Clutch Slave Cylinder

This procedure covers the removal and replacement of the hydraulic clutch slave cylinder on a 2007 Ram 3500 with the 5.9L Cummins diesel engine and manual transmission.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Clutch slave cylinder (hydraulic release bearing) × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Transmission input shaft seal (if damaged) × 1 — Use OEM specification

Fluids

• DOT 3 brake fluid — 0.25 qt

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level surface and engage parking brake
2. Place wheel chocks behind rear wheels
3. Disconnect negative battery cable
4. Raise front of vehicle and support securely on jack stands at frame rails
5. Remove skid plate if equipped
6. Allow exhaust and drivetrain components to cool completely

Procedure

1. 1

   Access transmission bellhousing
   Remove the starter motor by disconnecting electrical connections and removing mounting bolts. This provides access to some bellhousing bolts and will be necessary for transmission movement. Label all electrical connections for reassembly.
2. 2

   Disconnect hydraulic line
   Locate the hydraulic line connection at the slave cylinder on the driver's side of the bellhousing. Place a drain pan underneath and use a line wrench to disconnect the hydraulic line from the slave cylinder. Cap or plug the line immediately to prevent fluid loss and air entry. Expect some hydraulic clutch fluid spillage.
3. 3

   Support transmission
   Position a transmission jack under the transmission pan with a block of wood to distribute load. Raise jack to just contact transmission and take up weight. The transmission does not need to be fully removed, only moved back enough to access the slave cylinder.
4. 4

   Remove transmission crossmember
   Remove the bolts securing the transmission crossmember to the frame rails. Remove the bolts securing the transmission mount to the crossmember. Lower and remove the crossmember. The transmission weight is now fully on the jack.
5. 5

   Remove lower bellhousing bolts
   Remove all accessible bellhousing-to-engine block bolts from underneath the vehicle. There are typically 6-8 bolts of varying lengths. Note the location and length of each bolt as they are not all the same. Some bolts may be accessed from the starter opening.
6. 6

   Remove upper bellhousing bolts
   Working from above in the engine bay, remove the remaining upper bellhousing bolts. Access to the upper bellhousing bolts is from above in the engine bay; shifter removal is generally not required on this platform—verify clearance before disturbing the shifter assembly. Mark the position of any brackets or ground straps attached to bellhousing bolts.
7. 7

   Separate transmission from engine
   Carefully slide the transmission straight back on the jack approximately 2-4 inches until the input shaft clears the pilot bearing. Do not let the transmission hang on the input shaft as this can damage the clutch disc. The slave cylinder will now be visible on the input shaft bearing retainer inside the bellhousing.
8. 8

   Remove slave cylinder
   The hydraulic slave cylinder (concentric release bearing) is typically mounted to the transmission input shaft bearing retainer with mounting bolts; verify the exact retention method against OEM documentation. Compress or remove the retaining mechanism and slide the slave cylinder off the input shaft. Inspect the input shaft seal and bearing retainer for damage or leaks.
9. 9

   Install new slave cylinder
   Clean the input shaft bearing retainer surface. Ensure the new slave cylinder hydraulic line fitting is positioned correctly toward the access point. Slide the new slave cylinder onto the input shaft bearing retainer until it seats fully. Install and torque the slave cylinder mounting bolts to the OEM-specified value, or install the retaining clip/spring if so equipped; verify the correct retention method and torque against OEM documentation.
10. 10

    Reconnect transmission to engine
    Guide the transmission input shaft through the clutch disc splines and into the pilot bearing while keeping the transmission level. Slide the transmission forward until the bellhousing contacts the engine block evenly. Do not force - if resistance is felt, the input shaft may not be aligned with the clutch disc splines. Use slight rotation of the output shaft to help alignment.
11. 11

    Install bellhousing bolts
    Install all bellhousing-to-engine block bolts in their correct locations, starting with the upper bolts. Tighten bolts gradually and evenly in a cross pattern to pull the bellhousing to the engine block, then torque to the OEM-specified value (verify against factory service data).
12. 12

    Reinstall crossmember and starter
    Raise the transmission crossmember into position and install mounting bolts to frame and transmission mount. Remove the transmission jack. Reinstall the starter motor and reconnect all electrical connections. Install skid plate if equipped.
13. 13

    Connect and bleed hydraulic system
    Connect the hydraulic line to the slave cylinder using a line wrench and tighten securely. Fill the clutch master cylinder reservoir with the OEM-specified clutch hydraulic fluid (verify DOT 3 or DOT 4 per factory spec) to the MAX line. Bleed the clutch hydraulic system by having an assistant pump the clutch pedal and hold, then open the bleeder screw at the slave cylinder until fluid flows with no air bubbles. Close bleeder before releasing pedal. Repeat until pedal is firm with no air in system. Top off reservoir to proper level.

Reassembly

1. Verify all bellhousing bolts are tightened in a cross pattern
2. Ensure hydraulic line connection is tight and not leaking
3. Confirm clutch master cylinder reservoir is at proper level
4. Reinstall any heat shields or protective covers removed during disassembly
5. Reconnect negative battery cable

Verification

• Start engine and verify no unusual noises from bellhousing area
• With engine running, depress clutch pedal fully - it should have firm resistance and return smoothly
• Check for hydraulic fluid leaks at slave cylinder connection
• Test clutch engagement by shifting through all gears with engine running
• Perform a test drive to verify smooth clutch operation, proper engagement and disengagement
• Verify no clutch slippage under load and smooth shifting between gears
• Recheck clutch master cylinder fluid level after test drive

Related trouble codes on this vehicle

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