Clutch Assembly: Removal
WARNING: This page is about a different variant/trim than selected.
- Remove battery, battery tray and air cleaner assembly. Drain transaxle oil. Disconnect tension rod located above transaxle mounting bracket.
- On all models, disconnect control cables, speedometer cable and electrical connections at transaxle. Remove clutch release cylinder with line connected and wire aside.
- Remove starter motor, with harness connected, and wire aside. Support transaxle. Remove upper transaxle-to-engine bolts and transaxle mounting bracket bolt. Loosen, but do not remove nuts on ball joints and tie rod ends. Using Remover (MB991113
), separate ball joints and tie rod ends from steering knuckles. Remove nuts and remove ball joints and tie rod ends.CAUTION: DO NOT pull on axle shafts during removal, or damage to shaft assembly will result.
- Disengage axle shafts and wire aside. See FWD AXLE SHAFTS article in DRIVE AXLES. DO NOT
damage oil seal. Plug shaft openings in transaxle.CAUTION: Ensure a pad is inserted between engine support and front deck. Ensure that hood weatherstrip is not caught between front deck and pad.
- Remove bellhousing cover. Support engine with Engine Support (MB991191 ). See Fig 1 . Remove remaining transaxle-to-engine bolts. Remove transaxle assembly. Insert a clutch pilot to prevent pressure plate and clutch disc from dropping during removal.
- Diagonally loosen pressure plate bolts to avoid warping pressure plate flange during removal. Remove pressure plate and clutch disc. See Fig 2 .