Clutch plate 8-97320355-0 8973771490 8-97377149-0 8973203550 8973771490 8-97377149-0 8973203550 FOR Isuzu 4KH1 4HF1 4HG1 2003-

Pre-installation Preparation and Removal of Old Parts

1. Vehicle and Tool Preparation

• Park the vehicle on a flat surface, engage the handbrake, and disconnect the negative battery cable to avoid short circuits.

• Prepare tools such as a jack, socket wrench, special clutch alignment tool, and torque wrench. Meanwhile, have a new clutch friction plate compatible with the vehicle model and special lubricating oil ready.

2. Removal of Associated Components

• Lift the vehicle with a jack and secure it with support stands. Remove the connecting bolts between the drive shaft and the transmission, then take out the drive shaft.

• Depending on the vehicle structure, remove part of the suspension or subframe if necessary. Use a lifting tool to hoist the transmission and place it on wooden blocks to expose the clutch assembly.

3. Removal of the Old Friction Plate

• Use tools to remove the fixing bolts of the clutch pressure plate, take off the pressure plate and release bearing, then extract the old clutch friction plate.

• Record the installation direction of the old plate for future reference.

Pre-installation Cleaning and Component Inspection

1. Component Cleaning

• Thoroughly wipe the surfaces of the flywheel and pressure plate with a cloth to remove oil stains, metal shavings, and other impurities. This prevents clutch slipping caused by residual debris after installation.

• Clean the residual dirt inside the clutch housing simultaneously.

2. Component Inspection

• Check that the new friction plate has no defects such as cracks, deformation, or ablation, and ensure its power rating and dimensions match the vehicle model.

• Verify that the release bearing rotates smoothly without jamming and that the pressure plate surface is flat. Replace any damaged components immediately.

• Confirm that the splines on the driven plate hub fit smoothly with the splines on the transmission input shaft.

Core Installation of the New Friction Plate

1. Preprocessing the Friction Plate

• Apply an appropriate amount of special lubricating oil to the spline area of the new friction plate. Ensure even application—avoid excessive oil to prevent slipping.

• For friction plates with special coatings, confirm the coating is intact.

2. Positioning and Installing the Friction Plate

• Use a special alignment tool to maintain concentricity between the driven plate and the crankshaft.

• Place the new friction plate correctly: the side with the boss faces the transmission, and the side without the boss faces the flywheel.

3. Assembling the Pressure Plate and Release Bearing

• Install the release bearing in place to ensure it can slide freely on the transmission first shaft sleeve.

• Mount the clutch pressure plate, align it with the mounting holes on the flywheel, and tighten the fixing bolts in a diagonal, alternating sequence with a torque wrench. This avoids pressure plate deformation due to uneven force.

• Follow the torque specifications provided in Isuzu’s maintenance manual for the specific model when tightening.

Reinstalling Components and Commissioning Verification

1. Reinstalling Associated Components

• Hoist the transmission back into place in the reverse order of removal and tighten the fixing bolts between the transmission and the frame.

• Reinstall the drive shaft, ensuring the connecting bolts are securely fastened. Remove the jack and lower the vehicle to the ground.

2. Commissioning and Testing

• Reconnect the negative battery cable. Start the vehicle and gently press the clutch pedal to check if the free travel is normal and if there are any abnormal noises.

• Test the clutch engagement under idle conditions to ensure it is smooth without jitter.

• If conditions permit, conduct a short road test to confirm there are no issues such as slipping or incomplete disengagement. Installation is complete once all checks pass.

1. Safe Operation Specifications

• Disconnect the negative battery cable throughout the entire process. Ensure the vehicle is parked securely and fixed with support stands (never rely solely on a jack) to prevent the vehicle from sliding or electrical short circuits during construction.

• Use special lifting tools when removing/installing the transmission. Do not pry with brute force to avoid damaging precision components such as the transmission case and input shaft. Wear gloves during operation to prevent hand scratches from metal edges or oil contamination.

2. Component Compatibility and Condition Inspection

• The new friction plate must be fully compatible with the vehicle model’s (e.g., Isuzu D-MAX, Ruimai, etc.) engine power and transmission type. Focus on verifying dimensions, spline specifications, and thickness to avoid poor engagement or installation failure.

• Before installation, confirm the new friction plate has no quality defects (e.g., cracks, deformation). Check that the release bearing rotates smoothly without jamming and the pressure plate surface is flat (free of warping or ablation). If the flywheel end face has scratches or grooves exceeding 0.5mm in depth, grind or replace it—otherwise, clutch jitter may occur.

• Ensure the splines on the driven plate hub fit freely with those on the transmission input shaft. If the fit is too tight or stuck, apply special grease; replace related components if the issue is severe.

3. Key Requirements for Installation Accuracy

• Apply an "appropriate and even" amount of grease to the friction plate’s spline area. Excessive grease causes clutch slipping, while insufficient grease accelerates wear. Never use ordinary butter—only clutch-specific high-temperature grease to prevent grease failure at high temperatures.

• The friction plate’s installation direction is critical: the side with the boss/shock absorber spring faces the transmission, and the side without the boss attaches to the flywheel. Reversing the direction results in incomplete clutch disengagement and difficulty shifting gears.

• Tighten the pressure plate bolts following the "diagonal alternating, step-by-step" principle, with uniform tightening amplitude each time. The final torque must strictly comply with the specifications in Isuzu’s model-specific maintenance manual (usually 25-40N・m, subject to the specific model) to avoid pressure plate deformation and ensure engagement accuracy.

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• Autohome: Multiple articles related to clutch installation on this platform provide core references. For example, it emphasizes the need to use a special alignment tool during installation to ensure concentricity between the driven plate and the crankshaft, the requirement to tighten pressure plate bolts in a diagonal sequence to the specified torque, and the importance of correct installation direction of the friction plate—all of which are integrated into the installation accuracy requirements of the compiled content. Additionally, its mentions of checking the clutch working condition after installation and avoiding semi-engaged driving provide support for the compilation of the commissioning and verification section.
• PCauto: The encyclopedia content and Q&A on clutch disassembly and assembly on this platform are important reference sources. Content such as clarifying that the splines of the driven plate need to be coated with an appropriate amount of special grease, reminding against random disassembly or replacement of parts when the clutch assembly has a balanced structure, and detailing the hazards of improper belt tension and bolt torque are highly consistent with the relevant expressions in the component condition inspection and installation detail specifications of the compiled content. Furthermore, its content on adjusting the pedal free travel and checking the condition of the pilot bearing after installation is supplemented into the compatibility inspection and commissioning verification sections.
• Integration of General Maintenance Logic and Isuzu Model Characteristics: Combined with the transmission system characteristics of diesel engines in Isuzu's mainstream models such as the D-MAX and Ruimai, general installation specifications are refined and adapted. For instance, targeting the feature that the clutch assembly of such models is often equipped with counterweights, a reminder to align with positioning marks during installation is added. Based on the adaptation specifications of their transmissions and engines, the key compatibility points for friction plates (such as verifying spline specifications and power) are clarified, making general maintenance knowledge more in line with the actual installation needs of Isuzu models.