Replacing the Clutch Pedal Bushing
Date: 1/4/2004
By: Bob_98SR5


Tools Needed
8mm, 10mm, and 12mm socket bits/wrench
Rachet wrench extension
Slip-joint pliers
Needlenose pliers
Philips screwdriver
Flat-blade screwdriver
Center punch
Hammer
Grease (lithium)
Safety glasses
Hand towel


Parts Needed
Toyota Clutch Pedal Bushing: Part #90389-05017

Disclaimer
I am providing this write up for illustrative purposes only. Perform at your own risk. Any mods (including this one) you perform on your vehicle is your responsibility. Commercial use of this write up will result in legal action as well as the undying scorn from members of the online Toyota 4Runner community. You've been warned.


Addendum (4/1/04):
Member Unhappy created a great way to bypass the clutch bushing issue. Having had my clutch bushing break twice since the writing of this maintenance write up, I decided to give it a shot. I've personally found that it is more effective than constantly replacing the Toyota OEM bushing.

Please note that this solution is NOT Toyota's recommended solution, so please take that into consideration. To further reinforce that point, 4Runners.org does not make any representation to its safety, effectiveness, etc. Your results maybe different and by doing so, you assume all risks for its outcome.

Here is the link to the original Yotatech.com thread. I highly recommend that you read through the entire thread. You will gain valuable insight and figure out how to do it. Spring part numbers are also included within the thread, so go read and don't email me and ask me what part # spring you should buy, ok?

Ok, back to the original write up:


Summary
Talk about a repair that takes way too long for something so small. This repair is for 3rd generation 4Runner drivers with 5-speed transmissions. If you hear a squeaking sound every time you push on the clutch (or on the rebound), most likely what you are hearing is the sound of the clutch spring rubbing against the clutch pedal's u-shaped seat. Over time, the metal will start to wear and eventually cause the clutch pedal to become unusable. Thus, replacing the plastic (grrrr) clutch bushing will prevent this wear and tear and save you from buying another clutch pedal or assembly.

Note: This seemingly tiny repair took me about 2.5 hours to put that tiny bushing in, so you have been warned.

Step 1: Making Some Room
Making some room on the inside as well as in the engine bay will significantly reduce the time you spend on this repair. First, open your hood. Then completely remove the lower driver's side panel. There are four 10mm bolts you need to remove. Once removed, unscrew the four Philips-head screws that hold the hood and gas tank hatch to the lower panel. Move the panel out of the way. Second, remove the A/C duct underneath the steering column. It is held together by a single Philips-head screw. Remove and place out of the way. Finally, and especially if you're a big guy, you might also consider unbolting the seat and moving that out of the way. Sorry, no pics, but trust me, its easy.

   
Remove four 10mm bolts (4) and four philips-head screws (S)   Remove the single philips-head screw
and pull out the A/C duct

In the engine bay, if you can remove the master cylinder nuts without moving the evap box out of the way, you got some mighty small hands. For the rest of us, you'll want to move the evaporator box out of the way. You do not have to completely remove it---just make some space for your hands. To remove it, unbolt two 8mm bolts shown here and a 8mm bolt (not shown) but its easy to find and remove. Also, you'll need to unhook some hoses. Make sure you mark the location of those hoses so you put them back in the right place:

   
Remove 8mm bolts (B1 & B2) and 8mm Nut (N)   Move the evap box aside and you've got some needed hand space


Step 2: Removing the Clutch Pedal
There are several fasteners, nuts, and bolts you need to remove off the clutch pedal assembly to allow you to remove it. First, remove the cotter pin and the clutch roller pin by taking your pliers and pulling the pin downwards. Next, push the roller pin to the left as far as it will go and then take your center punch and gently tap it out to the left. Put these parts in a safe place:

   
Pull down cotter pin (C) and punch roller pin (R) to the left   Here's a close up of the parts. It's a good idea to grease the roller pin b/f putting it back in.

Now, look inside and you'll see two harnesses that connect to the clutch pedal assembly. Remove both. One of them is a bit difficult to reach around and remove because the release tab faces towards the left side of the vehicle:

   
Harness 1 is the easiest to remove   Harness 2 is a bit more difficult. Not a lot of room to reach around, but its do-able.

Next, remove the top 12mm bolt that holds the pedal assembly to the interior. It is located up top and is best removed with a 12mm socket on an extension. Once removed, go to the engine bay and remove the 12mm nuts located on either side of the master cylinder. These are a bit difficult to remove, but if you have a 12mm socket (long-type), it'll make the job alot easier:

   
Remove with a 12mm socket and extension   ...do the same here. N1 is a pain. Please note the red power wires you see here are to my Auxiliary Fuse Box mod.

You are now ready to remove the clutch pedal assembly.

Step 3: Cleaning, Re-greasing, and Inserting the U-shaped Clutch Bushing
Remove the clutch pedal assembly, paying careful attention not to tear any wires out while pulling the assembly out. Once removed, secure the clutch pedal into your vice and remove the spring with pliers or a large flat-bladed screwdriver. Because the spring is under tension, please be careful and wear goggles. For extra protection, I tied a towel around the spring to prevent it from shooting out:

   
I greased this area many months ago because I wanted to reduce the friction that was causing the wear and tear. The original bushing was destroyed and only little chunks remained.   For extra protection while removing the spring, I wrapped and tied a towel around it.

Visually inspect the U-shaped clutch seat, clean, and re-lube:

   
I've cleaned it out. Notice there is already some "grooving" caused by constant wear and tear because of the absence of the bushing   This little bushing will save you hundreds of dollars in parts and labor. Thanks for nothing, Toyota: can you make this out of anything else besides plastic?!?!

After lubing the clutch bushing seat, place the bushing inside and lube the entire assembly. Fricition is bad so extra lube will definitely help prolong the life of the plastic (grrrr!!!!) bushing. Now, place one end of the spring into the spring hole, seat the middle part of the spring in the clutch spring seat, and then use a lot of force to re-seat the entire spring. It look me about 3 tries to fully understand how much force was needed to re-seat it, so be forewarned.

   
Put a generous amount of lube in there and place the bushing on top of that. Put some more lube on the bushing as well.   Seat one end of the spring in (A), seat the middle part in (B) and compress and pull downwards to seat end (C)

You were still wearing your goggles, right?

Step 4: Re-Assembly
In reverse order, re-assemble all parts. I had some trouble inserting the clutch roller pin back in, but after lubing it with lithium grease, it went right in.

Questions or feedback? Email me and I'll try to get back to you. If this article helped you save time, money or just made things more convenient for you, please consider donating to keep this site alive.