Hello all,hope everyone had a good Christmas.

I am in the process of changing the clutch on a 2004 Ducato 2.8 JTD for my father in law at the moment but am having a bit of trouble removing the release bearing from the actuating arm.It looks as though you have to pull the pivot pin out to be able to release the bearing but this one won't budge.Is there a special tool to draw out the pivot of is there another way to remove the bearing?.

Any help would be much appreciated.

All I could find on the subject in the manual:-
2300JTD, 2800JTD
1. Release the selector fork lever and remove it.
see pic clutchfork.gif
2300JTD, 2800JTD
1. Remove the thrust bearing (1b) from the clutch using the tool (1a).
Description Code
1a Extractor 1.870.840.000
see pic clutchbearing.gif
Refitting
2300JTD, 2800JTD
Refitting - Fit the thrust bearing in its housing in the gearbox taking care to fit it correctly on the sleeve and on the fork lever.

CLUTCH WITH HYDRAULIC RELEASE DEVICE
(all versions)
COMPOSITION
A hydraulic release device has been fitted to improve acoustic comfort and performance while driving. This device consists of a reservoir shared with the brake system (1), pump (2) secured to the pedal unt, slave cylinder (3) secured to the gearbox bell housing and hydraulic damper (4).
The vehicle drives more comfortably because the damping effect of the hydraulic system reduces vibrations transmitted by the power unit.
The adoption of this device eliminates the need for periodic adjustment because clearance is eliminated and any wear on the driven plate is taken up automatically

OPERATION
The clutch is single dry plate type, with a hydraulic release device and thrust bearing in permanent contact with the pressure spring. The driven plate is driven by pressure exercised by a diaphragm spring.
The clutch is released by a pedal-operated pump that transmits the fluid pressure increase to the slave cylinder piston. The piston acts on the clutch control fork via a rod to move the thrust bearing and thus overcome the action of the diaphragm spring.
The thrust bearing is in constant contact with the diaphragm spring and the slave cylinder rod is in constant contact with the fork.

Technical Data:
Spring load: 470 daN
Outer diameter: 224 mm
Inner diameter: 163 mm
Pedal stroke: 148.5 mm
2300JTD, 2800JTD
- Tighten the bolts fixing the clutch to the flywheel to torque.
Value - daNm Fastening Component Ø
- 3.2 daNm - Bolt CLUTCH ASSEMBLY M8
Sorry but that is all it has on the subject which is typical of the
service manual not much help!
cheers

Thanks very much for the info,but thats a different arrangement to one I have hear.Mine has a long pin that seems to be pressed into the gearbox housing that holds the fork in place.The pin sticks out of the top of the gearbox and has a groove cut into it as though there might be a special tool to pull it out with.

I'm not going to get back to the van until Saturday so I'll have another look and get to you all.

Looking at the diagram again (after having finished the job today),that is the same arrangement as I had,but I still couldn't find a way of removing the pin!.

In the end I bent one of the clips on the old bearing,turned it approx 45 degrees and it came off the arm.The new release bearing was fitted using the same technique,and although it was still awkward it is possible to do.You have to be careful bending the clips as the metal they are made of is a little brittle,especially as you have to bend back the clip on the new bearing once it's fitted.

All is now well though,job finished and seems OK.Thanks again for your help.

But...how did you get the gearbox back on to the engine again, with the release bearing on the wrong side of the pressure plate fingers? Did you just push into place and the fingers "plopped" over to the correct side of the bearing?

Ok, now I know how it works:
You can pull of the gearbox, I used two wooden planks and jerked it off. Once the gearbox is out you can dismantle the clutch (I bought a new one!) and pull of the pivot pin on the gearbox holding the fork and the bearing is free. If you want to keep the release bearing it is easy to separate the inner and outer parts, just use a sharp tool and plier to fiddle out the snap spring and you can separate the bearing from its pulley ring. The pulley ring is placed on the inner side of the diaphragm spring using the bayonet ftting and the plastic guide on the bearing is put over the snap spring on the bearing which now can be put back on the pivot pin together with the fork. Now the gearbox can be put back and the two halves of the release bearing is being snapped together into one part. I hope I got that right now, it took me some time to figure this out.