests, just wondering if there is anyone who lives near Bristol who would be willing to help me fit a new clutch to my Escort MK6. I would try myself but i dont have a clue about mechanics even though i have got a Haynes manual and its not really one of those things which can be easily fixed if wrongly done so not willing to take the chance. Im more than willing to get my hands dirty and although i dont know what to do, im very handy with a teabag and some hot water. Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks for looking

[Dan87]

It's not as hard as you think to do pal the only thing you might struggle with is the rear gearbox mount can be a bit tricky, if your going to attempt it yourself just make sure you consider how it all goes together and make sure you support the engine once the gearbox mounts are removed, but if your mechanical competence is minor I'd suggest just paying a garage to do it, although it's more costly at least you know it'd be done right

[stEVO-Cabby]

Dan's right it's not too hard of a job but there is a lot of the underside of the car that needs taking off.

1. Make sure the car is off the floor on both sides at the front (axle stands)

2. Remove both front brake - brake discs & bottom of suspension legs.

3. Remove gearbox mountings.

4. Support engine with another jack.

5. Remove all bell housing bolts.

6. Remove gearbox.

(Then the easy bit)

7. Replace the clutch plates and release bearings.

8. Then the reverse of all of the above to put it all back together again.

9. Fill your gearbox with 3 litres of gear oil.

 

I have lots of lovely pictures of me doing mine but unfortunately they are all too big and won't upload. If i get time i will reduce them so i can put them on - but basically you need to take the gearbox out and back in. The easy bit is fitting the clutch - it's all the taking off and putting back on again that takes the time.

It should take around a day for a none mechanic (like me) to do but getting the gearbox off the engine can be tricky as well because the gearbox needs to be twisted to come off.

 

If you try it then good luck and it is worth it because my clutch only cost me £75 - but if your not sure unfortunately it's a pay through the nose garage bill that could cost you upwards of £300 - £500

 

Good luck and if i wasn't 100's of miles away i would give you a hand.

Edited September 18, 2011 by stEVO-Cabby

[demented]

stEVO... Is it necessary to remove both front brakes and disc ?

 

 

 

I've recently replaced the clutch on my Escort and I only separated the lower ball joints to remove the drive shafts.

 

I removed both drive shafts completely rather than tie up.

 

 

And rather than remove the inner CV joints/drive shafts from the gearbox and risk oil spillage, I separated the inner CV joint via the rubber boot and left the splined shafts in the gearbox.

 

 

I also removed one bolt from passenger side wishbone so I was able to pulled the wishbone forward slightly and gain access to a gearbox rear mounting bolt.

 

 

I actually suspend the gearbox via a rope tied to a length of wood resting across the passenger suspension turret and the slam panel. This enabled the gearbox, once separated from the engine to be moved over to the passenger side without dropping it to the floor.

 

Prior to separating, I had to lower the engine and box to angle to do this but, no more than normal.

 

I supported the engine via the sump with 2 short lengths of wood to spread the load.

 

By suspending the gearbox, I found it far easier to reassemble.

 

 

There is more than enough room to access the clutch while the gearbox is suspended and it can easily be rotated to gain access to the thrust bearing.

 

 

 

However, to the OP, if you are not mechanically minded and have never changed a clutch before, as stEVO said, it would take best part of a day or maybe two.

 

If you suspend the gearbox like I have suggested, at least you can reassemble by yourself, otherwise should you drop the gearbox to the floor, you may need assistance to lift and guide the gearbox into position during reassembly.

 

The Haynes Manual makes changing the clutch seem far more complicated than it really is. As other members have said, it is relativity easy.

 

A garage may quote £200 but once dismantled, they could claim you need a new flywheel or the wheel hub was seized which may double the cost.

[Dan87]

When I did mine I removed;

 

1. Remove both front wheels

2. Split track rod ends from hub with a ball joint separator

3. Undo both Hub nuts

4. Remove calipers and carriers just for ease of moving the hub aroun when removing driveshafts

5. Split bottom ball joint on lower arm - hub

6. Drop gearbox oil

7. Remove driveshafts an plug holes up with rags

8. Support engine with a transmission jack

9. Remove clutch cable, speedo cable and other wires attached to the gearbox aswell as removing gear linkage

10. Remove all bell housing bolts and starter motor

11. Remove front gearbox mount an rear gearbox mount

12. Twist gearbox anti-clockwise and lift over rear threaded gearbox mount

13. Remove gearbox

14. Remove clutch

15. Fit new release bearing into gearbox after cleaning inside of bell housing

16. Using a clutch alignment tool fit new clutch and tighten up nuts in a star pattern so it tightens evenly

17. Fit gearbox

18. Reverse all points from 12 back to 1.

 

Hope this helps

[stEVO-Cabby]

Dan's right it's not too hard of a job but there is a lot of the underside of the car that needs taking off.

1. Make sure the car is off the floor on both sides at the front (axle stands)

2. Remove both front brake - brake discs & bottom of suspension legs.

3. Remove gearbox mountings.

4. Support engine with another jack.

5. Remove all bell housing bolts.

6. Remove gearbox.

(Then the easy bit)

7. Replace the clutch plates and release bearings.

8. Then the reverse of all of the above to put it all back together again.

9. Fill your gearbox with 3 litres of gear oil.

 

I have lots of lovely pictures of me doing mine but unfortunately they are all too big and won't upload. If i get time i will reduce them so i can put them on - but basically you need to take the gearbox out and back in. The easy bit is fitting the clutch - it's all the taking off and putting back on again that takes the time.

It should take around a day for a none mechanic (like me) to do but getting the gearbox off the engine can be tricky as well because the gearbox needs to be twisted to come off.

 

If you try it then good luck and it is worth it because my clutch only cost me £75 - but if your not sure unfortunately it's a pay through the nose garage bill that could cost you upwards of £300 - £500

 

Good luck and if i wasn't 100's of miles away i would give you a hand.

 

I managed to reduce the size of my pictures of when i did the clutch. It's not a full end to end of how you do it but will give an idea of what's involved.

 

1. Take the wheels off

http://www.evo-host.co.uk/getimg/28022.jpg

 

2. Drop the drive shafts and bottom suspension leg / ball joint like this on both sides and pull the drive shafts out of the gearbox.

http://www.evo-host.co.uk/getimg/28023.jpg

 

and this

http://www.evo-host.co.uk/getimg/28025.jpg

 

3. Take all the air intake etc from the top of the engine off to see the gearbox.

http://www.evo-host.co.uk/getimg/28026.jpg

 

4. Strap the gearbox to the cross member (I found this worked but is your choice) so the gearbox can be moved about without dropping too much.

http://www.evo-host.co.uk/getimg/28028.jpg

 

5. Put some jacks under the engine and gearbox (again to support)

http://www.evo-host.co.uk/getimg/28029.jpg

 

6. With the gearbox off you can change the clutch and its literally 10 bolts and it's off - then you can bolt your new one on making sure it's straight.

http://www.evo-host.co.uk/getimg/28030.jpg

 

Another old clutch picture

http://www.evo-host.co.uk/getimg/28031.jpg

 

7. Change the release bearing as well if you have a bought a three piece clutch kit.

http://www.evo-host.co.uk/getimg/28032.jpg

 

8. Old clutch out of the engine.

http://www.evo-host.co.uk/getimg/28033.jpg

 

 

Like i say it's not a step by step but that's just about what's involved

[JC]

Nice write up Steveo

[bhp soothes me]

how easy is it to remove the steering knuckle from the suspension strut? Does it take some whacking?

[stEVO-Cabby]

how easy is it to remove the steering knuckle from the suspension strut? Does it take some whacking?

 

No it came straight off on both sides with a little tap. There's a bolt at the back and the knuckle sits in it and as soon as the bolt was out a tap was all that was needed

The hardest part was pulling the drive shafts out of the gearbox and twisting the gearbox to get it off.

[shawdreamer]

Havnt mashed my way through all responses but.... just a couple of pointers for this write up.

 

1. you dont have to remove the carrier from the suspension strut, loosening the three 13mm locking nuts that secure the strut at the top will give you more than enough movement in the strut to withdraw the shaft from the box (passenger side can be slightly less simple than drivers due to shaft length).

 

2. you should never allow the cv joint take the entire weight of the carrier as shown in your pic, it'll stretch the gaitor or even damage it enough to make replacement necessary at a later date (and to fit a proper one means all the same shite has to come off again and is just a pain in the ring piece).

 

3. you should NEVER dangle the caliper on its own brake line as shown in your pic.... if you didnt suffer a leak later on, you were bloody lucky.

 

4. abs cables break away from their sensors real easy when pulled directly away (you'd have been better off unbolting it entirely so you could tuck it up out the way)

 

5. The rear mount is indeed the biggest shite stain to remove as you said and the two bolts fired directly into the GB bell housing through the steel stabilizer bar that inturn attachs to the mount should be dealt with first as any additional stress on them can make them near impossible to remove later (such as unbolting the rest of the box bolts first and leaving those two to last, holding the weight and twist of the box)

 

hth

[mar_k]

Havnt mashed my way through all responses but.... just a couple of pointers for this write up.

 

1. you dont have to remove the carrier from the suspension strut, loosening the three 13mm locking nuts that secure the strut at the top will give you more than enough movement in the strut to withdraw the shaft from the box (passenger side can be slightly less simple than drivers due to shaft length).

 

2. you should never allow the cv joint take the entire weight of the carrier as shown in your pic, it'll stretch the gaitor or even damage it enough to make replacement necessary at a later date (and to fit a proper one means all the same shite has to come off again and is just a pain in the ring piece).

 

3. you should NEVER dangle the caliper on its own brake line as shown in your pic.... if you didnt suffer a leak later on, you were bloody lucky.

 

4. abs cables break away from their sensors real easy when pulled directly away (you'd have been better off unbolting it entirely so you could tuck it up out the way)

 

5. The rear mount is indeed the biggest shite stain to remove as you said and the two bolts fired directly into the GB bell housing through the steel stabilizer bar that inturn attachs to the mount should be dealt with first as any additional stress on them can make them near impossible to remove later (such as unbolting the rest of the box bolts first and leaving those two to last, holding the weight and twist of the box)

 

hth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

you dont even need to loosen the 3 nuts ontop of the strut,

 

I only ever pop the lower arm ball joint out and pop out the track rod end, plenty of movement to pull the shaft out this way

 

where in bristol are you?

anywhere near brislington?

[Neil-Serenade]

Evening guys, wow i really appreciate all the input and opinons, very much appreciated. Im only about a 10-15 minute drive drom Brislington down the dual carriage way. Why you ask mate.

[demented]

I have replaced quite a few clutches into front wheel drive cars over the years, not so many on Escorts, however on all occasions, I have never needed to remove the brake calipers or disc.

 

Its not necessary to remove the entire front hub assembly either, although I have done so once in the past, complete with drive shaft but only because I could not remove the passenger side hub nut.

 

 

I prefer to remove both drive shafts from the vehicle, although the drive shafts can be tied up, especially the drivers side, although I have never done this myself.

 

I only ever split the lower ball joints to remover the drive shafts, this enables the entire strut, compete with disc, caliper and front hub assembly to be pulled outwards.

 

I don't think I even separate the track rod ends, as long as the steering is not locked, I'm certain there is more than enough movement to withdraw the drive shafts without undue stress on the CV joints or any other components.

 

As shawdreamer has already said, never dangle a calliper by the brake hose.

 

Doing so may or will eventually cause the brake hose to bulge at the points which have stretched and weakened.

 

A bulge within a brake hose is an MOT test fail or brake failure should the bulge burst, possible on both brake circuits if bulging has occurred as a result of a clutch replacement and dangling both calipers.

 

 

From past experience with other cars, I find stuffing rags into the differential when the drive shafts have been removed is never sufficient to prevent oil spillage, especially if the gearbox is lowered to the floor and or, requires manipulation during reassembly.

 

 

Once the lower ball joint has been separated, hub nut remove and drive shaft lose within the hub, I separate the inner CV joint by cutting the metal clamp from the boot and pulling the boot back, this will separate the inner CV joint, leaving the splined shafts of the inner CV joints to remain in the differential of the gearbox.

 

This prevents oil spills and also prevents the possibility of differential gears from dropping.

 

 

We all have are own way of doing things and I am not contradicting other members methods, however, I believe it is possible to replace the clutch without removing so many components.

[ganges]

Now I could be wrong here, but I get the distinct impression, this person is really asking if somebody can physically help him

[Neil-Serenade]

Correct mate, i know its a long shot and alot to ask but like i said, cant blame a guy for trying. Ive read everyones replies and i cant thank them enough but im still as clueless as i was before lol Im more than willing to get hands nice and dirty and learn along the way.