Installation Procedure for DAF Vehicle Clutch Kit (Pressure Plate, Driven Disc, Release Bearing)

I. Pre-installation Preparation and Disassembly (Mandatory Pre-installation Steps)

1. Park the vehicle on a level surface, engage the parking brake, disconnect the power supply, and wait for the engine to cool down completely. Securely support the vehicle with a lift or jack plus safety stands. Drain the transmission fluid and remove the drive shaft, half shafts, and transmission assembly.

2. Remove the bolts of the old pressure plate (loosen them step by step in a diagonal sequence), old driven disc and release bearing. Clean the flywheel face and guide bearing bore, inspect the flywheel face runout (usually ≤0.15mm for DAF vehicles) and guide bearing wear, and replace any damaged components.

3. Check the release fork, release fork shaft and bushings for deformation and wear, replace if necessary. Clean the new clutch kit components and remove the anti-rust grease. Do not use dry brushes to avoid dust contamination on the friction surfaces.

II. Core Installation Procedures (Key Specifications)

1. Guide Bearing Lubrication

   Apply a small amount of high-temperature grease to the inside of the flywheel guide bearing. Also apply special grease to the inner ring of the release bearing and the contact points of the release fork to prevent dry friction.

2. Driven Disc Positioning

   Confirm the correct orientation of the driven disc (the damping disc side faces the pressure plate, and the spline end faces the transmission). Use a dedicated alignment tool or the transmission input shaft to pass through the splines of the driven disc and align with the guide bearing to ensure concentricity.

3. Pressure Plate Installation

   Align the alignment pins/marks between the clutch cover and the flywheel. After the pressure plate is fitted to the flywheel, tighten the bolts step by step in a diagonal sequence to the DAF OEM torque (usually 45–60N·m, refer to the vehicle-specific manual for exact values). Never fully tighten the bolts in a single step.

4. Release Bearing Assembly

   Install the release bearing onto the release fork, ensuring it can slide freely without jamming. For hydraulic release mechanisms, check the master cylinder and slave cylinder for leaks and bleed the air from the hydraulic system.

5. Transmission Reset

   Clean the splines of the transmission input shaft and apply a small amount of grease. Align the positioning pins and slowly push the transmission into place. Tighten the connecting bolts to the engine according to the specified torque. Reinstall the drive shaft and half shafts, and refill with new transmission fluid.

III. Commissioning and Acceptance (Mandatory Inspection Items)

1. Clutch Pedal Free Travel Adjustment

   The standard clutch pedal free travel for DAF vehicles is usually 15–25mm, which can be adjusted by changing the length of the control cable or adjusting the push rod of the hydraulic slave cylinder. Ensure complete disengagement and smooth engagement of the clutch.

2. Functional Testing

   Start the engine, depress and release the clutch pedal at idle speed to check for abnormal noise. Perform gear shifting tests to ensure there is no difficulty in shifting or gear slipping. The vehicle should shift smoothly during driving without clutch slippage or shudder.

3. Leakage and Abnormal Noise Inspection

   Check for no fluid leakage at the joint between the transmission and engine. Ensure there is no abnormal noise during clutch operation and no squealing from the release bearing.

Key Precautions for Installing DAF Vehicle Clutch Kit

I. Precautions for Pre-installation Preparation

1. Component Cleaning and Inspection

• Thoroughly clean the flywheel face and guide bearing bore to remove oil stains, rust, and wear debris; otherwise, it will cause clutch slippage and uneven engagement.

• Remove the anti-rust packaging from the new clutch kit (pressure plate, driven disc, release bearing) and wipe the surfaces with a clean cloth. Never use a high-pressure air gun to blow the friction surface of the driven disc, to prevent inhalation of asbestos dust or damage to the friction surface.

• Inspect the flywheel face runout; the DAF OEM standard is ≤0.15mm. If the value exceeds the limit, the flywheel must be refaced or replaced. Check whether the guide bearing rotates smoothly; replace it directly if it jams.

2. Tool and Auxiliary Material Specifications

• A dedicated alignment tool (or the transmission input shaft as a substitute) must be used to position the driven disc, ensuring concentricity among the driven disc, flywheel, and pressure plate. Failure to do so will result in the inability to install the transmission input shaft or cause clutch shudder.

• Only clutch-specific high-temperature grease is allowed. Apply it to the inner ring of the guide bearing, the inner ring of the release bearing, and the contact points of the release fork. Never apply grease to the friction surface of the driven disc or the working surface of the pressure plate.

II. Key Precautions During Installation

1. Orientation and Mark Alignment Check

• Never reverse the installation direction of the driven disc: the damping disc side faces the pressure plate, and the spline hub side faces the transmission. Reversed installation will lead to incomplete clutch disengagement and gear shifting failure.

• The alignment pins/alignment marks between the pressure plate and the flywheel must be fully aligned; otherwise, the dynamic balance of the clutch will be damaged, causing idle speed shudder and abnormal noise.

2. Bolt Fastening Specifications

• Tighten the pressure plate fixing bolts step by step in a diagonal sequence, reaching the DAF OEM torque (45–60N·m, refer to the vehicle-specific manual for exact values) in 2–3 stages. Never fully tighten the bolts in a single step, to prevent pressure plate deformation and uneven stress distribution.

• Tighten the connecting bolts between the transmission and the engine according to the specified torque as well, to avoid drive shaft shudder and abnormal noise caused by bolt loosening later.

3. Requirements for Release Mechanism Assembly

• After installing the release bearing onto the release fork, ensure that the bearing can slide freely in the axial direction without jamming or abnormal noise. For hydraulic release mechanisms, completely bleed the air from the pipeline after installation; otherwise, incomplete clutch disengagement will occur.

• Check the wear condition of the release fork and bushings; replace them if severely worn, to avoid insufficient release stroke.

III. Key Precautions for Post-installation Commissioning and Acceptance

1. Clutch Pedal Free Travel Adjustment

• The standard clutch pedal free travel for DAF vehicles is 15–25mm, which can be adjusted by changing the length of the control cable or adjusting the push rod of the hydraulic slave cylinder. Excessive free travel will lead to incomplete disengagement, while insufficient free travel will cause clutch slippage in the semi-engaged state.

2. Functional Test Taboos

• When conducting a cold-vehicle test, let the engine idle for 3–5 minutes first before engaging gears and driving, to avoid damage to the new friction disc caused by instantaneous high-torque impact.

• During the test, check the following: no difficulty in gear shifting or gear slipping; smooth gear shifting during driving without clutch slippage (engine speed increases but vehicle speed does not rise), shudder, or abnormal noise; no squealing from the release bearing when the clutch pedal is depressed at idle speed.

References：

I. Core Authoritative Sources

1. DAF Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Workshop Manuals

   Manuals for models such as the XF, CF, and LF series (e.g., DAF Workshop Manual) clearly specify key parameters including the clutch pressure plate bolt torque (45–60N·m), maximum allowable flywheel face runout (≤0.15mm), and clutch pedal free travel (15–25mm). They also define installation specifications such as alignment mark alignment and diagonal sequence bolt tightening.
2. DAF Official Technical Bulletins

   These special guidelines are issued for clutch system assembly requirements, lubrication specifications, and common fault troubleshooting. They serve as the direct authority for operations like pressure plate installation and release mechanism assembly.
3. Technical Documentation from Supporting Suppliers (e.g., ZF)

   Clutch components for some DAF models are supplied by manufacturers such as ZF. Their Clutch Assembly Manual provides supplementary specifications for details including release bearing lubrication and driven disc positioning.

II. Notes on Content Compilation and Integration