4 Best Tacoma Clutch Kit & Buyers Guide (2020)

by Β· Automotive Expert
Published
Updated

I’ve been digging in clutches since college, like, 18 years or something. I really get a load of kicks out of it, so below I offer you to get acquainted with the most popular companies whose products are most often chosen by customers.

On the market, you can find products from more than a dozen well-known brands. The heart of the matter is which clutch kit is better.

Why you can trust me?I accept nothing from product manufacturers. Never. Here β€”Β only unbiased reviews and my opinion. I only earn commission from Amazon

I recommend:

our pick

Exedy 16087

The best OE replacement

The Exedy clutch kit assembly you will receive is manufactured on the same production line as OEM clutch components, that is why i think you should check this one.

best value

Luk 16-088

it's a good choice according to money and quality

Almost every fourth car in the world drives a clutch from Luk, why not to be the reason for an upgrade for your Tacoma?

premium

Aisin CKT-057

Premium item for heavy rider

In our opinion, the Aisin clutch kit is a reliable substitute for the original equipment and the guarantor of a soft ride on a heavy road.

budget

SouthEast 16070

American heritage for a soft ride

SouthEast clutch kit guarantees reliable power transmission and smooth gear changing. Designed to withstand even the toughest conditions and to offer long service life.

A clutch is** **an internal device of the car, without which it is impossible to imagine the functioning use of the car. What functions does it perform? The most basic is, of course, gear shifting, but this is far from all. Tasks such as torque transmission and disconnecting the transmission from the flywheel are included in the list of functions.

The clutch package includes a driven disk as the basis of everything, of course, a pressure plate with a spring and a release bearing.

How to distinguish an original from a fake

We all know that when purchasing a product there is a risk of buying a low-quality part that is a fake. Visually distinguishing forgery from the original is quite difficult, and sometimes without special tests, it is impossible.

What action should be taken to find out what you bought? Test the friction material and everything will immediately become clear.

So, you will need a grinder with an abrasive wheel, which you need to work on the material. Smell of something burnt? If so, then most likely you have a non-original part. Just imagine: this can all happen in your clutch housing.

Table Of Best Tacoma Clutch Kit

NameOur ratingrequired year periodengineweightdimensionspriceShops
Exedy 16087
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…
95-043.4L V618 lb13.5 x 14.5 x 5 inches$$
Luk 16-088
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…
05-172.7L18.25 lb15.5 x 14.5 x 3.5 inches$
Aisin CKT-057
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…
05-154.0L V626.2 lb14.5 x 13.8 x 4.5 inches$$$
SouthEast 16070
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…
95-042.7L18 lb13.6 x 14.4 x 3 inches$

swipe left to see more

How I decided

box-icon
12
models considered
clock-icon
87
hours spend
interview-icon
18
experts interviewed

Best Tacoma Clutch Kit

Exedy 16087

our-pick
Our rating:
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…5.0

Exedy is one of the leading manufacturers of original clutches, cuz all of their products have been designed and built from the ground up on the same factory that is Toyota make.

Thus, this element is an ideal replacement for the original equipment or a car having light bolts, due to it is tightening fit, such as the base Tacoma 3.4 L V6. The feel of the pedal will be slightly stiffer than that of the stem, and the clutch disc is made of an organic compound that will hold approximately 430 ft/lb of torque on the handle, which is enough to withstand most of the bolts, and then some

The Exedy clutch kit uses a spring-loaded hub design. I think this is great, because if you have ever driven an unsprung clutch 4 or 6, you will know that it is not interesting to drive, especially if your car sees any road duties. Not only can the unsprung clutch also be a little stiffer on your drivetrain.

Key features:

  • great driveability
  • OE replacement
  • organic compound disc

Product score:

  • performance(9/10)
  • quality (9/10)
  • price (7/10)

TOTAL SCORE: 8.3

Pros
  • smooth drive
  • street-friendly
  • high performance
Cons
  • kind of noise

Luk 16-088

best-value
Our rating:
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…4.0

The Luk clutch kit is designed and engineered to perfectly match the β€œ05 to β€œ17 Tacoma 2.7L unique performance characteristics.

This item is tested and guaranteed to meet critical performance specifications, including torque capacity, material hardness, hub spline tolerance, wear capacity, clamp load, pressure plate lift, and torsional vibration dampening.

When you install a Luk clutch kit, you get a replacement clutch set with the same flawless performance as your original equipment parts backed by the industry's most trusted warranty.

Key features:

  • OE replacement
  • excellent heat-absorbing capacity
  • the superior quality friction surface

Product score:

  • performance(8/10)
  • quality (8/10)
  • price (8/10)

TOTAL SCORE: 8

Pros
  • cheap price
  • smooth and the pedal feels lighter
  • optimal drivetrain efficiency
Cons
  • the curvature of springs and loss of elasticity

Aisin CKT-057

premium
Our rating:
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…5.0

The quality and reliability of AISIN clutches, which account for a large part of the market for components supplied by Toyota Tacoma are known worldwide, confirmed by customers on forum TacomaWorld. The quality and reliability of AISIN spare parts are also impeccable, as the company has vast experience and deep knowledge in the field of production of original equipment (OE).

The combination of ideal components in AISIN clutch kits ensures optimum transmission performance. AISIN clutch kits offer perfect power transfer, pedal responsiveness, and OE replacement.

Kit includes AISIN Clutch Cover & Disc, Release Bearing, Pilot Bearing (if required), & Alignment Tool.

The scope of delivery includes bearings (bearings) of original quality and a centering tool adapted to the specific vehicle, which ensures ease of installation.

Key features:

  • premium quality
  • heat resistant
  • floating rubber cushions

Product score:

  • performance(9/10)
  • quality (9/10)
  • price (6/10)

TOTAL SCORE: 8

Pros
  • reduce noise and vibration
  • smooth and the pedal feels lighter
  • optimal drivetrain efficiency
Cons
  • the pedal picks up very low

SouthEast 16070

budget
Our rating:
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…3.0

From the very beginning of the operation, the brand guarantees the absence of the need for service and maintenance, since this item has a 12-month warranty. A number of technologies, used by the company to improve torque transmission, have allowed extremely smooth, almost imperceptible gear shifting.

The SouthEast guarantees each customer the following benefits: an increased level of reliability during the operation of your Tacoma; high service life of clutch kit; transfer engine power to the chassis; excellent clutch and gearbox operation (the driver does not have to exert much force to depress the pedal.

The disadvantage, in this case, is not a very reliable release bearing. The manufacturer is constantly trying to modify its design, but the attempts were unsuccessful, because at the moment its resource varies from 20 to 30 thousand miles.

A clutch is constructed using asbestos, so use a mask before removing the clutch disc. Gloves and protective eyewear are a good idea as well.

Key features:

  • assembled in the U.S
  • perfect fitment
  • warranty of 12 months

Product score:

  • performance(7/10)
  • quality (7/10)
  • price (8/10)

TOTAL SCORE: 8.3

Pros
  • cheap price
  • it doesn't make noise
  • durable
Cons
  • non-durable release bearing

Best Tacoma Clutch Kit Buying Guide

A few words about the construction

The whole clutch consists of the following elements:

Pressure plate. The round disk has a typical bulge. There are springs that mounted in it. They are tightly connected to the pressure pad in a similarly circular manner. The diameter of the platform is comparable to the size of the flywheel. Under the influence of the release bearing, the springs are shifted to the center of the pressure plate;

Friction disc. Made with friction material on both sides. It is placed between the flywheel and the pressure pad;

Diaphragm spring. It is mainly made from carbon material, located on a friction disk and sits between the pressure plate and the cover.

Installed a clutch drive system. The system that, using the clutch pedal in tandem with a movable cable, helps us control the clutch release;

Clutch pedal. It is located in the passenger compartment, of course, and it is always the leftmost pedal.

Most clutches use three springs, but in performance clutches, you can have more. And that makes the connection between the disc and the flywheel even stronger and more effective in high torque application.

Conclusion

Clutch, as we were able to understand, is a high-priority spare part in the design of the entire car, cos if you have some problems with it, your stick won't go anywhere, so as your car. During operation, it is important to treat it carefully and not expose it to unnecessary loads.

If you are a neat driver, then your clutch will serve you faithfully. It is always recommended to carry out timely maintenance in the event of a malfunction.

The experience of many car owners shows, the greater the savings now, the more you will have to pay later for repairs. However, analogs of the above clutch kits are practically not inferior to the originals.

Resources:

  1. Clutch - wikipedia
  2. OEM Replacement Clutch Kits - exedyusa
  3. Clutch Kit - aisin-europe