Installation Method of Mitsubishi Vehicle Clutch Pressure Plate

I. Pre-Installation Preparation 

Vehicle and Safety

• Park the vehicle on a level surface, engage the parking brake, shift to neutral, and disconnect the negative battery terminal to prevent short circuits.

• Securely support the vehicle with a lift or jack + safety stands; remove the transmission to ensure safe operation.

Tools and Spare Parts

Cleaning and Inspection

Cleaning

• Thoroughly clean the flywheel face, pressure plate mounting surface, locating pins, and crankshaft pilot bearing hole. Remove oil contamination, rust, burrs, and debris; ensure no oil residue on friction surfaces.

Inspection

• Pressure Plate: Check for wear, cracks, and deformation on the friction surface. Measure flatness with a square and feeler gauge; replace if deviation exceeds 0.1 mm.

• Driven Disc: Confirm the direction of the damper/cushion spring seat. The side marked "TRANSMISSION SIDE" faces the transmission, and "FLYWHEEL SIDE" faces the flywheel. Inspect spline wear, friction plate thickness, and rivet depth; replace if abnormal.

• Flywheel: Check the ring gear for wear and the pilot bearing for smooth rotation; replace if necessary.

• Release Mechanism: Inspect the release bearing, fork, and release fork shaft to ensure no binding, abnormal noise, or dry friction marks on lubrication points.

II. Installation Steps 

1. Install the Pilot Bearing

• Install a new pilot bearing into the center hole of the crankshaft rear end, apply Mitsubishi genuine grease, and ensure smooth rotation without binding or abnormal noise. Verify concentricity with the driven disc spline hub.

2. Install the Clutch Driven Disc

• Orientation Confirmation: The side with the damper/cushion spring seat faces the pressure plate. Install according to the "TRANSMISSION SIDE" and "FLYWHEEL SIDE" marks; reversing the orientation will cause disengagement failure and gear-shifting shock.

• Centering: Insert the centering tool T22001 or transmission input shaft through the driven disc spline hub and pilot bearing to ensure strict concentricity with the flywheel and crankshaft, preventing installation deviation.

3. Install the Pressure Plate Assembly

• Alignment: Align the pressure plate with the flywheel’s locating pins/holes. If there are assembly marks (e.g., arrows, notches), align them with the corresponding marks on the flywheel to ensure correct orientation.

• Pre-Tighten Bolts: Install the pressure plate mounting bolts, hand-tighten until snug (do not fully tighten yet) to reserve adjustment margin.

4. Diagonal Step-by-Step Tightening of Bolts

• Secure the Flywheel: Use tool T10028 to lock the flywheel and prevent rotation.

• Step-by-Step Tightening: Tighten the bolts gradually in a diagonal sequence over 2–3 stages. First pre-tighten to 10–15 N·m, then final-tighten to the specified torque (25 N·m for common Mitsubishi models; refer to the service manual for some performance models) to avoid pressure plate deformation.

• Bolt Specifications: Use new disposable bolts; discard old bolts with tensile deformation. Apply a small amount of grease to the threads to ensure accurate torque.

5. Lubricate Key Components

6. Install the Release Mechanism

• Install the release bearing and release sleeve, ensuring tight contact with the fork without gaps or binding.

• Install the fork and secure the release fork shaft. Check the concentricity of the shaft ends to ensure consistent fork travel and uniform contact between the release bearing and diaphragm spring.

7. Reinstall the Transmission

• Clean the transmission input shaft splines, apply a small amount of Mitsubishi genuine grease, and smoothly insert it into the driven disc spline hub (avoid damaging the splines or pressure plate).

• Tighten the transmission-to-engine mounting bolts to the specified torque (refer to the vehicle manual), and connect the clutch hydraulic line/cable.

• For hydraulic clutches, fill with brake fluid and bleed the system in the order of "master cylinder → slave cylinder" to ensure no air bubbles and normal pedal travel.

III. Post-Installation Inspection and Adjustment 

1. Mechanical Inspection

• Rotate the clutch driven disc to check for binding, abnormal noise, and interference with the pressure plate or flywheel.

• Inspect the contact state between the release bearing and diaphragm spring; ensure smooth fork movement without looseness.

2. Hydraulic System Inspection (for Hydraulic Clutches)

• Check the fluid levels in the master and slave cylinders for leaks. Start the engine, press the clutch pedal, and verify that the travel meets the standard (total travel: approximately 140–150 mm; free travel: 15–25 mm, refer to the vehicle manual).

• Bleed the system again to ensure complete disengagement and smooth gear shifting.

3. Pedal Adjustment

4. Road Test

• Verify smooth startup without vibration or slipping; ensure seamless gear shifting without gear impact noise.

• Check for abnormal clutch noise during high-speed driving, normal pedal return, and no incomplete disengagement.

• If vibration, slipping, or abnormal noise occurs, recheck concentricity, bolt torque, and lubrication status; reinstall if necessary.

IV. Key Precautions 

1. Absolute Correct Orientation: The damper side of the driven disc faces the pressure plate. Clearly distinguish between the transmission and flywheel sides by marks; reversing will cause disengagement failure and gear-shifting shock.

2. Concentricity Control: Use the T22001 centering tool throughout the process to ensure concentricity between the driven disc, flywheel, and crankshaft, avoiding difficulty in installing the input shaft or uneven wear of the driven disc.

3. Bolt Tightening Specifications: Tighten bolts diagonally in stages; strictly control torque to 25 N·m (refer to the manual). Never reuse disposable bolts.

4. Precise Lubrication: Only lubricate specified points; strictly prohibit oil contamination on friction surfaces to prevent clutch slipping or vibration.

5. Safe Operation: Mandatorily use the T10028 flywheel holding tool to prevent injury from flywheel rotation during installation. Keep the work area clean to avoid debris entering friction surfaces.

6. References：
   

7. The content is primarily derived from Mitsubishi’s official service manual and domestic authorized maintenance systems, integrated with industry universal standards and practical experience from mainstream automotive maintenance platforms. Detailed explanations are as follows:

8. Core Authoritative Sources 

9. 1. Mitsubishi Official Service Manual

10. Key parameters such as special tool codes (flywheel holding tool T10028, clutch centering tool T22001), requirements for diagonal step-by-step tightening of pressure plate bolts, standard torque value (25 N·m), and driven disc orientation marks ("TRANSMISSION SIDE"/"FLYWHEEL SIDE") are fully consistent with the manual.

11. Applicable to mainstream manual transmission Mitsubishi models including Pajero, Outlander, Lancer, etc. For performance editions or special model years, refer to the corresponding official manual.

12. 2. SAIC Motor ServiceNow (Domestic Authorized Maintenance System)

13. Details such as the clutch assembly disassembly/installation process (Cleaning → Centering → Diagonal Tightening → Lubrication → Inspection), component inspection standards (e.g., pressure plate flatness deviation ≤ 0.15 mm, driven disc thickness ≥ 5.9 mm), and requirements for replacing disposable bolts are highly consistent with the maintenance guidelines in this system.

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