Gotta Love Amc (Rant)

[Zenobian_84]

Pilot bearing gave up the ghost the other day. Took it in to the shop today to get it fixed. Sounds simple, right?  :crossfingers:

 

Gave me a quote for a new clutch kit (Luk) + labor at $700; warranty on everything included. More than I wanted to spend, but a necessity, considering I need a vehicle to drive back and forth to work. Not only that, but I'm also moving out within the next month, so a double necessity.

 

Of course, following the old Jeep adage where there is no such thing as an easy repair, I get a call back about 20 minutes ago saying that the internal slave has a leak, and so does the master cylinder. Of course, the parts / labor had to cost me another $400, bringing the grand total to $1100 to get everything fixed. I replaced the slave cylinder the last time the clutch got swapped, but I'm not surprised really that there was a leak; it's hard to find good quality made parts nowadays.

 

I'm all for paying for quality work, which I'm going to get, but it couldn't have come at a worse time. Below is a pretty accurate summation of how I currently feel.  :mad:

 

 

My NEW new year's resolution is to drive this 4 speed into the ground, and replace it with an AX-5 (external setup) the next time the clutch, or the internal slave goes. I should have just gone with my original idea of finding a 5 speed, but I wouldn't have been able to get it home if I had.

 

Well made trucks, but horrible design AMC; you should feel bad for ever having such a poorly designed internal slave system on a manual.  :no:

 

- - - 

On a positive note, this has only motivated me even more to go to a technical school and get my training underway. So, a double-edged sword, really.  :typing:  :fs2:

[Pete M]

the pilot bearing in my 88 was destroyed LONG before I pulled the trans for the 4wd conversion.  like, so destroyed that the bearings didn't exist anymore.  truck ran fine. :yes:   never even knew it was bad. :dunno:

[mvusse]

Most clutch kits have the slave cylinder included with it.

[Automan2164]

Don't cheap out on an internal slave either...

 

Rob

[86customanche]

I'm guessing you are the lady in green?? :rotf:

[Comanche County]

Just do the work yourself and you'll save a bunch of money.  Its really not that difficult to do replace a clutch, slave and master cylinder.  There's no special tools required, but you might need a pilot bearing puller.  Getting a mangled pilot bearing or bushing out can be frustrating but with determination and patience you'll get r' done.  The master cylinder is simple, it will gravity bleed, then a few pumps of the clutch pedal with a helper underneath and you'll have it bled.  The rest is just unbolting parts and bolting it back on.

 

The aggravating part is stabbing the transmission by yourself.  But the 4speed isn't that heavy, neither is a BA10 or an AX15.  You can do it.  It just takes a bit of muscle and the right leverage.  Don't throw away a wheel barrow full of money, you can do the same quality job that a shop can do....its hard to screw it up so just dive right in. 

 

Be glad its not an auto, they're heavier and getting soaked in ATF isn't fun....but overall they're easy too.

[JeepcoMJ]

Did the clutch and slave and master work?

 

 

If all that's completely toast is the pilot bushing, have them put that in.    Like you said, you want an ax5 anyways.     Fix the pilot, and drive the trans into the ground.