Clutch kit technical question 3RZ-FE W59 transmission

The clutch pedal on a 3rd-gen 4Runner 2WD W59 transmission 3RZ-FE engine is engaging late.

There is not a single 3RZ-FE 4Runner W59 transmission clutch DIY for the 2WD '97 on the entire Internet that I can find, so I wrote up my own prospective detailed Frankenstein DIY from about a score of DIYs for other vehicles, which I will post later when I do the job.

Having never done a clutch myself, I'm now doing my homework where the first question I have is about parts to buy for a vehicle that is strictly road use by a woman (my sister) where I've already replaced the shifter bushings:


And I've replaced the clutch fluid with 2.7 liters of Redline MT-90:


And this past weekend I rebuilt the clutch master cylinder:


And the clutch slave cylinder:


After easily bench bleeding the clutch master cylinder:


And after making a total mess out of attempting to bench bleed the clutch slave cylinder:


I bled the system thoroughly with ATE DOT4 Racing Blue, which solved her immediate inability to shift when backing out of the garage problem:


Moving forward, the problem is that the clutch pedal engages very late in the release cycle.
Hence, my question here is about choosing the right clutch kit for the W59 transmission

1. What's the practical difference between a 900 & 1200 foot pound pressure plate? (yes, I know, 300 foot pounds).
2. Do you bother replacing non torque to yield pressure plate bolts?
3. Do you change the teeth spacing in your flywheel?

I called Marlin Crawler (+1-559-252-7295) today who does not offer an OEM spec Aisin 900 foot pound pressure plate in any of their 5-piece clutch kits.

The only kit they have to fit my vehicle is the MCCL-128 for $300
* Aisin 1200 pound pressure plate
* Seico clutch with steel springs
* Nachi pilot bearing
* Nachi throwout bearing
* Plastic spline alignment tool
<https://www.marlincrawler.com/clutch/heavy-duty/clutch-tacoma/1995-04-4cyl-1200-lb-clutch-kit>

They recommend pressure plate bolts even though they mentioned they're not "torque to yield", whatever that means to me in practice:
* MCHT-411
<https://www.marlincrawler.com/hardware-tools/hardware/heavy-duty-pressure-plate-bolt-kit>

They also sell a flywheel where you can specify the teeth spacing, again, whatever that means to me in practice.
* MCCL-221A
<https://www.marlincrawler.com/clutch/flywheel/flywheel-i4-27-liter>

Basic homework questions that someone with experience might know:
1. What's the practical difference between a 900/1200 pound pressure plate?
2. Do you bother replacing non torque-to-yield pressure plate bolts?
3. Do you change the teeth spacing in your flywheel? Why?

 

@gearcruncher may be able to help

 

First thing I would do is adjust the clearance between the release bearing and the clutch .
You want to make that clutch adjustment on the clutch master cylinder pushrod longer .
Increasing the length of the master cylinder push rod will move the release bearing closer to the clutch pressure plate giving you more clutch pedal travel .
By doing this , you will essentially allow the transmission more time for the input shaft to slow down and come to a stop when you push the clutch pedal to the floor .

The clutch you have listed is fine . Marlin Crawler is a reputable clutch provider and the price is good . They offer 300 foot pounds more clamping force than a factory clutch if you were to source a clutch from the dealer .

No need to purchase a flywheel unless the starting teeth are visibly wore out and the surface area of the flywheel isnt dished out . Needs to be tested with a straight edge .
Once the transmission and clutch have been removed , pull the flywheel off and take it to a machine shop to have it turned down .
Ask the machinist to write down how much metal he needed to remove to get the flywheel back to a flat surface as you may need shims . This should be approx $50 bucks .

I have never replaced flywheel bolts on a vehicle used as a daily driver . Red Loc-tite and retorque to factory spec is all that is needed unless race truck .
Missing from your list is the pilot bearing . I suggest having one of those ready for replacement .

Try adjusting the clutch push rod first
Lower in this thread , I beleive there is a factory service manual available with the needed specs as far as the clutch adjustment .
Look for the W59 information
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...on-your-5-speed-transmission-write-up.338836/

 

Thanks for finding my query as I am really trying to UNDERSTAND this stuff but it's all new to me.
I'll do whatever you suggest (as long as it's legal!) where this is the only thing that is adjustable anyway:

It's always confusing this longer/shorter stuff because, as you know, the pushrod is a single fixed-size threaded cylinder of metal where all I can do is move this brass locknut either closer to the firewall, or further away from the firewall (and then snugging everything up):

I think, after looking at the photos, I want to move the brass locknut further AWAY from the firewall to make the rod "longer".
Is that correct?

I had always thought the adjustment was for the slop between the ball of the pushrod and the socket of the clutch master cylinder?

I hate when I don't understand simple things.

I just called Marlin Crawler at +1-559-252-7295 and spoke to Brendan, who said he didn't know what a 1,200 foot pound clutch does differently than a 900 foot pound clutch (which pretty much was the same answer I received yesterday from a different person at Marlin Crawler).

Since an engine only develops around 300 foot pounds of torque, the flywheel to clutch friction surface area has to take those 300 foot pounds, so I asked Brendan if he could measure the flywheel and clutch but he said he couldn't (which is fair enough) since the web site doesn't specifically say what the diameters are or what the advantage is of the 1,200 foot pound clutch.

When I asked Brendan why they even sell a 1200 pounder, he mentioned that they have bigger tires than stock, which is fine - but Brendan couldn't explain why that matters to anyone.

So, I really don't understand what 1200 foot pounds does for ANYONE who buys their clutches.
I'm not saying that they're not reputable since everyone says that they are, so I believe them.

But I am saying that nobody at Marlin Crawler can tell me WHAT the advantage of the 1,200 pound clutch really is in real life on the road over a stock clutch (and it's not that I don't understand them - as I understand very clearly when they say "I don't know the answer" to my basic questions).

Thank you for that advice. I will measure the flywheel when I pull the transmission out, but I have no indications at this point that the starter is grinding or slipping.

The vehicle has had only one clutch in it's 150K mile life at around 75K miles where it was surging and slipping on steep hills at highway speeds at that time, but I don't know if the flywheel was replaced or machined at that time.

So I will take your advice and I will visually inspect the flywheel and mic the thickness (does anyone know the spec offhand for minimum thickness) when I pull the transmission, where I have lined up a local shop who can machine it for $60 (but they only work weekdays, so that will be a scheduling issue).

Thanks for that advice to use Loc-tite.

How does this Loc-tite preliminary plan look for colors?
* Loc-tite red = flywheel & clutch-cover bolts
* Loc-tite blue = starter & bell-housing bolts

The list has a "Nachi flywheel pilot bearing" I think, doesn't it?
(Or are there two different "pilot" bearings?)

But I didn't list some other parts that I "may" need to get at the same time which are:
* Release fork $27 PN 31204-20071 (is this often needed?)
* Ring gear $112 PN 13453-20010 (is this often needed?)
* Rear main seal $33 PN 90311-80004 (everyone says to do this while you're already there, and use Toyota FIPG).
Anything else commonly needed?

I will do everything you recommend, as long as it's sane!

The one very unsettling thought is why do people say that a clutch that engages late in the uplift pedal cycle is worn?
A worn friction disc would be only be worn by 1/8 of an inch or so, isn't the hydraulic mechanism "self adjusting"?

So if it's self adjusting, why would a worn clutch engage at any different point in the pedal release cycle?

We have the paper FSM which is up in the attic somewhere, which, as I recall, is two thick and one thin (electrical) manuals.
We always buy the FSM with every vehicle. We just have to find it.
But, generally, the FSM is only good for specs and not for actual work because they're all written by a Japanese person with Alzheimers who forgets steps that are only known to professionals who have done the job a thousand times already.