Anyone know how to change throw out bearing??

[Johndeere120]

Hi, new on here. i run an excavating company and have a few trucks one of which is a 1979 ford l9000 with a fuller 9 speed. When i push in the clutch it grind a little bit and the throw out bearing moves underneath when i grab it so im pretty sure its that. ive worked on a lot of stuff, but never the trans in these. So question is, can i put a new bearing on it and run it? OR is the throw out bearing part of the clutch? i cant seem to find just the throw out bearing for sale, only with the clutch? any help is appreciated, thanks!

 

[Tones]

The common and wised thing is to replace the lot while the gearbox is out.

 

[Vetech63]

It is part of the pressure plate assembly. Like said above, replace the entire clutch.

 

[funwithfuel]

If it grinds going in to gear, it's out of adjustment. You need a pair of long 3/8 bolts. You should have a snug fit between the pressure plate and the body of the release bearing. With the pedal up, you should have an 1/8 between the fork to the release bearing. Please post a picture of your clutch pressure plate through the inspection hole so that we can better help you.
There should be a disc between the release bearing and the input shaft bearing retainer. Can you spin that plate on the shaft? Or does it just slide back n forth?
BACK TO BASICS

 

[Johndeere120]

thanks everyone. @funwithfuel it doesnt grind at all and the clutch brake works good i adjusted it about 4k miles ago dont use it much. the trans goes in every gear and shifts very nice. At idle though, theres a loud rattle noise but if i push in the clutch a little bit, or rev up the motor ever so slighty, the noise goes away. looked on fullers sight and apparently gear chatter is common? I never had a truck that rattled at idle, this one has a big cam cummins and idle vibrates a lot so i dont know. when i parked it today i opend the door and pushed the clutch in and i heard a slight grinding. so between the grinding and rattle, i dont know if im better off just putting a whole new trans in it? what do you guys think? also maybe that loud chatter is the throwout bearing?

 

[Jonas302]

not to uncommon or worry some to have some noise from the throwout bearing on an old truck Have you greased the bearing? Otherwise its a clutch assembly might as well run it till it falls apart you might be surprised how long that is

 

[Johndeere120]

The truck has been sitting since March I used it to haul some dirt so It hadn't been greased since then. I will grease it tomorrow. do you think the loud rattle could be the throw out bearing as well? I was worried something inside the trans was going to explode sounds like a loose bearing but like i said step on clutch like half inch and noise is gone. The noise is random too sometimes it will idle for half hour smooth then sometimes it has that rattle its driving me nuts because I need the truck now again for the summer but I'm worried of running it.

 

[Truck Shop]

Yeah you could run it or have the luck of the pedal going to the floor while holding clutch pedal down at a stop light because the snap ring gave way on the throw-out bearing.
Install a clutch in it.

 

[Johndeere120]

Maybe I should... do I have to change the trans input shaft? I heard your supposed to?

 

[Truck Shop]

Not necessarily depends on the wear on the input splines and pilot nose on the end of the input shaft.

 

[Johndeere120]

Okay. And I guess I have to take the flywheel to machine shop to make it true again? Or is it not necessary? It used to be an over the road tractor converted to dump truck so the clutch never got used too much it was always in 9 cruising on the highway

 

[Truck Shop]

Having the flywheel surface ground is a good idea, just make sure it's done at a shop that has turned 15.5 flywheels. The outer edge needs to be cut the same amount the plate area is cut.
Replace the fork, cross shafts and cross shaft bushings in the bell hosing. And install a SB200 Babcock clutch brake and replace the pilot bearing 6306.

 

[Johndeere120]

Alright thank you! Thinking about doing it myself. I work on big excavators and equipment all the time just never trans in a semi. Looks pretty straight forward, just take off the shifter, driveshaft, clutch linkage, bell housing bolts and the 2 big bolts on the back of the trans and it should just pull right out no? Any tips or tricks I should know?

 

[Spud_Monkey]

Only tip is when putting it back in better be straight inline with engine as possible. Pretty straight forward, I did my first one in my front yard on plywood with motorcycle jack and few ratchet straps to pull it out as I wiggled it out.

 

[92U 3406]

Make damn sure you get the clutch fork on the proper side of the release bearing or you'll have to pull the transmission out again!

 

[Truck Shop]

If it has a 15" clutch you can remove the bolts holding the clutch to the flywheel from the bell inspection hole and remove the clutch with the transmission as a unit, and install it
the same way. You might have to use a bar to tip the clutch up slightly to start the first two bolts then bar engine over to start the rest and torque them to 55 LB FT. Below is a 15" clutch installed as a unit

If it has a 14" clutch you will have to pull transmission then remove clutch and re-install the same way.

 

[Johndeere120]

Is there any way to know if it's a 15 or 14 inch before removal?

 

[Truck Shop]

The 14" clutch uses 3/8" bolts to bolt to flywheel, the 15" uses 7/16" bolts. What year and what engine
are we dealing with?

 

[Johndeere120]

It's a 1979 Ford l9000. Got a 9 speed fuller and a cummins ntc 230 formula motor. Thought it was a big cam but I guess not

 

[Truck Shop]

If it's the original engine-NTC230 is a Big Cam II and will probably have a 14" Spicer clutch.