3.4L V6 5 Speed Manual Flywheels?

Bear in mind that a new flywheel also has a new ring gear.

Yeah, blanchard grinding is not the only way to resurface a flywheel. It might be a better choice for flywheels that have hot spots that have become very hard though. A mill with a rotary table could also be used in lieu of a lathe, although shops are unlikely IMO to have a 16"+ swing lathe unless they work on heavy equipment.

 

I will just get a LUK flywheel and call it done. Now I have to make a final decision on which clutch kit to use. Have narrowed it down to reman OEM Toyota/new Aisin/new Exedy. All 3 look like very good choices. But I do like the steel spring seats on the Exedy disc VS the plastic spring seats on the reman OEM and new Aisin. The spring seats on the original OEM Toyota/AISIN disc that I pulled out of the Taco were steel (below). And the OEM Toyota/AISIN clutch assembly gave me excellent service for 25 years. And it still had quite a bit more left in it.

EDIT: Just for the record, the original OEM T/O bearing in my '97 Taco was definitely in need of replacement as was the right rear LCA bushing. All these items will be addressed during this heavy MTX inspection.

Original OEM TOYOTA/AISIN disc with steel spring seats out of my '97 Taco 4x4:

 

aisin

 

The

$280 AISIN CKT-040 OE Matched Clutch Kit - Compatible with Select Toyota 4Runner, T100, Tacoma, Tundra

AISIN CKT-040 kit is very hard to argue against. If I were rock crawling, I would definitely prefer steel spring seats like the original OEM Toyota/AISIN disc or the aftermarket Exedy disc. But my '97 Taco is a hunting rig for use in the MS mud.

Aftermarket AISIN CKT-040 has plastic spring seats in the disc. The current reman OEM Toyota disc also has the same type plastic spring seats as the aftermarket AISIN.

 

Just a quick follow-up on the aftermarket

$280 AISIN CKT-040 OE Matched Clutch Kit - Compatible with Select Toyota 4Runner, T100, Tacoma, Tundra

AISIN CKT-040 clutch kit purchased from the AISIN store on Amazon for $251 + tax shipped. This is a new AISIN clutch assembly, not a reman like the currently available OEM Toyota factory parts. The disk and pressure plate are AISIN marked and "MADE IN JAPAN" is printed on the box. The T/O Release Bearing in marked NSK & JAPAN which is the same as the original OEM T/O bearing my '97 Taco came with. But the Pilot bearing in the AISIN kit is marked KOYO 6201 RS & ROM. The pilot bearing box is marked 62012RSC3GXM and MADE IN ROMANIA. The original OEM Pilot bearing was marked NSK 6201V 911 JAPAN. I am a big believer in JAPAN seal & bearing quality. So for $6, I will get another OEM Toyota NSK JAPAN pilot bearing. This is probably overkill. But like the original OEM Toyota/AISIN clutch that came with this '97 Taco, the OEM NSK pilot bearing and OEM NSK T/O Release bearing lasted for 25 years. I will have greater confidence going back with the same parts. .02

 

Bearings have a universal part number used across all manufacturers. The "6201" in the part numbers designates size (some will call it a "201" bearing, still same #s). While the remaining letters describe how the manufacturer shapes the cup, cone, and seal. So long as you have a "201" bearing with the same seals (plastic vs metal, 1 side sealed or both) it will be the same part. Of course, if you want the original brand that's your prorogative. Good luck!

 

7,
If the KOYO bearing was a JAPAN made part, I would use it with great confidence. It is a 2RS type bearing with seals both sides and looks to be of high quality like all KOYO JAPAN bearings and seals I have used. But I would hate to have to tear the tranny out just to replace a bad $6 pilot bearing. Just for reference, the original OEM pilot bearing and the T/O bearing definitely showed the effects of my offroading torture and needed to be changed out. Neither bearing had a lot of life left, especially the T/O bearing. Appreciate your input bud!

 

All good quality and if time isn’t an issue the wait for the true Japanese bearing is worth it.

 

Exactly my thinking. I use KOYO/Nachi/NSK/etc. made in JAPAN bearings and seals whenever I get the opportunity. Marlin is rebuilding the R150F 5 speed manual gear box now. Even with their much-improved turnaround time, the earliest the tranny will get back for install is some time around Labor Day weekend. I might even have time to get ECGS to put their clamshell bushing & a locker in the front diff. Will look into that this coming week. As long as the '97 Taco is ready to go hunting by early Oct., I'll be in good shape.

 

leid-

Here is an old machine shop we've used since the 80's. Good folks.

Novelty Machine Shop (601)948-2075, (601)852-6343

 

Thanks bud! Yours is the very first recommendation I have been able to get on a machine shop near Brandon.

 

When I did my clutch I just got a flywheel from the parts store and it works great, people are probably overthinking that part of the job here. I will say make sure you get a Japanese, preferably OEM, pilot bearing. Marlin had a Chinese bearing in the clutch kit of theirs I used and it seized in less 30kmiles and almost cost me a $700 trans input shaft (cost not including my labor). I was able to just swap the bearing as the groove wasn't horrible.

 

I don't want to have to do another clutch job anytime soon. So all bearings/seals going back in are Japan marked. The pilot bearing is the OEM Toyota 90363-12024 bearing which is marked NSK 6201V JAPAN. If you look online, you will see several people had problems with their aftermarket flywheels. And all had to do with ring gear/starter problems. One guy even posted a pic. The ring gear appeared to have an obvious machining flaw with the tooth geometry, but it had slipped thru QC. Must have been an OFF day.

 

Just so folks won't think your blowing smoke.

Toyota


Parts store (China)
Note the difference in tooth profile (bevel on the opposite side of tooth) and the chips after brief use. Sorry, don't remember the brand.

 

Wouldn't it be great if garbage parts were no longer a thing? New trash, hands down the worst kind.