Parts for your 2001 Daihatsu Gran move-Thrust bearing

2001 Daihatsu Gran Move Thrust Bearing: What It Does and When To Replace

Based on technical sources including the Daihatsu Gran Move/Pyzar G3-series factory workshop manual (Clutch section), the Daihatsu Electronic Parts Catalogue (EPC) for G303/G311 models, and major clutch kit catalogues (e.g., Exedy/NSK listings for the 1.6L manual Gran Move), a thrust bearing—more commonly called the clutch release bearing—is fitted to 2001 Daihatsu Gran Move models with the 5‑speed manual gearbox. Automatic (4‑speed) models don’t use a clutch thrust/release bearing because they run a torque converter. So the part is relevant for manual cars, not for autos.

On a manual ’01 Gran Move, the thrust (release) bearing sits on the gearbox input shaft collar and presses on the clutch diaphragm fingers when the pedal’s pushed. Its job is simple but vital: smoothly transfer pedal force to disengage the clutch without grating, chatter, or drag. When it wears, you’ll often hear a whirring or growl with the clutch pedal depressed that quietens when you release it.

There’s no fixed service interval in the factory guidance, the sensible play is to replace the release bearing whenever the clutch is out, as recommended by both the Daihatsu workshop procedure and aftermarket clutch kit makers. It’s a gearbox-out job, so doing the pressure plate, friction disc, and release bearing together saves you diving back in later.

• Common symptoms: noise with pedal depressed, a rough or notchy feel through the pedal, or clutch not fully releasing.
• Best practice during replacement: inspect the clutch fork and pivot, check the release bearing guide tube for scoring, lightly lubricate the fork contact points and the bearing’s sliding surfaces with a high-temp moly grease (keep grease off the friction plate), and replace the spigot/pilot support if fitted.
• Driving habits matter: resting a foot on the pedal or holding the car on the clutch at the lights cooks the bearing and the pressure plate—use neutral and the handbrake instead.

If your Gran Move is an automatic, there’s no clutch release/thrust bearing to service. Any driveline noise under those conditions will be unrelated—think torque converter, flex plate, or ancillary bearings. Separate to the clutch, the engine does have crankshaft thrust bearings integrated with the main bearings, but those aren’t routine service items and are only addressed during engine rebuilds.

Popular questions about 2001 Daihatsu Gran Move thrust bearings

Does my 2001 Gran Move have a thrust bearing?
Manual models do—it's the clutch release bearing. Automatic models don’t use one because they have a torque converter instead of a manual clutch.

What noises point to a failing thrust (release) bearing?
A whirring, chirp, or growl that appears when the clutch pedal is pressed and disappears when released is classic release bearing behaviour. If the noise is present all the time, look elsewhere (idler pulleys, gearbox bearings, or the alternator).

Can I replace only the thrust bearing?
You can, but it’s usually false economy. Because the gearbox must come out, most techs fit a complete clutch kit (pressure plate, disc, release bearing) and check the fork, pivot, and guide tube at the same time.