Release Bearing

How it works

The release bearing rides on the transmission input shaft sleeve or a guide tube. When you press the pedal, the clutch fork or slave cylinder pushes the bearing into the spinning pressure plate fingers. The bearing lets the stationary fork and the rotating pressure plate meet without grinding against each other. On some vehicles, the bearing is built into a concentric slave cylinder instead of riding on a fork.

Signs of a worn bearing

A whirring, squealing or chirping noise that appears or changes when you press the clutch pedal is the classic sign. The noise often goes away when you release the pedal. A badly worn bearing can also make the pedal feel rough or cause clutch release problems.

Noise that is present with the pedal up and goes away when you press it usually points to a transmission input bearing instead.

Replace it with the clutch

The transmission must come out to reach the release bearing, so most people replace it along with the clutch disc and pressure plate. Check the fork, pivot ball and guide sleeve for wear at the same time.

Use a light film of high temperature grease where the bearing slides and where the fork contacts it, unless the instructions say otherwise. Check the fitment table for transmission type, since one model can use several.