Yeah, the factory one lacks gusto. I hope to hear positive reviews out of the LuK TOB. My National got loud pretty soon after install. The current one, National #2, (I've had factory, Spec provided TOB, National #1, then National #2) is just as loud as the factory. The only reason I replaced it was the noise was like a rolling jar of marbles...all the time. It's back to being the same way so I'm looking for another route. If your LuK is quieter then I'll definitely give them a call.

 

You know my other Wranglers never had any issues like this, makes me wonder what's so different about these JK's. Although this one did seem like it was the factory one yet 143,000 on it but sounded like shit haha

My last TJ had 230,000 on the clutch and throwout bearing and still sounded good before I tore it down to do a transmission rebuild cuz the synchros were gone.

 

New clutch is in and feels smooth as butter, I can tell you the JK's are not nearly as easy to pull the trans as my TJ was, or maybe I have just gotten older So to reiterate there is no problems with the Luk kit 01046 in fact it's a rather nice clutch, this things has not driven this smooth in a while. I did use the National bearing 614093 which is the all metal version.

The exhaust was the biggest bitch I came across both on the way out and on the way in. Total time due to a tore up Transfer case breather hose and extending it as well as a rubbed harness I had to fix was about 10 hours total with a couple breaks. Oh and for some reason there was a broke off drill bit through the exhaust union where it meets the rear pipe, found that out after 45 mins trying to split the pipes.

 

That's great, you were fast! Hope I don't regret ordering the Sachs. On a side note, I've used the LUK TOB with the plastic inards on a couple pickups and they've held up well. The Sachs came with a TOB with cast steel inards (stamped with Sachs), but the manufacturer of the bearing itself isn't visible.

Only had a few hours this weekend, exhaust bolts rusted solid and clip nuts spun -- eventually got them out. Y-pipe connection didn't want to come apart either, and the dang connectors for the O2 sensors felt like they were going to break just before getting them apart. The joys of working on vehicles with lots of use... Can hardly wait to see for sure what's making the noise in mine!

 

I hear you there you never know what can of worms your opening up lol

 

Oh BTW on my 07 I did not have to remove the console, only the shifter handle, outer/inner boot. See pic below.

 

Thanks for the heads-up, will watch out for the harness and hose. Will probably get it out tomorrow unless something else comes up.

 

TOB felt pretty dry, but most of the noise in mine was loose/worn clutch disk inards. The center spline had lots of rotational slop, the part that pushed on the springs had about 3/16" of wear - metal missing. This part was rattling around inside when when the clutched was depressed, with the clutch engaged the slop was taken up. The springs feel weak too, just about ready for complete failure..

Turns out the original clutch was made by Sachs, and to me this looks like a weak design. First thought was I should have ordered a Luk, second thought was compare the new Sachs with the OEM Sachs. In the pic, note how they now have a "doubler" to increase the surface area against the springs.

 

That looks just like the one I took out and yeah everything was worn down and loose, especially the double springs almost to the point I could just about pull one out. I'll grab a picture before I throw it away.

 

Just a quick update, the clutch still feels smooth as butter and the throw out bearing is still quiet as ever. Roughly 1800 miles on the new parts, now onto new tires