Going to replace my clutch and DMF on my vRS. Looked in Haynes manual and its a 3 spanner job which surprised me.

I am pretty competant so going to give it a go. A few things that concern me are:

The manual only refers to 5 speed boxes but is the 6 speed similar to take off / re-fit.

Anything I should be aware of that isnt mentioned in the manual or similarly any advice on the job would be appreciated.

Lastly do the oil seals go on these and should it be something I should replace at the same time or is it just a case of gearbox off fit new parts and re-fit.

and one last thing whats the time frame on this job bearing in mind I have never done a clutch before.

Cheers

The six speed is much bigger and heavier, not a nice job if your not on a ramp. Book time is about four hours I normally take less than two but that's on a ramp with air tools.

You unbolt the drive shafts from the inner flange so no seals required. However you will find it much easier to remove the box of you take out the o/s flange as it gets caught behind the flywheel. You need a long 6mm Allen key on a socket to remove the centre bolt.

+1 for the o/s flange. I took the subframe and consoles off to to give more room. then the gearbox was a doddle to get out

oh and it took me pretty much te whole day, I hadn't done one either, but I was doing a few other bits and pieces too

Thanks for the replies.

I will be doing it on the floor as no ramp. Few more things.

Is a clutch line up tool recommended and also can it be done singlehandedly or are 2 people really required. Lastly the Haynes manual mentions a homemade flywheel locking tool, is this needed or is there another way of doing this.

Thanks again

Your going to need 2 people. I have a dislocated collar bone from lifting one on my own.

As for a locking tool you can use a bell housing bolt and a big screw driver to lock it.

A universal clutch aligning tool is perfect and what I use.

Thanks Tech1e. You have given me the confidence to try it myself.

Two last things the reason I am doing this is because of a rattle in 5th and 6th under acceleration and there is also a slight vibration under my foot when I press the clutch.

I have just read another thing could be the gearbox input shaft bearings, is there any test to rule this out, or if not and I put new DMF clutch etc and the rattle still exists can I just swap gearboxes using the recently fitted clutch. Dont want to fit new clutch etc and then have to fit another one if gearbox is knackered.

Thanks for all the help

The clutch will work but why not get the box rebuilt whilst it's out? It sounds very much like first motion shaft bearings to me.

Oh that doesnt sound good. Is it safe to drive if thats the proble?

Until the bearing gives up

i changed mine not so long back, it took 2 of us to wrestle the box out, and it was deffinatly worth dropping the subframe to do it, it gives you so much more space to work, unbolting it and replacing it is childsplay but manouvering the box gets a little stressfull