(G) Clutch change will I have to?.....

My clutch is all but dead on my Cinqy sporting. Doesn't slip or judder but when I press the pedal I get a crack from the box/arm area and when engine's running I get a squeeling sound. Cable's pretty new so I suspect bearing and cover are slaughtered. Not good for 35k miles but previous only lady owner prob rode it!! When it's out I'll report my findings if anyones' interested. Iv'e ordered 3 piece clutch kit. plus a fork and the two bushes. For the sake of an extra 15 quid do I really want to be stranded when (if) I find them bits are fubar'd as well?...

So,

I've read haynes and it says remove downpipe. I have a janny manny with decat. Do I have to take all this off or will do box drop out if I simple remove the two bolts which hold both together. I can doi without getting manny off as the nuts are no fun to get at..

Also I've not got tool so how easy is it to get gearcable balljoints seperated off box linkage?

Any tips before I embark on this grim job?!!

Ta v muchos

There's no need at all to touch the manifold or the exhaust. You're not taking the engine out, and it won't greatly improve access to the starter motor.

You can make the little splitter tool out of a cheap (cheaper the better) cold chisel in about 5 minutes. Alternatively, lever off carefully with a screwdriver.

Without a 4 post lift and a transmission jack it's a pig of a job (and will require 2 people to safely get the box off, let alone back on again).

I'd cheerfully pay a backstreet clutch fitter £100 to do it.

Cheers for prompt answer. Haynes says downpipe off. Mind, they'd say remove rad to do a rear wheel bearing!

I dont trust backstreet fitters. They put shat reclaimed clutch bits in and usually leave half the bolts out and the other half loose..

I tour europe in my cinq so I need peace of mind.

One more question. I can get away with undoing the strut to hub bolts to get the clearance to get the inner cv's out the box can't I? Every time I've used a balljoint splitter on the lower arm its either marked the thread (screw type) so I cant do the nyloc up (easily) or the fork type ruins the rubber boot.

I got my dad to help lifting out box and putting back in..

I think you can just get away with it. Nitrane's trick with the bottom one is to undo the bolt till it's nearly off and use a cold chisel in the gap.

I like the screw and lever type seperators (much cheaper now than they used to be) and the FIAT manuals show one of these being used on the bottom joint, but I've yet to find one that'll fit -- must be a special special tool!

You can get a ball joint splitter from Machine mart for about £8.21

Ive used one of those on the bottom BJ before. Same as track rod end etc...just needs the driveshaft offing....

You know, I never even considered offing the drive shaft first!

Here's how the factory do it, and the tool (which, apparently, needs modifying before you use it!):

I've got a sort of square balljoint splitter. Not a lever one. Has a big 22m bolt..

Trouble is the fiat balljoint doesn't have a concave at the top of threaded bit. So the ballbearing at top of bolt on the splitter moves and crushes a bit of thread on the balljoint if you're unlucky (i was when I done outer cv boot last year).

When you re-assemble the nylock hits the newly damaged thread and spins. So then you gotta put a trolley jack under balljont to try and lock the balljoint thread. I faffed about for half an hour. Sorted in the end.

Think I'll undo strut bolts!....