2009 Tacoma Clutch Replacement

Hi there, I'm new here and hope you guys can give me some advice.

I have a 09 6 speed Tacoma (146km) with the infamous release bearing issue. I took it into the dealer a while back and they quoted me TSB-3558:

3121060280 - Clutch Cover - 581.88
3123060231 - Release Bearing 280.13
3123635050 - Fork Support - 37.38
3125035451 - Clutch Disk - 474.13
3147035181 - Release Cylinder - 133.25

I have found all the parts on toyotapartsdirect.ca (I'm Canadian) for a total of 923.08. What I would like to know is, can I sub out the recommended release bearing with the URD kit. On the URD website they mention it is used to replace 3123060230, which is only one off, but I am not familiar with these things and wanted to check. Although the chrip itself isnt a big problem, I've heard it could potentially cause issues and figured a clutch replacement at this point wouldn't be the worst idea. What do you guys think?


Thanks!

 

I'd say go for it and report back, but I'm not an expert.

 

Hey! Welcome to the club!

Skip Toyota all together. For one thing it is over priced.

Toyota's throw out bearing is half your problem. The Toyota fix is not a fix. The quill (shaft) that the bearing slides on it aluminum (dumb ass move aisin/toyota) and the bearing is steel. That is the real majority of your problem.

You have a choice here, sleeve it or convert to a hydraulic bearing. Personally I run the sleeved one (have since 5k) from URD.

Toyota calls for a new flywheel, you can have yours turned.

Get a quality clutch set, if you still have OEM obviously you are fine with that and Aisin is a good choice, LuK Gold too.

The sleeved repair kit is simple, it uses a factory throw out bearing (oem toyota) that is bored and rides a stainless sleeve.

The one thing you have to watch, is make sure you have full release (this bearing is not designed to ride the pressure plate)

I have done it 3 times on my 2015, and I am assuming you are 6spd.

 

I have had 2 total (catastrophic failures of Throw out bearings) on 2nd gen Tacoma.

I have never worn a clutch out on a Tacoma either lol, bearing always failed first.

 

Thanks for the reply Konvict, lots of good info. I think I will get the sleeve kit as it seems quite straight forward in terms of installing it. I'm gonna get a new kit because if I'm gonna take the transmission out, Id rather touch everything up at once. The clutch feel decent right now, but I feel like it could be better. It doesn't slip but some of the shifts are not smooth, especially 1st to 2nd. You mentioned turning the fly wheel, do you mean just changing which side is facing the motor and which is facing the clutch disk? Could you explain what you mean about having full release? How would the bearing make ride the pressure plate? Isn't the bearing connecting with the diagram? I'm thinking I will order the

$332 Aisin CKT057 AISIN CKT-057 OE Matched Clutch Kit - Compatible with Select Toyota FJ Cruiser, Tacoma, Tundra

Aisin CKT057 kit and URD kit, what do you think?

Thanks bud!

 

My 6spd loved red line synthetic gear oil. It shifted really smooth after I used that. Might want to give it a try after clutch job.

 

Awesome, thanks for the tip!

 

Yes Redline MT90 is the best shit ever

 

do 4cyl trucks have any option for sleeving the shaft?
This is the first I'm hearing of a real solution.

This whole issue is crazy since my 2000 v6 tacoma had the same thing going on, and now my 2005 4cyl has the chirping, and a much deeper noise meaning the bearing actually gone bad. It's almost like a knocking it's so bad. Goes away completely when I press the clutch. I already ordered an SFK throwout bearing, but maybe I can do a sleeved thing while I already have the trans dropped.

Just curious, how does a steel bearing riding on an aluminum shaft cause this issue? I am familiar with dissimilar metal corrosion on, spark plugs, for example, but I don't see how it applies the case of a bearing. Is the bearing chewing away at the shaft?
Also, why would pressing the clutch pedal by a hair make the chirping go away if it was from a worn input shaft?

 

The steel

The bearing is attached to a collar, which is iron.

The collar ride on aluminum, the iron gauls (spelling) the aluminum up and it does not slide properly, which causes pre-mature failure of the bearing. In particularilky bad cases the pedal feels notchy, or rough and the bearing actually rocks back and forth.

My 2008 4cyl 5spd had 3 or 4 bearing failures, but for whatever reason it is less common on the 4cyl. I would bet, that is only because there are less of them, and the r155 typically shifts better than then ra60. Also, I can't remember if the quil (part that it slides on) is aluminum in the 5speed, or steel like it was 79-2004. But I know for a fact the bearing is a shit design, and my failures were caused my mud etc.

I am not positive if the same repair sleeve would fit, my gut says yest but I have not confirmed it. I would call up Gadget at URD, or LC engineering (they sell URD's kit) and ask. If they do not know, see if they would accept the return in the event it does not.

 

Also the chirping is, or could be 2 sounds. One is from the bearing surface rubing on the fingers of the pressure plate, and the other is the bearing itself failing.

I had one completely grenade, and drove the 2008 800 miles home without the clutch.

 

I am very familiar with the chirping. My 2000 V6 Tacoma did it, very annoying. It had the chirping - if you press the clutch pedal even one hair, it goes away. It also had a deeper noise that I often confused for a bad idler pulley. That noise only went away if you pressed the pedal all the way.
I replaced the throwout bearing and nothing changed. Both noises remained. I knew the chirping was simply not enough pressure on the T/O bearing. I was considering adding a spacer to the slave cylinder pin to take up some slack, but never did it.
I had a feeling the deeper noise may have been a bad bearing in the transmission.

My 4cyl 2nd gen truck has the exact same chirping that goes away if you press the pedal a hair. but also the bearing is failing.

 

If you adjust the bearing to have free play, it will extend the life and kill the constant squel/chirp

More pressure will cause the janky OEM design to fail sooner.

 

I understand the idea of adjusting it for more free play - so the bearing and other surface will not contact, eliminating the chirping. But how would you adjust for more free play? Taking slack out by artificially adding a spacer or creating more spring pressure in the slave is easy to imagine, but I didn't find any way of adjusting (artificially or not) for less free play.

Also, my old Tacoma had an awful problem with the clutch pedal/system. It always felt bad and never returned fully. Most of the problem was solved when I took the whole assembly out, replaced the plastic bushings, and wrapped everything in teflon tape to really tighten it up. Even so, it wasn't perfect, and the thought of creating less return pressure on the clutch makes me shudder, as I already had to hook my foot under the pedal to get it to return fully for cruise control or other things.
Although my 2nd gen truck doesn't quite have the same return issues, the pedal still has lots of play (mostly lateral though). From my prior experience, I plan to take the assembly out and tighten everything up with new bushings, my old teflon trick, and see what other slop can be eliminated.

 

No joke the plastic Pedal assembly is stupid. Lol

There is a jamb nut the pedal assebly that adusts the travel, it is a little PITA on the Tacoma but so far mine have all adjusted out normally.

Also, there is a "clutch fluid accumulator valve" by the slave. My 2008 5spd did not have one, but my 2015 did and I took it out. WRX's have one too but they call it "clutch delay valve" my best guess is Toyota put it there to reduce shock in the system with novice drivers. I deleted it for a better pedal feel. More normal, I was never a fan of the spongee return.