anyone have to replace a throwout bearing? how bad does it suck?[:@]

 

dude your going to want a new one, dont waste your time with a crappy one. theres alot that can go wrong with it and then you will have to pull it all apart again.

 

I just did a clutch job on my 99 5.2l If your going in that far, and you have more than 60,000 miles on the curent clutch, just get a new one and do that too. The work iinvolved to get at the throwout bearing isn't too involved. I got my tranny and t-case seperated from the engine in 2 hours from start. Make sure you get the flywheel resurfaced if you do the clutch. You have enough room to get the throwoutbearing replaced if you take the shifter off, and move the tranny back from the engine without taking the crossmember out. Look for a funny looking POS in the end of the crank, its a pilot bearing sleeve, cheap part, didn't replace it when I did the cluch because it was something I'd never seen. I'm going in today to tear it all apart to put aw 9 dollar part in there so my input shaft doesn't rattle around in the end of the crank shaft due to thsi part being worn.

 

Koldkut: Do you have a 1500 or 2500? My understanding is a 1500 with a NV 3500 TRANS has the bell housing as an integral part of the trans. The 2500's have a separate bell housing? Since you didn't take the crossmember out, was it easier to line up trans. input shaft with the pilot bearing?

 

Thanx for the info.I think im going to baby this as long as I can.The older I get the less I like wrenching on this crap[:@]. Wouldnt be so bad with a warm garage......but I aint got one![:@]

 

i also just redid my clutch. and yes i just moved my trans back. gave me about a foot of space to work in. i think it when easier that way rather then droping it.

 

about how much will this set me back?

 

Yes, the nv3500 has the integral bellhousing. Like the other guy said, you can get a foot of space to work on if you put the tranny jack far enough forward on the tranny. Made the mistake the first time I did this job, didin't put it back far enough and had just barely enough space in there to work. with the trans jack that far forward you will want a chicken stick to hold the end of the transfer case on the 4wd models. I got my **** apart yesterday took the clutch off, then put it back together 3.5 hours.... The thing that threw me was the pilot bearing sleeve, first time I went in there, the pilot bearing sleeve fell out the end of the crank. This part is supposed to be tight in there...and its only a 12 dollar part from dodge. Here are the pics of the parts....the sleeve is the part that holds the pilot bearing and the old one was worn, since I put a new tight one in there I don't have the play in the tranny or the funny noises..... btw, my truck has 109,000 on it. I don't think the crossmember made it any easier to get the tranny lined back up, mine comes apart and goes back together quite easily. I took the tranny mount off to give a little more room to wiggle things out of the way. you may need to clock the tranny clockwise to get it around the exhaust, but otherwise its an easy job.






The sludge you see in the end of the crank is grease we used to hold the other part in palce until I found out what it was.....and got a new one. we cleaned all that out of there before putting the new one in there. Had to use a hammer to tap it in place. There was no marring in the crank end because the sleeve is a very soft compound that won't damage the crank. Its pretty bad when even the dodge parts guy doesn't recognize the part....

 

Thanx for the info and pics.Want to do another one?Ha Ha!! You guys really help alot,I"ll let ya know how it goes.

 

Koldkut: THANKYOU for time taken in explanation and very important pics.. I'm looking at doing the job in the spring.