Clutch Job - How much money?

[sperold]

I am hearing a release bearing noise and it is hard to get into reverse without grinding (on some days). Clutch hooks up great and doesn't slip under any circumstances. I am going to buy a clutch kit on RockAuto and was considering a clutch cable as well. I know how much this will cost, but does anyone have an idea of how much for labour to get this job done. Also, what are the chances of it needing a cable; is it better to go with a new one, or stick to the original, if it is not stretched or beaten up. Any advice appreciated.

 

[ultimatesho]

honestly "MOST" aftermarket TOB's do chatter in our cars.....and reverse is not synchronized so u need to put it into another gear before dropping into rev. (i usally go 1st then 2nd then over to rev.).....IRRC most say to do 3rd then rev. tho

as far as cable as long as it feels good id leave it enless u plan on racing alot or something......but do make sure you get your flywheel resurfaced when getting the clutch done....price is just all in what you plan on putting in and changing out while its apart

think i spent rite at $400 when i just did mine in the 92 thats counting the 4x4 for the engine brace, a good set of ratchet straps, clutch kit, fluid, flywheel resurface and a few other little things i did while i was in there.......couldnt begin to tell u how much a shop would charge tho, me personally i wouldnt trust a shop tearing into mine

just a heads up to i got the perfection clutch kit from Advance and i love it .....and it has a lifetime warranty

 

[sperold]

Thanks for the advice. Mine is a 95 MTX - Red with gray cloth/leather interior, stock everything.

 

[ultimatesho]

Thanks for the advice. Mine is a 95 MTX - Red with gray cloth/leather interior, stock everything.

id honestly just go for a cheap stock replacement, and keep your cable enless it feels sloppy or gritty (enless u wanna change it just for peace of mind) and get the flywheel resurfaced and ull b set .......if u plan to keep the car for a while it wouldnt hurt to change the rear main seal also, since to replace it you have to pull ur tranny

 

[sperold]

The underside of the car is completely oil free, so I think the rear seal is OK. Yes, it will be a stock replacement and I am seriously thinking of retaining the original clutch cable. I am very happy with the performance of the car and I am not considering upping the horsepower, so stock or a little better than stock should serve me well. In Canada, we are so busy chasing the rust on a car that we don't have time to modify them!

I would like to hear from someone who has paid to have it done and has an idea of the labour cost of that job. In my area, it is the dealership that has the experience to do the job, I just want a comparison of the labour cost.

 

[beaudeen]

Had mine done a year after I bought my car @ 150km..$750 labor plus parts..rear main seal/flywheel resurface and OEM clutch.think the total was around $1200..was a small tranny shop..that was 5 years ago and almost 100k..the only thing that he missed was hooking up the reverse light sw..make sure to ask if the guy doing the job has a clue on the SHO.

 

[sho'noffmtx]

I had a local shop install a clutch for me and the labor was $500 alone. but he told me he gave me a discount cause they didnt get to it when they said they would. I didnt ask how much they took off the bill

 

[sperold]

Clutch Job

Had mine done a year after I bought my car @ 150km..$750 labor plus parts..rear main seal/flywheel resurface and OEM clutch.think the total was around $1200..was a small tranny shop..that was 5 years ago and almost 100k..the only thing that he missed was hooking up the reverse light sw..make sure to ask if the guy doing the job has a clue on the SHO.

Thanks for the tip! The numbers sound about right with what I have found myself.

 

[sperold]

I think he treated you quite well, SHO'noffmtx. I am getting numbers a few hundred dollars more for this work.

 

[sperold]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I am toying with the idea of doing it myself. The parts aren't much but the labour kills you. I have 2 other SHO's and my 89 needed a clutch 3 years ago when I bought it for a parts car, as it wouldn't pass the emission test. I took that as a personal challenge; and got it in my name, and use it for a winter car. But it still needs a clutch, just like my 95. So maybe I should get going on this. Any advice on this one?

 

[ultimatesho]

best advise is take your time and if you get agitated dont take a sledge hammer to it.....drink a cold one and sit down for a few

theres a few amazing write up around here....1 or 2 in the how-to section

its not as hard as some put it off to be but it is a bit of work.....expect atleast a full weekend if its your first time, and expect to run to parts stores a couple times if you dont have a few tools

 

[sperold]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I am going to read the write-ups on the job, plus I have the Helm manual. I just need a little more courage, but I am getting there.
Does this job require a hoist, if not, what is the ideal height to jack the car up?

 

[ultimatesho]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I am going to read the write-ups on the job, plus I have the Helm manual. I just need a little more courage, but I am getting there.
Does this job require a hoist, if not, what is the ideal height to jack the car up?

if u have a body lift it would make it easier but ive honestly never used one

first time i pulled everything out the top.......other 2 times i dropped the subframe.......i had the front end of the car roughly (dont quote me on the height) 2 1/2 foot up.......was enough for me to get under it with a creeper and still have a little room to work (note im not all that big tho.....145-150ish)

really as long as u can slide everything out of the way it high enough

 

[Jmo865]

I can never go into reverse without it grinding. So I'll put it in 2nd then shift back to reverse and it doesnt grind.

 

[frosho]

I can never go into reverse without it grinding. So I'll put it in 2nd then shift back to reverse and it doesnt grind.

That's normal. Reverse doesn't have synchros.

 

[tompumped]

If you're going to do it using a hoist makes it harder because the legs are in the way. I recently did mine and I used a hoist because I already had it. I'd imagine it helps a little to use a hoist because you can lower the motor, so putting the trans back in is a little easier, but there isn't enough room to have someone help you. It wasn't that bad if I was to do it again i'd use the hoist.
Just make sure you have a backup, because hydraulics can fail.

 

[AREA 91]

I had a local shop install a clutch for me and the labor was $500 alone. but he told me he gave me a discount cause they didnt get to it when they said they would. I didnt ask how much they took off the bill

This is what I charge. $500 labor.

 

[sperold]

Well, this little saga came to an end. I went for the clutch job at a distant Ford dealership because they are the only people locally that know what a SHO is. I bought the ceramic throw out bearing and a new cable along with the clutch kit (Valero). Every day I got calls on what else was needed. I had to go for the flywheel regrind, and the motor needed new mounts; as well as the transmission. The rear main was OK, luckily. The subframe mounting bolts were a problem to remove and the exhaust manifold needed new bolting studs (one broke and the others had 3 threads left). Long story made short, the labour was over $1000.00. I think there was room for profit in that price.
The system works wonderful now and shifting is so much easier.
The old disc was a 6 small spring unit instead of the 4 spring disc and it always sort of slid into action, but it had a brute pedal pressure action. My release bearing had the seal missing but still turned OK, but the diaphram pressure plate had the fingers worn down and 2 fingers were broke off short.
The motor and tranny mounts.... are the old ones rebuildable, now that the old ones are out?
That is my story.

 

[beaudeen]

Glad to hear you got her back on the road...a little pricey on the labor, but what are ya gonna do...I did the reinforced front mount with flexthane and the welded 3/4" bolt through the top..my old one was SHOT..bought an old one off this forum and did it myself..the flexthane was around $50..have enough left over to reinforce the one I took out..what a difference..no engine movement at all now and the creeking shifter is gone too..

 

[platoribs]

You can also drill two 1/2" holes through the top/inside, through the rubber in the middle, and through the bottom/outside and stick in a couple of sturdy bolts, may not be pretty but it's held tight in my 93 for quite a few miles.