2018 6MT clutch release bearing chirp

I have had the entire clutch assembly replaced (private shop, aftermarket TOB because that’s what I started with, and Toyota everything else because that’s what was available in town and they suggested I go ahead and do it all). Chirp returned within 200 miles.

I’ve since bled it thoroughly and lubricated inside the boot on the slave cylinder and at the cup on the shift fork. The chirp might be more intermittent, but it remains.

Here’s the thing… my TOB definitely spins at all times and there’s nothing I can seem to do about it (I’ve adjusted the rod under the dash until it’s so sloppy it’s dangerous with no effect). Is the TOB supposed to contact the pressure plate fins at all times on the Rc62f? Because mine definitely does unless I force it back with my hand. Is something installed wrong/not seated? Or is this the way a 3rd gen should be and it’s just a bad bearing straight out of the box?

 

Yes, throw out bearing spins all the time. There is nothing you can do about it. The slave cylinder pushes the fork which shoves the TOB into the pressure plate, no way around it. That is on purpose and is how it’s supposed to be. For what it’s worth, many vehicles have the TOB spin all the time. My 94 Jeep is the same exact way.

Use an OEM bearing for best results.

 

If I preload the bearing at all (touch the pedal), it’ll shut up immediately. If it’s supposed to spin all the time (unlike earlier Tacomas?), can I just add some preload? Lengthening the rod under the dash definitely makes it quiet, Im just afraid of wearing out my TOB prematurely (and not a huge fan of the pedal feel with no play)

 

that sure sounds like a TOB - wonder if there was something wrong with the aftermarket one

 

Sorry to hear that. Why did you have the clutch swapped to start with?

I have TOB struggles myself. On the verge of swapping the clutch this time.

Last year, I had the thought of removing the return spring in the slave, or at least cutting it down a bit. Never got around to it.

 

Lengthening the rod goes against the theory of there being free play at the pedal. The whole purpose of free play is so that the pedal is never acting on the system. The only way to fix a chirping bearing is to replace it. I’m not sure I understand why an aftermarket one was used, but a Toyota one is a better choice. A new clutch to match that is ideal but at 200 miles should be okay.

are you sure earlier trucks didn’t also spin full time? And no, you can’t add preload - that is accomplished by the spring in the slave cylinder. I suppose maybe you could take that apart and add a different spring. Or maybe replace the slave if the spring went weak.

 

It’s just weird to me that the bearing is silent when it is actually doing something, and only chirps when my foot is off the pedal and the bearing is barely resting against the fins. The TOB was from Centerforce and supposed to be identical to OEM… not like it was parts house junk (and it felt good prior to installation because it rode around in my floor board for a month before I found a shop that said they could do it).

There’s so much conflicting information out there. Several seemingly well-informed threads claiming that the TOB shouldn’t rest against the fins on a 3rd gen Tacoma, and several others claiming the exact opposite. Is it just folks giving 2nd gen advice for a 3rd gen truck and it really should contact all the time? I just hate to pull it all out again to replace with an OE bearing and get the same result. If it spins all the time, is the Tilton conversion worthwhile?

 

I don’t know much about 2nd gens, I do know they had a bunch of problems and one of the solutions implemented was to purposefully switch to a full contact throwout bearing that spins all the time. It makes sense for it to spin all the time because the bearing is always “in action” and doesn’t have to be caught up to speed every time it’s used.

Anything about 3rd gen saying it shouldn’t be full contact is incorrect. That is evident by looking in the window on the bellhousing of any 3rd gen and seeing it spin. Simply a factor of the spring in the slave cylinder forcing the fork and bearing up to the clutch.

Haven’t seen anyone use a Tilton, I have seen enough 3rd gen chirps posted that it seems to happen around every 100K. Many continue driving on it with no problems other than the annoyance of the noise. If it was me I’d do a new clutch and TOB, all new OEM parts. I just don’t really trust the aftermarket to do a better job than the OEM did.

 

Chirping while not touching the pedal and it stopping with any pedal force is the classic diagnosis.


The amount of loading on the TOB at rest is troubling to me. Seems to be way too much.

 

Update: pulled transmission, Centerforce throwout bearing was fine (replaced with Toyota part anyway). Apparently, they didn’t grease the shift fork pivot

 

Is this your personal warehouse with lift, or somebody else’s shop? Good set up! I wish I had lift for my personal use.

 

My TOB started chirping a few months ago or so. To be honest, i was super disappointed becuase i was only at ~55k miles. My 2007 ford rangers TOB was silent at 165K miles when i sold her. OG clutch too.

Now it kind of fixed itself It only chirps for few seconds at startup then the noise goes away completely. Im honestly not worried about it all. Im keeping this truck for at least another 15+ years so we will see how she does.

 

Man that sucks. I remember couple years ago reading on here how you dropped your tranny to replace the TOB. Now its chirping again...

Im assuming it a constant noise?

 

Yeah. Experimenting with the slave spring removed. It is quiet and working great now. We'll see if I make it to spring time.

 

Built a 30’x50’x14’ shop with a 12’x12’ door last year, and finally got the lift installed a couple months ago. It’s honestly a dream that I’ve been working toward for decades, and now that I have it, I still can’t quite believe it’s real (I grew up in a very different situation, to say the least ). Most of what you see was made in China (I ain’t doing *that* well ), but I’m thrilled nonetheless.