About 5 years ago the clutch seemed to go out on my 1988 F350 5spd with the 7.3. For just a couple hundred dollars a shop got it working again, but the clutch pedal was very stiff and difficult to push in. That's not been a problem until I hurt my knee.

Anyway, does anyone have suggestions on how to lighten the pedal pressure? If this will require a new clutch, how much should I expect to spend?

P.S. I was on this site many years ago when we added a Banks Turbo. The site was very helpful.

 

Welcome (back) to FTE.

Check your linkages, pivot point, bushings etc, and check your firewall for flex. If your clutch master gets out line with the pushrod or linkage, it will be hard to push, and eventually it will wear and leak. Firewall flex, rust and cracking are common in '80s trucks.

 

It's in the shop now and the first thing the mechanic wanted to check was the firewall. If we can't make the clutch softer, this might be the first truck to get sold because the driver broke.

 

When I replaced the clutch on my 7.3 IDI, I went with the single mass flywheel kit, and the pedal effort got a lot lighter.

 

How much should this cost if a shop does it?

 

Exactly. the Aftermarket performance clutches actually push easier/

As for cost? Depends on what your shop charges. A shop by me would charge 400 in labor to remove trans and install a clutch. PLUS the cost of the clutch