Well, for months now I've been procrastinating doing my clutch swap. I love my evo, its nice and clean and I dont do any ghetto modding like i have with my dsms in the past, I keep it all put togeather instead of skimping on **** when going back togeather (again like past dsms- oh this bolts a pain in the ***.. f that *toss*).. so .. I really didnt wanna do it cause I know how easily that **** gets f'ed up, scratched, fluid everywhere.. not allways put back togeather right.. etc..
So, I was thinkin about dropping it off at a shop and having them do it.. everyone wanted an arm and a leg.. talking abou the ACD being a big pain in the ***.
Bulls**t. Having gone through it.. its a complete crock for any shop to charge more for an ACD equipped evo. There is no reason for the Banjo to be removed to access the bolt. All you need is a crowfoot box end to slip over it and break it loose, then it takes about about a min to pull on the tcase and walk it out while turning it.. .
Anyways..
I say alternative because throughout my history of dsms and 3kgts, ive always done clutch jobs basically the same way as everyone else. I pop the struts loose from the spindle and take the tie rod loose to get the slack I need to get the axle loose from the hub.
Well, this time around, given that the evo is different in that the Tcase is above the steering rack instead of under it like on previous DSMs. A friend doing the clutch install with me, convinced me to drop the steering rack instead.
Hold on, before you start condemming this idea, a few good reasons for it.
1. Gets you a **** ton more room.. more room is less banging around and scratching up ****.. less chance for the tranny to get hung in an annoying position while your trying to manuever it around.. less chance for the trans input shaft to hit the pressure plate tob retainer and knock it loose (had this happen before and man its a ***** cause you dont knwo till you stab the tranny bolt it down and the tob wont snap in).
2. Its not a significant amount of labor more. Theres only 6 bolts that hold the rack to the frame. They zip right out, its meaningless even without air tools. The steering input shaft slides right out from under the steering boot with only a 10mm bolt coming loose. The only additional thing you do differently is opposed to the 4 bolts you break loose from removing the strut to spindle, you remove 2 brake caliper bolts, 3 nuts on top of the strut towers, 1 tie rods nut( you were takin them off anyway), and then the bolt at the bottom of the spindle that holds it to the control arm, and the ps pump lines (completely insignificant, big deal, youll spill a bit of fluid at worst).
Now, previously the ball joints on the older style cars with the castle nuts were a pain in the ***, they stripped easily, they didnt always come loose with ease. Not so on the evo. Instead of the old style u joint holding the control arm to the spindle, you have a pinch style assembly going over a dowel, with a bolt and nut on the back.. crack it loose, push down on the LCA, pull up on the strut tower.. and now you removed your strut tower with the spindle, rotor and tower all togeather.. set it to the side.. now drop the rack by lowering it down on a floor jack..
And you get all this lovely room
Heres a shot of the tcase tied off to the intake plenum bracket.. not the ACD line still on
Dropping the rack also means you didnt have to do those annoying bolts on the rear tranny mount..just the one bolt that goes through the mount, instead of breaking the mount loose to clear the rack.. since its no longer in the way.
I really dont know what more can be said about this approach other than I wish to god I'd done it this way before and I'm very glad my friend convinced me to try it. All the extra room allows the tranny to just slide right out and right back in. No catching on annoying things that are just barely in the way. No fighting to get to areas I cant get my big *** hands and arms in. I have never in all my years of dsm'ing had any tranny install go so smoothly. I highly recommend this method and will do it on any evo clutch i ever do in the future.
All told, we spent about 8 hours doing it, which I felt to be very good given its my first evo clutch.
Its all back togeather, alignment is perfect, and I really enjoy the road race xclutch I put in.
So, I was thinkin about dropping it off at a shop and having them do it.. everyone wanted an arm and a leg.. talking abou the ACD being a big pain in the ***.
Bulls**t. Having gone through it.. its a complete crock for any shop to charge more for an ACD equipped evo. There is no reason for the Banjo to be removed to access the bolt. All you need is a crowfoot box end to slip over it and break it loose, then it takes about about a min to pull on the tcase and walk it out while turning it.. .
Anyways..
I say alternative because throughout my history of dsms and 3kgts, ive always done clutch jobs basically the same way as everyone else. I pop the struts loose from the spindle and take the tie rod loose to get the slack I need to get the axle loose from the hub.
Well, this time around, given that the evo is different in that the Tcase is above the steering rack instead of under it like on previous DSMs. A friend doing the clutch install with me, convinced me to drop the steering rack instead.
Hold on, before you start condemming this idea, a few good reasons for it.
1. Gets you a **** ton more room.. more room is less banging around and scratching up ****.. less chance for the tranny to get hung in an annoying position while your trying to manuever it around.. less chance for the trans input shaft to hit the pressure plate tob retainer and knock it loose (had this happen before and man its a ***** cause you dont knwo till you stab the tranny bolt it down and the tob wont snap in).
2. Its not a significant amount of labor more. Theres only 6 bolts that hold the rack to the frame. They zip right out, its meaningless even without air tools. The steering input shaft slides right out from under the steering boot with only a 10mm bolt coming loose. The only additional thing you do differently is opposed to the 4 bolts you break loose from removing the strut to spindle, you remove 2 brake caliper bolts, 3 nuts on top of the strut towers, 1 tie rods nut( you were takin them off anyway), and then the bolt at the bottom of the spindle that holds it to the control arm, and the ps pump lines (completely insignificant, big deal, youll spill a bit of fluid at worst).
Now, previously the ball joints on the older style cars with the castle nuts were a pain in the ***, they stripped easily, they didnt always come loose with ease. Not so on the evo. Instead of the old style u joint holding the control arm to the spindle, you have a pinch style assembly going over a dowel, with a bolt and nut on the back.. crack it loose, push down on the LCA, pull up on the strut tower.. and now you removed your strut tower with the spindle, rotor and tower all togeather.. set it to the side.. now drop the rack by lowering it down on a floor jack..
And you get all this lovely room
Heres a shot of the tcase tied off to the intake plenum bracket.. not the ACD line still on
Dropping the rack also means you didnt have to do those annoying bolts on the rear tranny mount..just the one bolt that goes through the mount, instead of breaking the mount loose to clear the rack.. since its no longer in the way.
I really dont know what more can be said about this approach other than I wish to god I'd done it this way before and I'm very glad my friend convinced me to try it. All the extra room allows the tranny to just slide right out and right back in. No catching on annoying things that are just barely in the way. No fighting to get to areas I cant get my big *** hands and arms in. I have never in all my years of dsm'ing had any tranny install go so smoothly. I highly recommend this method and will do it on any evo clutch i ever do in the future.
All told, we spent about 8 hours doing it, which I felt to be very good given its my first evo clutch.
Its all back togeather, alignment is perfect, and I really enjoy the road race xclutch I put in.
Only other shots I have.. despite my best intensions to show alot of pics.
Rack on the ground to show how small it is and how insignificant the removal was.
Strut towers set aside
Tranny on the jack.. dropped right out.. no rotating.. no gay manuevering around things that were just barely in the way..
Rack on the ground to show how small it is and how insignificant the removal was.
Strut towers set aside
Tranny on the jack.. dropped right out.. no rotating.. no gay manuevering around things that were just barely in the way..
