Should I put the clutch on the engine and try to get the trany over it or should I put the cluthc in the tranny and then put it al on at once? Which one is easier and less time consuming?

Hey this is kinda of subject, but I orderd mine from the same place as you, i also did 3 days shipping, how did that thing arive, who did they use to ship, just wonderin, mine should be here thursday

Mine should be here thursday also.

Can I get some peoples phone numbers that have installed aclutch already so that if I come accross any problems I can call and get an answer? Post them here or e-mail it to me or PM me.

THANKS!!!!!

I would bolt the new clutch up to the engine first, then slide the tranny spline shaft into the clutch. This way, you have much more room to work with when attaching the clutch to the flexplate. If you put the clutch on the tranny first, after you got the tranny back up to the motor, you will have to get under the car and rotate the flexplate to get the clutch bolted back up to it. If you put the clutch on the motor first, you will have much more room to work with when attaching the clutch to the flexplate. When we were putting Matt_95tgs's motor back in his car, we put the motor back in with the clutch already bolted on the flexplate, and slid the motor sideways to get it back onto the tranny input spline. Thats the easiest way IMO, but you will be doing what we did just with the tranny this time, not the motor..

So are you going to have to drop the tranny down out of the way to do this or is there enough clearance in there?

Yeah the tranny is coming out.

I dont know what to do. Ihear it is easier both ways. Seems like everyone has there own way of doing it. I need to be convinced.

LOL...Nice quote Matt.

I'm telling you it is a real pain in the ass to maneuver the tranny onto the clutch after its bolted to the flexplate... Its just hard to jab it in there at the right angle.... I tried for like an hour the first time I dropped the tranny... ever since, I have just slide the clutch unit onto the input shaft, then I get a few bolts started to hold the tranny and then I worry about bolting up the flexplate, which wont take over 20 minutes even if you have to try to get the pattern ligned up 3 or 4 times...

edit: btw, there is a metal cap on the clutch pack in the center, like a stopper, mine came loose one time, I think armonds did as well, so we both just popped the cap out so we dont have to worry about it.

Thanks Brad!! I love this board! You guys are very helpful.

Well Dave, i guess just try what you feel like :) I've personally never done it Brad's way, but if we can maneuver a 300+ pound engine block onto the tranny spline with the clutch bolted to the flexplate, WITHOUT a cherry picker, just our hands, i wouldn't think it could be that much harder to move around the tranny..Of course, never done it that way, so I cant attest to that...Either way, you'll get it sooner or later..best way to learn is to go at it and see for yourself :thumbsup

i agree with brad, it just makes more sense + thats the way we did it. and my bro in law works at a junk yard parting cars all day long. bolt it to the flex plate first, unless you think it would be worth trying it the other way first, you can allways try right?

but we didn't have a problem when puttin it to the flex plate first.

btw that big socket, i believe it was 2 in. but i'm not certain, i had to buy it from the advanced because no one had one that size. it's also pretty deep.

btw, make sure u use the mopar clutch fluid. i din't know too and i used castrol, thats what the dorks at advanced said to use. so now when i get some cash and time (both hard to come by) i need to replace that fluid.

one more thing before you jack it up make sure to take off the nescessary stuff in the engine, lotsa stuff comes out and it's easier when the car is down.

have fun, it's a learning experience (but i probably couldn't do it by my self if i had to)



WTB----- Dodge Omni: condigion i don't care, clean title needed

mods:
star stage III clutch
gutted cat-cherry bomb-banzi muffler(thanks kris)
cai(thanks kris)
f/r upper tie bars
hotter NGK plugs
platnum plus window tint
all black interior
5 color indiglo gauges (thanks kyle)
stock RS rims painted black w/neon green calipers and drums (thanks kris)
altezas

stereo equipment:
old sony X'PLOD head unit
300 watt amp kit
120 watt sks power pro cheapo amp
12" kenwood wave in a custom wrapped box

future mods(in no particular order):
engine rebuild/2.4 swap
turbo.....
lower it
wheels
seats
exhaust
piant job
turbo wing
hood
body kit
neons all around
projectors
custom tail lights
better stereo equipment

Well so far Brad and (mike)rpmtalon have told me to put it in the tranny first and then put the whole thing on at once. Both of them have done this a few times so I figure that is the way to go.

Trust me bro this is the easiest way possible to do this. and remember one thing when putting the first bolt in throught the flex plate. Snug it and the move to the next bolt. It only goes on one way. If you can i try to mark mine so it can be seen. Oh another helper is that if you have a little trouble getting the tranny on the block pry th motor away from the fire wall. Not a whole lot maybe like 2 inches(on the top). I actually have a 2by4 section of wood cut (install cheater)that i pry back there when doing a clutch job. like i said give me a shout late mike

here's what threw me the first time i tried to bolt the clutch to the flex plate: the four bolts that hold the clutch to the flex plate are not evenly seperated from each other. even though one bolt bolts up, it doesn't mean the next one will though. you have to keep guessing untill you figure out which way it goes, unless i don't know something about this that you guys do?

oh and dave. if i where you, when you drop the tranny i would pop it open and weld the differential(sp?) pin in place. you don't want to buy a new tranny becuase your pushing 300+ horses and the pin falls through and blow a hole in the tranny. It is very easy to do and it shouldn't take you more than a hour. just pull the two halfs apart and pull the differential straight out and go have the ends welded on and then drop the diff in and put sealent arond the edge and then drop the tranny back together(this would be the hardest part). then fill it bakc up with stock tranny fluid


edot: damnit, looks like ^^^^ got to the first part about it going one way before me

>here's what threw me the first time i tried to bolt the
>clutch to the flex plate: the four bolts that hold the
>clutch to the flex plate are not evenly seperated from each
>other. even though one bolt bolts up, it doesn't mean the
>next one will though. you have to keep guessing untill you
>figure out which way it goes, unless i don't know something
>about this that you guys do?
>


You are exactly right, which is why i thought my way would be less of a PITA to do. It will be much easier to line up the holes to the flexplate with the tranny out of there, rather then trying to do it with the tranny bolted up...i guess i just cant see how maneuvering the tranny into the clutch can be so difficult...haha i'm gonna have to try it when i do my clutch

This 2" socket...is it needed to take the axles off or what? Will I definately need it to pull the axles?

(not trying to steal your thread Dave)

Either way you look at it, you have to acomplish the same goal. If you put the clutch in the tranny first, you have to take time to rotate the flexplate to bolt it up, if you put the clutch on the motor first, then you have to take time to maneuver the tranny to slip it onto the clutch..Both ways arent that hard, both have the good and bad points..But anyway, good luck with it, and you know we'll always be here to help out :)

Yeah, but would you rather spin the flexplate and find the right bolt sequence, or lay on the ground and hold a tranny up for a long while till it finally goes on straight... Its not a problem to bolt the flexplate to the clutch assembly after the tranny is bolted up. It can be done either way, but for me.. the average joe with general knowledge of engines and transmissions and not much else, this worked the best... If you have more advanced tools, or another person or 2, jabbing the shaft in there might go smoother, I just didnt have any luck by myself...

question about removing the axels. Do the brakes and rotors need to come off to remove the axels?

And I heard from a good source that the bolt on the axels ais 24-26 mm and it requires a breaker bar or a impact gun to get it off.

You don't HAVE to pull the axles out of the hub to drop the tranny. You can opt to unbolt the suspension which gives it some room to maneuver. Then you can swing the suspension out and the axles will have room to come out. It involves taking off more parts but you don't have to fight with those huge axle nuts.

I've done it both ways, and I prefer this way.

I know your not supposed to use an impact wrench, but I do. Just to take them off. Its so fast it doesnt grab and twist anyways, just slides it right off with no trouble... I'd be causeful about doing this though, as I am not a skilled mechanic and learn as I go sometimes... Reguardless, I would say removing the axle would be easier than leaving them in. As they will likely get in the way at some point or another, and its no big deal to get them out, just finding a socket in your collection is the hard part.

>>>And I heard from a good source that the bolt on the axels ais 24-26 mm<<<

Can anyone clarify this one way or the other?

One more question. I was talking to the mechanic we have at the place I work. he said that when you take out a clutch you need to put in new fluid. I thought or clutches dotn have any fluid around them? I dont have to change ther fluid do I? I also asked him how much he would charge to do it for me. I wanted to know how much I am saving. He said $250 . And also is there a gasket that goes inbetween the tranny and the block? Can I use the old one if there is?

He means the tranny fluid... when you take out the axles it will all spill out, so you have to drain it prior to the axle removal... and refill with new fluid. And no, there is no gasket between the tranny and the engine block. Use some thread locker on the bolts when you reinstall them.

Its never a bad idea to change the tranny fluid if it hasnt been done in a while. I believe its every 30,000 miles or so. You dont HAVE to change it, the clutch is totally separate from the internals of the tranny. There is a metal plate between the block and the tranny, it goes right on the motor side, then the flexplate, then the clutch, then the tranny. It is in 2 pieces, and you may or may not have to take it off, with just pulling the tranny. We had to take it off when we pulled Matt-95tgs's motor, because you cant get the clutch out of the tranny with it still bolted to the flexplate. Others might be able to help you more on this for those who have done it.

i'm gonna check in a few minutes i have the socket in my shed.

i used a long ratchet and a rubber mallet to knock it loose. a breaker bar would also work. yes the brakes and roters all have to come off. like i said the biggest pain is taking everything apart.

what they said about the tranny fluid and let me add one more thing, when u buy the tranny fluid go to dodge and get the mopar fluid susposedly that is the only one that we can use. i found out too late though and now have to replace the castrol i used.

i makes more sense not to have to hold the whole tranny up there while putting the clutch to the flex plate.... but it'll work both ways.



WTB----- Dodge Omni: condigion i don't care, clean title needed

mods:
star stage III clutch
gutted cat-cherry bomb-banzi muffler(thanks kris)
cai(thanks kris)
f/r upper tie bars
hotter NGK plugs
platnum plus window tint
all black interior
5 color indiglo gauges (thanks kyle)
stock RS rims painted black w/neon green calipers and drums (thanks kris)
altezas

stereo equipment:
old sony X'PLOD head unit
300 watt amp kit
120 watt sks power pro cheapo amp
12" kenwood wave in a custom wrapped box

future mods(in no particular order):
engine rebuild/2.4 swap
turbo.....
lower it
wheels
seats
exhaust
piant job
turbo wing
hood
body kit
neons all around
projectors
custom tail lights
better stereo equipment

So when I go to put the fluid back in where do I fill it up at. I am assuming its the last thing I do because if it wasnt it would spil out the area where the axels attach to it. Is there a place to fill it up at on top or something.

And what size socket is it ecliptrider?

And can I get the axels off without taking off the brakes and rotors by turning the steering wheel?