How to grease clutch fork/pivot ball on 2nd gen v6 taco?

I have been having an issue with my 15' trd OR taco and I believe it is the clutch fork/pivot ball . There is a constant chirping when the clutch is not engaged, if I put my foot on the clutch lightly the chirping stops.

https://youtube.com/shorts/Z288S9rIEhQ

It sounds exactly like this

https://youtu.be/64O6aZjZ524

I found this post but it is a 4 cylinder (different transmission). .https://www.tacomaworld.com/.../easy-method-to-grease.../

On the v6 transmission I can not even see the clutch fork/pivot ball through the little access hole on the transmission bell housing. On the 4 cylinder it appears to be right under the boot. on the V6 when I remove the plate (has a cover plate not a boot) I can only see where the slave cylinder meets the fork but cannot make out how far back the pivot ball is.


Anyone know roughly how far back in that access hole the pivot ball sits? I have tried greasing it 4 times now and the chirp will get quieter for a few days but by the following weekend it's just screaming again.

 

I'm not certain but I think this may be the usual 2nd gen manual-trans TOB (throw-out bearing) impending/gradual failure sound. Someone else will chime in to confirm or refute, I'm sure.

 

from what I've read the throw out bearing would make noise when the clutch is depressed, not when it is released. Since it goes away when putting pressure on the clutch pedal everything I have read points to the clutch fork/pivot ball. (The sound is identical to the one in the second video). I would like to try getting grease on it before assuming it is the throw out bearing, but it is impossible to see when lying under the truck. On a lift it may be visible but I do not know anyone with a lift. I am ordering an endoscope from Amazon and will use that to see inside the bell housing where the pivot ball is..

 

It's the release bearing. The noise goes away when you press the pedal because (for some reason) loading the bearing quiets it down.

A dry clutch fork pivot can squeak but it's more of a dry door hinge type of noise. Different than a chirp. Also when you think about it, when your foot is off the pedal the clutch fork isn't moving so how could it make noise anyway? The release bearing is spinning all the time no matter what because it's resting against the clutch cover. It's just a question of loaded vs unloaded

You are correct though. On most other vehicles, when the release bearing goes bad it will make a deeper grinding sound when pushing against the clutch. Like the last ball bearings are trashed..

Long story short, a light chirp is an unloaded release bearing that's bad. A deeper growl is a loaded release bearing that's bad..

 

I am just curious why that video I found on YT sounds identical to the issue with my truck. You can see the clutch fork vibrating against the dry pivot ball in that transmission, same with the transmission on the i4 in the other thread I found. I will order an endoscope this weekend so I can see in the bell housing and try greasing the pivot ball

 

The clutch fork is vibrating because the other end of it is riding against a spinning pressure plate with a bunch of spring fingers on it. If the pressure plate (or clutch cover, whatever) is worn or weak the fingers may not be the same height

Doesn't really matter though because the whole trans has to come out anyway to fix the noise. You can replace the bearing, clutch and grease the pivot at the same time

 

I’m sure more people will chime in here. This situation it pretty common. Lots of info here on TW. Here’s one crazy guys solution.