Mitsubishi Automobile Clutch Kit Installation Method

Preparation Work

Tool Preparation

Component Inspection

• Clutch Pressure Plate: Check for diaphragm spring deformation, cracks, uneven wear or ablation on the pressure plate surface, and ensure proper spring elasticity.

• Clutch Disc: Friction lining thickness should be ≥ 3mm, rivet sinkage ≥ 0.3mm, splines free of wear and jamming, and torsional damper intact.

• Release Bearing: Rotate smoothly without jamming or abnormal noise; ensure seal ring integrity.

• Others: Prepare new flywheel bolts, clutch fluid (for hydraulic systems), transmission fluid, and replacement parts such as guide sleeves or release forks if necessary.

Vehicle Preparation

1. Park the vehicle on level ground, engage the handbrake, shift to P (Park) for automatic transmissions or 1st gear for manual transmissions, and turn off the engine.

2. Open the engine hood and disconnect the negative battery terminal to prevent short circuits.

3. For hydraulic clutch systems, drain the clutch fluid in advance; for rear-wheel drive (RWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD) models, drain the transmission fluid.

4. Lift the vehicle using a lift or jack (in stages) and secure with safety stands to ensure stable support.

Removing the Old Clutch Kit

1. Remove Related Components: Dismantle the drive shaft (RWD/4WD), transmission mounts, shift linkage, and disconnect all wires and hoses connected to the transmission.

2. Separate Transmission from Engine: Uniformly loosen the transmission-to-engine mounting bolts, gently separate the two components with a pry bar (taking care to protect the input shaft and locating pins), and carefully remove the transmission to place on a dedicated stand.

3. Remove Pressure Plate and Driven Disc: Secure the flywheel with a holding tool, gradually loosen the pressure plate bolts in a diagonal sequence, and remove the pressure plate and clutch disc.

4. Remove Release Bearing: Use circlip pliers to remove the release bearing circlip, take out the bearing, inspect the release fork and guide sleeve for wear, and replace if necessary.

5. Cleaning & Inspection: Clean the flywheel surface to remove oil, rust, and wear debris; check for cracks or warpage. Resurface or replace the flywheel if flatness exceeds specifications.

Installing the New Clutch Kit

Release Bearing Installation

1. Clean the release bearing guide sleeve, apply specified grease, install the new release bearing onto the release fork, ensure secure seating, and verify proper circlip retention.

2. Apply grease to the contact points between the release fork and bearing, as well as the release fork pivot, to ensure smooth operation.

Clutch Disc & Pressure Plate Installation

1. Positioning & Lubrication: Apply a thin layer of grease to the clutch disc hub, slide it onto the transmission input shaft to check for smooth spline engagement, and confirm the installation direction (torsional damper typically faces the pressure plate).

2. Alignment Installation: Insert the clutch alignment tool through the clutch disc center hole and flywheel pilot bearing to ensure concentricity with the flywheel and transmission input shaft.

3. Pressure Plate Fixing: Align the pressure plate with the flywheel locating pins, place the clutch disc, and hand-tighten the pressure plate bolts in a diagonal sequence to ensure flush contact between the pressure plate and flywheel.

4. Torque Tightening: Use a torque wrench to gradually tighten the pressure plate bolts in 2-3 diagonal stages to the specified torque (usually 20-25N・m; refer to the vehicle manual for model-specific values), then remove the alignment tool.

Transmission Reinstallation

1. Clean the transmission input shaft splines and locating surfaces, apply a thin layer of grease, and slowly slide the transmission into the engine. Ensure the input shaft smoothly engages the clutch disc hub and aligns with the engine locating pins.

2. Gradually tighten the transmission-to-engine mounting bolts in a diagonal sequence to the specified torque (e.g., 35±6N・m).

3. Reinstall the drive shaft, transmission mounts, shift linkage, and reconnect all related wires and hoses.

4. For hydraulic clutch systems, fill with new clutch fluid and bleed the system to remove air, ensuring complete clutch disengagement.

5. Refill with new transmission fluid to the specified level.

Adjustment & Inspection

Clutch Free Travel Adjustment

1. Hydraulic Systems: Adjust the clutch master cylinder or slave cylinder push rod length to achieve the standard free travel (typically 10-15mm; 15-25mm for specific models such as Pajero).

2. Mechanical Systems: Adjust the release fork rod or cable length to meet free travel requirements.

3. After adjustment, repeatedly depress the clutch pedal to check for stable travel and complete disengagement.

Functional Testing

1. Static Inspection: Start the engine, depress the clutch pedal at idle, shift through all gears to check for smooth shifting, jamming, or abnormal noise, and confirm complete clutch disengagement.

2. Dynamic Road Test: During vehicle operation, test for smooth clutch engagement during startup and shifting, check for slipping or vibration, and verify normal power transmission during acceleration. Complete the installation once no abnormalities are detected.

Precautions

1. Cleaning & Lubrication: Ensure all friction surfaces (flywheel, pressure plate, clutch disc) are clean and free of oil contamination. Apply an appropriate amount of specified grease only to non-friction parts (e.g., splines, bearings) to avoid grease contact with friction linings.

2. Alignment & Balance: Always use an alignment tool during clutch disc installation to ensure concentricity; improper alignment may cause shifting difficulties or clutch vibration. Tighten pressure plate bolts gradually in a diagonal sequence to ensure uniform pressure distribution.

3. Component Replacement: Flywheel bolts are one-time use and must be replaced during installation. For hydraulic systems, it is recommended to replace the clutch fluid simultaneously to ensure system cleanliness and performance.

4. Safety Operations: Strictly follow safety guidelines during operation; ensure stable vehicle support to prevent component falls and personal injury. Disconnect the negative battery terminal to avoid electrical short circuits.

5. Torque Specifications: Use a torque wrench for all bolt tightening, adhering strictly to vehicle manual specifications to prevent bolt loosening or thread damage.

References：

Core Source Basis

Differences from the Official Service Manual

1. Structure Adjustment: Dispersed chapters (disassembly, inspection, installation, adjustment) in the original manual are integrated into a coherent workflow of "Preparation → Disassembly → Installation → Adjustment → Precautions," making it more suitable for practical operation reference.

2. Generalization Processing: Detailed differences between models (e.g., some special tool models, specific torque values) are summarized as a "general method," with a reminder to refer to the corresponding vehicle-specific manual for operation.

3. Supplementary Explanations: Quantitative standards for component inspection (e.g., friction lining thickness ≥3mm, rivet sinkage ≥0.3mm) and practical tips such as the replacement recommendation for one-time use parts (flywheel bolts) are added.