Clutch kits for 5vz-fe/r150f

Yes I did and I know why you went that route.

It was not so directed at you but others that might be talked into a lite fly wheel and not know.

 

Agreed, My OEM with V6 went 200k miles and I'm abusive with clutches, lots of aggressive shifting, I tend to hold the truck on inclines using the clutch and I did a fair amount of towing. Could not believe it.

I have the Marlin and I'm worried the clutch bracket will fail (some have failed with stocker) so I'm retraining myself not to hold the clutch in at stop lights. It's not a major repair but also worried about the throwout failing prematurely. Even my rubber clutch hydraulic line failed - they now have a braided stainless. The clutch grabs like a SOB but its not really necessary at 190 hp.

 

When I learned long ago I was taught to keep my foot off the clutch and put the transmission in neutral at red lights.

I no longer even give it a thought.

 

My '97 V6 Taco is routinely used for 4 wheeling thru deep mud/high water here in MS to go hunting/shooting. And since I am now retired, it gets used 150+ days a year. Since the original OEM Toyota/Aisin clutch is still working great after 25 years, that is an excellent indicator of a very durable design for my uses. The only reason I will be changing the clutch out is that the R150F 5 speed manual transmission will be getting a rebuild this summer. And it would be foolish not to change all the clutch parts/rear main seal out at the same time. If the current OEM Toyota clutch disc/plate were new and of the same design as the originals, I would not hesitate to go back with them. But I will take a look at the original OEM Toyota/Aisin clutch disc when I pull it. If the original disc has metal retainers on the damper springs, I will probably go back with the Exedy kit since it is of the same design. And the Exedy disc also has dual damper springs which should make it a bit more HD than the single spring OEM design. IMO, the Exedy definitely appears to be the most robust design of the 3 clutches I listed. And ShowStop over on TTORA recommends the Exedy kit over the Aisin kit or remanufactured OEM Toyota clutch parts. .02

 

OP what did you end up going with? @Blackdawg based on some digging I see you haf the TG ceramic, still happy with it? My TOB is screaming and I was able to ignore it a while but now I feel grinding in the pedal, but my Marlin crawler clutch still feels great. Not sure if I should just replace the TOB or do it all regardless that the clutch still feels okay. Seems dumb to do it twice so leaning doing it all.

Seems like the gist is just make sure I can source an NSK japanese release bearing, everything else seems personal preference. The MC kit was stiffer than stock, which I am okay with if the ceramic kit is too. Wish I could just get the kit I am happy with, but doesn't look like that's going to be the case anytime soon.

 

No it needs replaced. Took a tone of abuse though. I'm not sure how many miles it lasted honestly. But I sure as hell wasn't nice to it. Took it up Morrison twice. And then all the other shenanigans.

Was a good kit I'd say. Driving a 6 puck isn't the same as a standard one. In some ways it's annoying but nothing that you can just get used to.


Take a look at the lce pro kit too. It's half organic and half ceramic 6puck.

 

I just installed the Marlin Crawler Aisin+Seco kit, and it seems pretty nice. Came with high quality Japanese bearings (pilot and release). Much lighter feel than the stock clutch, which I'm starting to like, though it was weird when I first installed it. They are out of stock, but I signed up for email alerts and got one about a month after signing up. Ordering at that point was no problem.

Shop Day at Zane’s – Timing Belt and Clutch Replacement

Step-by-Step Clutch Replacement on 1st Gen Tacoma 5VZFE (also 4Runner, T-100, Tundra)

 

Yeah I think I am looking at the Dual Comp kit LCE sells now (their Pro kit is different it seems but doesn't really list more benefits than the street kit besides more HP capability).

Yeah I would have preferred to go down this route again, I have been really happy with that kit. Though my pedal feel felt heavier, not lighter. But my old clutch was smoked to shit so maybe that's why.

This was the only trail in 68k miles I started to smell the clutch heat up on, it's a very solid setup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skKBab2vSlc

I would say those past 68k is probably the hardest wheeling I have ever done and it's taken it like a champ. That includes all my big trips in the truck so far including Moab.

 

Bought a new LUK and pilot/bearing about 3 years age, works just fine. Installed a new std weight flywheel. Have used LUK in other vehicles and never had a problem (knock on wood). Have used OEM primarily but sometimes not. OEM front rotors have a history of warping, which mine did, went with an aftermarket with a lifetime warranty.

 

I remember being told to do that in driver's-ed back in high school if you had a manual trans. Keeping it in gear would result in points taken off during your test. Think they also frowned on downshifting to slow down but I do that one all the time.

I put it in neutral at lights as well to avoid more wear on the pedal spring and clutch assembly over time. Unless I know the light is about to change, I've got a habit of always seeing what the cross traffic light is doing and once I know I'm about to get a green I'll put it in gear.

 

Dual comp! thats what I was talking about. Couldn't remember the name.

 

Down shifting I have had a few discussions about this the new theory with the out board brake drums on Trucks and Trailers it is cheaper to service brakes then the clutch and drive train.

I down shift all the time it is how I learned long ago.

 

Same here. I learned about "putting one down" instead of braking for speed control in Honda motorcycle drivers ed way back in the mid '60s. It carried over to the '66 Mustang GT 289 HiPo 4 speed 450HP pony car I drove/raced. The ZOOM clutch setup was a leg strength test so you put the Hurst Super Shifter back in neutral at every opportunity. Downshifting and not riding the clutch have been part of my DNA for a very long time.

 

The olden days back before they thought hydraulics for a clutch was a really interesting idea.

That slipped my mind till I was reminded of it just now that made a really big difference holding that mechanical clutch in.

 

Any feedback on the clutches people have put in lately? Have a LCE Pro that’s been sitting on a shelf for 7 years but now that I’m married and am not going on much more than rocky slight inclined roads, I’m looking for something that she can use and does fine for off-roading.

My daily’s oem has 220k and has survived 10 years of LA streets and freeways, many desert off-road trips, and my wife learning to drive manual so I’m looking at OEM or Aisin with OEM $100 more than the Amazon price for the Aisin kit. I’ll be using the LCE heavyweight flywheel with 4.56’s and 35’s too.

 

Dalandser,
The aftermarket AISIN clutch I installed in 2022 still feels like the original OEM Toyota/AISIN clutch that came in my '97 V6 Taco Xcab 4x4, extremely smooth with a light clutch petal. And it has withstood over 2 years of my off-roading use/abuse including 100s of steep climbs as seen below, many of those steep climbs with approx. 800lbs. of gravel in the bed. I broke an AAL spring coming out of there, but only after hauling dozens of heavy loads of gravel/sand while fixing potholes in our roads/trails. But the aftermarket AISIN clutch worked perfectly, even with its light petal feel. For my uses, the aftermarket AISIN clutch kit was a great choice. If I were rock crawling, I would probably have gone with the Exedy clutch kit with the captured damper springs just like the original HD designed OEM Toyota/AISIN disc. But the more durable Exedy clutch has been reported to have a bit heavier clutch petal feel. HTH