Some research says no amount of exposure is safe, so I consider that an issue. A late friend of mine researched this sort of thing. EPA scientist’s work could improve mine safety | MinnPost

It's true that increased exposure increases the risk, but that doesn't mean less exposure is safe. After all, you only die once and you want to do it right.

Like I said though, I would treat it the dust the same whether it is or isn't asbestos, though I might choose to not do the job myself if I thought it was. Right now I think it probably isn't, but since I can't start the job until April anyway I will look into it some more. Aside from that, after the feedback here and the other threads I've read I am confident I can probably get the job done myself.

Great attitude - make someone else take the risk... because you are more important than the next guy. (I hope that you understand how that statement can be taken)

There is risk everywhere and the personal growth of learning a new skill is probably worth any miniscule health risk.

-Charlie

Good grief, take your problems elsewhere.

Oh boy.. easy folks.. As per google by 1993 Toyota eliminated asbestos....

"Does Toyota use asbestos?
By 1993, Toyota had all asbestos-free brakes and clutches. Asbestos still showed up in a few specialty gaskets – those were removed in 2005. The American manufacturers aren't quite as forthcoming about asbestos use. And there are still quite a few manufacturers of asbestos brakes and clutches in China and India."


Just so readers know down the road. I not interested into getting into debates or discussions on dust. I just wanted to point out its not in the oem materials anymore.

If the chance of potentially being exposed to a tiny amount of asbestos is a top level concern for you, then perhaps being around cars is not your thing. Engine oil, gear oil, tranny fluid, gasoline, exhaust fumes, brake dust, all forms of grease, blackened carbon, brake clean, etc are all carcinogenic as well - and arguably pose a larger threat with how prevalent they are and how quickly the skin absorbs them. Just some food for thought
If you're truly that concerned, wear some gauntlets and a respirator. You'll survive

People over react to asbestos, they think it's like mustard gas that will immediately kill you with cancer. It's not, it takes repeated exposures and you wont know for many years.

If it really scares you, buy a P100 respirator and goggles, shouldn't cost more than $25 and it will stop you from breathing asbestos.

Toyota (accidently) made 27000 vehicles with asbestos between 1996 and 2005, and the parts weren't the clutch. It also says they had completely ended use of asbestos in 1996 (apart from those vehicles). Since the 3rd gen was new in '96, Toyota designed it to not use asbestos.

Well this thread has served its purpose so I don't mind if it devolves into nitpicking about asbestos. But I'm an evidence freak, and a statement pulled up by Google (which I already posted, btw) that they stopped in 1993 is just not authoritative. I also posted that they were using asbestos in non-friction parts after they had supposedly stopped.

The truth of when they actually stopped using asbestos in OEM clutches (its still used in some aftermarket parts) is hard t pin down. Here's another unauthoritative statement from the web:

Auto Mechanic Asbestos Exposure - The Lanier Law Firm
According to the Federal Register and the EPA, automotive chrysotile asbestos-containing disc and drum brakes were common until 2000...

The EPA banned asbestos products in automotive parts in 1989, but this was overturned in 1991, allowing products to be used in automotive parts again. In 2010, a Freedonia report revealed that California and Washington passed legislation requiring brake pads to have no more than 0.1% asbestos by January 1, 2015.

This was important because from 1996 through 2006, asbestos-containing brake imports had increased 83 percent. (so why not clutches?)

According to the EPA, asbestos-containing clutches were phased out by 2000. Manufacturers had already begun using alternate materials in the 1980s.

Whoa, 2000? That's long after they were supposedly phased out. So the deeper I look, the murkier it gets. Last but not least, even Toyota Corporate wasn't able to give me a definite answer.

The purpose of this thread was to help you decide what to do about your bad clutch and after skimming through three pages of threads it looks like you've received some pretty good advice. No one here will fault you for backing out and moving on for lack of tools, financial means, asbestos, motivation or anything else. But if you want to tackle the project we're here to help.

I intend to tackle the project in April. I will start another thread for that when I do. In the meantime I just became curious about the asbestos question because the information out there is so indefinite and conflicting. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like more definitive answers on whether they are dealing with a deadly carcinogen. I'm sure I'm not the only one who didn't know that aftermarket brakes and clutches might still contain asbestos. People down under might not know that asbestos wasn't regulated in automotive parts until this century, long after its use was (supposedly) stopped in the US.

Ok.. So what HAVC guys do when they find it on the heating and AC systems? They keep it wet with water as the only the dust is harmful.

So you can use brake cleaner to liquefy the dust. So it no longer harmful, Or water. I have never heard of any mechanic or anyone concerned about the dust of brake shoes or clutches. They just wet the dust down to make safe. :-)

Wrong. I had my furnace replaced last year. They came and found something that looked like asbestos, and refused to continue the work until an asbestos abatement specialist had come and inspected it. Only when the asbestos specialist determined that it was not asbestos did they continue with the furnace job. Same with when I had my home weatherized.
What mechanics do is their life and their choice. But if they weren't concerned they wouldn't wet it down, now would they?

I'd argue there's a difference between doing the bare minimum to get a job done - and refusing to even attempt the bare minimum out of pure fear of the unknown. But that's just my opinion, as a blue collar mechanic
I don't see why you're getting so pissy and antagonistic, is that usually how you behave towards those trying to help you?

What is your point of all this? They wet it down because I like I said the dust is the hazard.

All your doing at this point is just making members not wanting to help you with your questions as telling people they are wrong and acting like this isn't the best course of action. It looks like members answered your question anyhow.


I guess you would just want to argue.. That's your choice. I am done with this discussion.. :-) You can do and believe as you wish.. :-)

Even without asbestos, brake and clutch dust sucks to breath.

-Charlie

I don't know why people are getting offended. If other people don't care, that's fine, they shouldn't respond.The part of this thread pertaining to the nuts and bolts of clutch replacement ended a while ago, and I got the answers I needed about that. I'm not trying to tell anyone else what they should do or think. Now I'm simply trying to find other answers regarding the presence or absence of asbestos and am posting the results for others to ignore or do with as they wish. I'm not looking for advice on how I should think about it or what if anything I should do about it.