> > Hi, I have a 1998 Nissan Fronter XE, regular cab. It has 137K miles on
> > it. My clutch squeals and makes a moaning sound when it is engaged. I
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> sticks into. Whether you've got a bushing or a bearing there, change it
> when you go in after the noise.
> > > Hi, I have a 1998 Nissan Fronter XE, regular cab. It has 137K miles on
> > > it. My clutch squeals and makes a moaning sound when it is engaged. I
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
> inexpensive. I'm going to get a Chilton's manual and a good mechanic
> friend of mine is going to help me replace the bad parts.
The bearing or bushing by itself is generally pretty cheap - A new one
for my ride is under $20 for the pilot bearing, and a little under $35
for a throwout bearing.
Having a shop do either one would mean at least $250, with one shop
saying $400+!
The part is cheap. Actually doing the job is even pretty simple - no
really special skills or tools needed, other than the 3-10 dollar
clutch-disk alignment tool the book will all tell you that you need.
The *LABOR* of having to pull the tranny (Maybe I've led a sheltered
life, but I have yet to meet a vehicle with a clutch that doesn't
require tranny removal to service the clutch, throwout bearing, pressure
plate, or pilot bearing) to GET TO IT so you can replace the bearing is
what makes *THE JOB* expensive.
A word of advice...
*BELIEVE THE BOOKS* about the clutch-alignment tool! Even if it is a
Chilton's or Haynes manual, and you (wisely) don't believe even one
other word in it!
Save yourself a world of frustration: No matter what you hear, or who
you hear it from - I don't care if it's God himself with Jesus and Moses
standing alongside nodding - *DO NOT* attempt the job without having
either that clutch-disk alignment tool, or an exact clone of the precise
input shaft that's in your transmission on hand before you start!!
Unless you've got *LOTS* of practice, you're all but guaranteed to screw
up trying to position the clutch disc properly before bolting down the
pressure plate once you've finished replacing the pilot bearing/bushing.
Once you've got the pressure plate bolted down properly, you and 5 other
strong men aren't going to budge that clutch disk in any direction using
anything short of explosives. Why does that matter?
Get it just a *LITTLE* bit off center - a sixteenth of an inch in any
direction is more than plenty to cause trouble - "Close" isn't anywhere
near "good enough" - You *MUST* get it exactly right - and the input
shaft of the tranny will refuse to line up with the splines and the
pilot bearing/bushing, then you'll spend what'll seem like eternity
getting the tranny "almost there", over and over again, only to find you
can't get one or more bolt holes to line up - again. And again. And
again. AND AGAIN DAMMIT I HATE THIS CAR SOMEBODY GIMME SOME DYNAMITE SO
I CAN BLOW THE MISERABLE PILE OF JUNK TO HELL!
Don't ask me how I know this! Just take it on faith! :)

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Don Bruder - dakidd@sonic.net - If your "From:" address isn't on my whitelist,
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Nate Nagel - 22 Oct 2006 01:53 GMT
>>>>Hi, I have a 1998 Nissan Fronter XE, regular cab. It has 137K miles on
>>>>it. My clutch squeals and makes a moaning sound when it is engaged. I
[quoted text clipped - 37 lines]
> plate, or pilot bearing) to GET TO IT so you can replace the bearing is
> what makes *THE JOB* expensive.
Supposedly a Porsche 968 (with rear mounted transaxle) is a fairly easy
clutch job. Almost makes me want to retrofit a 968 bellhousing and
torque tube to my 944 because by all accounts it's probably easier to
buy another car than to replace a clutch in a 944. No, I haven't done
it, nor do I want to. I hope to have my old Stude up to daily driver
standards by the time the 944 needs another clutch. That car is
somewhat challenging to do a clutch in the car unless you remove the
carpet and an access panel from the floor; however, yanking the engine
and trans as a unit takes two people an hour or two. Old cars are pure
joy to work on compared to modern iron.
nate

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Don - 22 Oct 2006 07:25 GMT
>> > > Hi, I have a 1998 Nissan Fronter XE, regular cab. It has 137K miles on
>> > > it. My clutch squeals and makes a moaning sound when it is engaged. I
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
>for my ride is under $20 for the pilot bearing, and a little under $35
>for a throwout bearing.
And if the throwout bearing is trashed it has very likely damaged the
pressure plate.
Don
www.donsautomotive.com
>Having a shop do either one would mean at least $250, with one shop
>saying $400+!
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>either that clutch-disk alignment tool, or an exact clone of the precise
>input shaft that's in your transmission on hand before you start!!
I have done lots of them by eye in my time. Don't now because I have
a good collection of dildos on the wall but I didn't always.
Don
www.donsautomotive.com
>Unless you've got *LOTS* of practice, you're all but guaranteed to screw
>up trying to position the clutch disc properly before bolting down the
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
>Don't ask me how I know this! Just take it on faith! :)
Brian - 30 Oct 2006 19:10 GMT
> >> > > Hi, I have a 1998 Nissan Fronter XE, regular cab. It has 137K miles on
> >> > > it. My clutch squeals and makes a moaning sound when it is engaged. I
[quoted text clipped - 79 lines]
> >
> >Don't ask me how I know this! Just take it on faith! :)
It ended up being the throwout bearing and come to find out these
bearings go bad on these trucks pretty commonly. Also, another mechanic
said that when I had my truck worked on last time, they may not have
aligned the cone well. I had the stuff machined for about $25 and also
replaced the cone while I was at it. The plate did not need to be
replaced.
Brian - 10 Nov 2006 15:09 GMT
> >> > > Hi, I have a 1998 Nissan Fronter XE, regular cab. It has 137K miles on
> >> > > it. My clutch squeals and makes a moaning sound when it is engaged. I
[quoted text clipped - 79 lines]
> >
> >Don't ask me how I know this! Just take it on faith! :)
The pressure plate was not damaged and I thought it was the throwout
bearing, but it started again. So I took it off again and it ended up
being the pilot bushing. I replaced the part and now there is no
problems at all.