2015 Toyota Tacoma Clutch Replacement Guide

Kinda what I was thinking. I drove the shit outta my 03 and sold it 13 years and 130,000 miles later and the clutch was still fine. Maybe someone rides with their foot on the clutch?

 

TOB design is shit. Older tacoma's weren't same design, if i remember correctly. Mine on my 2013 chirps something fierce now and will probably be doing the same soon. May move to URD Hydro setup, if they ever come back into stock.

 

2nd gen is about the same, except 1st gen is likely more rusted lol.

1st gen trans is easier to handle, the RA60f is a fat pig.

There is no pilot bearing in the 2nd.

I also run the heavy flywheel from URD.

If you do the URD clutch, you will want to clean the powdercoat out of the bolt holes and holes for the dowell pins, it messes with the torque on the pressure plate bolts.

 

The 2nd gen throw out bearing is a different design, and it sucks.

Also, the quill it rides on is Aluminum (it was steel in your first gen)

 

That explains our issues.

 

I replaced the clutch on my 2015 after about 2 years and 37K miles. I blame my particular difficulties on the fact that I installed a supercharger on its first birthday. It got to the point that the clutch would slip under anything but moderate acceleration. The old clutch was so crispy it felt like a potato chip... Probably should have addressed it sooner. Anyways, on the bright side I did not have any chirping and I upgraded to the URD TOB while I was in there.

FYI all of my current and past vehicles are/were manual. I have never had any other issues.

 

Same here, put my supercharger on my 2015 right after my first oil change.

About 12k I changed the clutch because it was slipping under load.

Changed the second because of headaches with a poor choice lol.

Owned many many manuals and never had clutch issues, other than Tacoma throw out bearings on my 2008. The stock clutch in my 15 was still in great shape but it was not up to the extra power of the supercharger.

 

The TOB was the main issue and why I changed the clutch out. It was slipping a little bit but was fine for the most part. The main reason I changed the clutch out is because I was tearing it all apart anyway might as well upgrade while I was in there for the TOB. I have a little over 76k on it now and no issues to report. The clutch is still nice and strong. No noise from the TOB as expected with 6k on it all. Took the time to break it in nice and slow before getting rough with her.

 

We had a wet week and its starting to cool off. My TOB is starting to talk to me again, ugh.

 

Beautiful write up! Thank you SO much. Never done anything mechanical on a vehicle before and have almost completed this task thanks to you.

**Question: all that’s left for me to do is bleed the clutch and I’m having a difficult time doing so. When I pump the clutch I don’t feel any pressure build up. I have my assistant hold the pedal on the ground (even though it stays there by itself) while I release the bleeder screw (am I supposed to completely remove the screw or barely back it out so that air can escape??). Once I release the bleeder screw I pump the clutch and nothing happens. I think I may be pumping too fast. I keep pumping and eventually a little bit of fluid squirts out BUT I can’t get it to a solid stream. I checked the reservoir and it’s at the minimum level so I’m going to the store to get brake fluid. Hopefully adding more fluid gives it pressure to feed the lines at it should bleed properly, correct? If not I’m concerned what route to take. Do I buy a pump and try vacuum’ing it out? Or get a new master cylinder and slave?


Thank you to anyone who can shed some light! God bless

 

^^ Solved. Added brake fluid and we’re off to the races. Thank you for everything!

 

Yup thankfully mine wasn't gouged out yet so I did the sleeve. I wouldn't have minded doing the Hydro but I was barely comfortable changing this much with the help of Josh as neither of us have mechanical backgrounds and lacked a solid guide.

 

Glad to hear I was able to help. That's what this community was built on.

 

Got an update for everyone from 85,591k clutch is still going strong and no noise from the TOB. I have noticed that it doesn't seem to fully disengage with the clutch all the way in. I can hear the clutch scrubbing a bit. I wonder if the hydraulic fluid needs to be replaced in these hydraulic clutches.

 

It's an occasional issue and not all the time. If I throw it in neutral the noise stops.

 

You may consider adjusting your clutch pedal assembly, which would adjust the grab point slightly. Flushing the fluid also makes sense to evacuate any air, which can create unpredictable clutch operation.

 

The FSM states the throw out bearing itself is permanently lubricated and doesn't need nor have provisions for lubricant in the bearing, the inside sleave however DOES need grease and has channels cut into it to hold the grease.

Where did you find directions to pack it into the holes in there?

I'm confused and concerned as I'm in process of replacing my stuff and I did NOT put grease in there.

My OEM bearing that came out did not have any signs of grease in there and the Nachi part number is the same as the one on the URD bearing which leads me to believe they use the same bearing and simply mill the inside a few thou to clear the stainless quill sleeve.

Lastly I used the washers that came with the URD bolts for the heavy flywheel, the bolts are not ARP. Was I not supposed to use the washers? I read somewhere to not but they were installing the light flywheel with the ARP bolts.

This project had been an absolute fuster cluck from go and has had me second guessing and running out for more parts and in general just running me ragged. The URD "instructions" are so general they only helped me have more questions and confusion.

I just want my truck back it's been down for two weeks. Currently waiting on a part Toyota ordered and then somehow it never showed up.

Sorry for the picture spam but I kind of want someone who's been through this to double check me here.

 

Interesting the the inner sleeve on the TOB is gray plastic. Seems weird to have all the grease exposed to collect clutch dust. I guess at lease it will be slippery dust. I just put a new kit in my 05’ that has 206000 on the original clutch and TOB. The TOB was only bad part but might as well do it along with the rear main.

 

I’m doing this on a 2WD version trans. The center hole of the pressure plate fingers looks off center to the pilot bearing on the crank and clutch disc. Is this normal? I’m pretty sure I got the alignment tool all the way in.

 

There is no pilot bearing on the 6speeds, so yes it's entirely possible your alignment is off by quite a bit, in this aspect the alignment tool is much less an alignment tool and more simply a device to move the clutch disc while installed behind the pressure plate. I suggest eyeballing as best you can using a tape measure or calipers to fine adjust and hoping it's aligned well enough before torquing the pressure plate bolts down.