Am I overpaying?

I just talked to my local mechanic about getting my throw out bearing replaced because of some noises coming from it in my transmission (https://youtube.com/shorts/5_Qx66XcE2c?feature=share) He said it would cost around 1700$ because he has to replace the whole clutch as a kit, bot just the throw out bearing. Am I overpaying? (Factoring in that I live in California)

 

Not sure about the Tacoma's, but when I replaced the clutch on my 02 Camaro the throw-out bearing was inside the center of the hydraulic slave cylinder, which bolted directly to the front of the transmission. In other words, I could drop the trans and replace the slave cylinder and throw out bearing and bolt it back up and be done.

However, I elected to replace the pilot bearing, slave cylinder/throw out bearing, clutch pedal master cylinder assembly, as well as the entire clutch assembly.
You might consider getting a few other estimates. I'm sure a large chunk of that $1700 is labor and it's not uncommon for shops to recommend replacing the entire clutch while the vehicles already disassembled. (Depending on the mileage of course.)

Also, I did this myself as the dealer labor rates were about $1000.

 

Hm alright thank you. The only reason I’m having a shop do it is I replaced it maybe 22k miles ago. Entire assembly and the slave cylinder. Then that noise popped up and has made me concerned ever since. While it doesn’t affect my driving. The mechanic said he recommended it even though I recently replaced it all so I guess I’ll call him again tomorrow morning

 

The dealership wanted $3k to do a clutch on my 04 in 2016 (LA area), so that sounds fair. It's a labor intensive job. He's right, if you're going to do the bearing you might as well replace the clutch since it all has to come apart.

 

If you are going to replace it with OEM parts.
It will most likely start making the noise again.
It is a design flaw. And there’s more than one flaw.

AFAIK, there is not a permanent fix.
-URD makes a sleeve that helps.

There are a few guys that have come up with better fixes.
But I don’t believe it’s been tried, it’s just “on paper”.

All you want to know on the RA60
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...on-your-6-speed-transmissiom-write-up.338840/

Proposed fixes
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2nd-gen-manual-transmission-fix.624299/page-38#post-24674731

If you are going to have it repaired.
You might as well get the better parts. Like the URD Sleeve.

 

YOU replaced the clutch yourself, 22K miles ago? Or had someone replace it? If you did it yourself you should already know what is involved and whether you think the money is well spent.

But if someone else did the job they may have skimped on the bearing and still charged you for it, or you got a new bearing that was not up to normal standards for one reason or another.

A clutch is not difficult to replace. The hard part is getting everything lined up straight so the shaft hits the hole in the crankshaft properly, and most clutch kits come with a centering tool.

Have you priced the parts yourself? It sounds like the shop is quoting you about $1500 to do the labor on a job that I could do with proper tools in an hour or two. Of course they are also quoting book rates/time which a good mechanic can always beat.

And I would be checking the condition of the clutch plate on disassembly if I was doing the job myself. If it has plenty of life left I wouldn't replace it. But if I was paying a mechanic I would have them replace it and ask for the old parts after the job was done.

 

Last time I did it myself yes. 22k miles ago. But as someone who’s 18 it was a large undertaking and I only had the tools in my grandfathers shop from 20 years ago. It took about 3 days for me with help when I needed a second person. Cost wise it was 400$ but time wise it wasn’t quick. And certainly not easy. I know everything I had done was correct though, I believe it was the after market TOB or slave cylinder that has made me experience some headaches the last year

 

I Did bring up that the clutch plate and diaphragm should all be good because of that recent replacement. And I don’t drive like shit so I don’t sit there and burn the disk up. He just had said he can’t get the parts individually, being that they come as a kit. And with the tranny dropped it’s worth it for the time

 

Nice job man.
That’s a fairly big job for someone that’s 18 and only has basic hand tools.
If you do it again, I’d look into the URD sleeve kit.
That way you aren’t doing this again soon.

 

Yeah I’ve seen a lot of posts about it. Also plenty of posts about a different spring in the slave cylinder. I might bring up that part but I don’t know if I should or if I should trust my slave cylinder is good. The nice thing about the mechanic is he assured me that if the problem persists he would fix it free of labor charges

 

Gotta watch where you are buying parts and also brand names. OEM parts are often made by the same manufacturers than make aftermarket parts. But I don't shop at Autozone for a reason.

So the real question is whether the money is better earned at your job and paid to the mechanic, or better kept in your own pocket and you will have to go through the difficult job one more time. At least it should be easier the second time.

 

Also yeah haha I had to drop it on a 35 year old semi truck tranny lift as well as use a normal jack stand

 

See that bolded part where I quoted you.

If he said he cannot get the parts separately he is full of poop.

Here it is on Rock Auto for like $35.00.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog...ansmission-manual,clutch+release+bearing,1968

If you replaced the clutch, pressure plate and throw-out bearing 22K ago and haven't abused it, just replace the throw-out bearing assembly if it makes you feel better you shouldn't need a PP or clutch disk.

 

The only thing I have to add if you decide to go with the mechanic route is to make sure to have the "lifetime free labor" in writing. I have never encountered a shop that offer free labor on a failed part past 90 days, especially on a labor intensive install. Unfortunately, you will have to replace the whole assembly if a shop is going to repair it because I can see them not honor the free labor due to blaming a failed part from a past install.

 

My local dealership quoted me a price of just $875 labor to do a new clutch install and will let me buy the kit online from their website, which saves about $150 in parts. Total cost about $1200. I think it's just the TOB, symptom is a whining noise whenever I press the clutch in with the truck moving. Noise is greater when I just barely touch the clutch than when all the way to the floor. In neutral I can barely hear the noise if at all. The sound is similar to when a power steering pump is low on fluids. Truck shifts fine though, so is this probably the TOB or pilot bearing and how quickly should I be getting this fixed. Also from time to time I would get that chirp when shifting from 1st to 2nd. Sounds like a second gear scratch you could get back in the day with a fast muscle car. I heard that was probably the pilot bearing.