Topic: My thoughts about my Spec Stage 3+ clutch install

[rlhammon]

I've never done a clutch before but I am mechanically competent. Do you think there is any reason why I couldn't do this myself... I can have it on jack stands as long as I need so I can take my time.

No reason you can't.  There are only a few hard parts, IMO.

1) The bolt behind/under the starter bracket.  Talk to DDM, they have done it from the top... but I couldn't get to the bolt there.  From the underside you can do it, but it's a lot of patience, universal joints, and extenders.

2) Weight... the tranny isn't light, so this is not a one man job

3) Then only special tool you need is for the clutch bolts.  They are torque to yield, so you torque them + an angle turn after that.  My buddy had one of these, but I checked with a local autoparts shop and I could have borrowed theirs on their "free loaner tool" program (pay a deposit and full refund on return of unbroken tool)

There is a *lot* of the underside of the car to take apart, but you can get everything off on your own without issue until you go to drop the tranny.  I did not remove the half shafts from the differential either time I did this, but after having replaced my differential this year, and seeing how easy it was to do... I'd pull the axles as it makes everything easier.  Also, I'd suggest pulling the lower control arm if you can't pop the joints in the upright (mine never seem to want to come apart) when you do the axle removal.  Having the axles out makes putting the differential, and torque beam, and associated bits back in line so much easier.  The differential was swapped, and installed in 10 mins once we have the broken one out and we struggled for over an hour to get it lined up on the tranny install with the axles still in place.

I've become more of a fan of removing extra parts to make things easy... but then again my car has never seen winter snow here in Michigan, and I take my car apart every winter... nothing is tough to remove on my car anymore, because nothing stays on it more than 8 months or so it seems.

[Brazen17]

No reason you can't.  There are only a few hard parts, IMO.

1) The bolt behind/under the starter bracket.  Talk to DDM, they have done it from the top... but I couldn't get to the bolt there.  From the underside you can do it, but it's a lot of patience, universal joints, and extenders.

2) Weight... the tranny isn't light, so this is not a one man job

3) Then only special tool you need is for the clutch bolts.  They are torque to yield, so you torque them + an angle turn after that.  My buddy had one of these, but I checked with a local autoparts shop and I could have borrowed theirs on their "free loaner tool" program (pay a deposit and full refund on return of unbroken tool)

There is a *lot* of the underside of the car to take apart, but you can get everything off on your own without issue until you go to drop the tranny.  I did not remove the half shafts from the differential either time I did this, but after having replaced my differential this year, and seeing how easy it was to do... I'd pull the axles as it makes everything easier.  Also, I'd suggest pulling the lower control arm if you can't pop the joints in the upright (mine never seem to want to come apart) when you do the axle removal.  Having the axles out makes putting the differential, and torque beam, and associated bits back in line so much easier.  The differential was swapped, and installed in 10 mins once we have the broken one out and we struggled for over an hour to get it lined up on the tranny install with the axles still in place.

I've become more of a fan of removing extra parts to make things easy... but then again my car has never seen winter snow here in Michigan, and I take my car apart every winter... nothing is tough to remove on my car anymore, because nothing stays on it more than 8 months or so it seems.

Thanks for the tips! I don't drive in the snow either and rarely in the rain. I will have to give this some serious thought. Thanks again.

[Critterman]

Is there an auto hobby shop on base?  As a dependend you can use it.  Lift and tools, make the job a lot easier.  While you have the tranny out change the lube in it.

[Brazen17]

Is there an auto hobby shop on base?  As a dependend you can use it.  Lift and tools, make the job a lot easier.  While you have the tranny out change the lube in it.

Yes there is. And I am a superdependent! - both retired and a dependent! (wife still active duty). Sadly some things I get are better as a dependent (namely medical).

And wouldn't you know it - I just had the lube changed about 1,000 miles ago...